I just don't trust a politician who's deeply in debt and especially fond of fancy clothes and jewelry. Sounds like trouble's a comin' to me, big time.
Trouble came for Mayor Larry Langford of Birmingham, Alabama.
This is a follow-up of an Ethic Soup post last December on Langford's arrest, along with numerous other mayors of American cities. So many mayors are crooks, Ethic Soup reported on a new batch of arrested mayors in March.
FOUND GUILTY IN TWO HOURS
The jury in Langford's federal corruption trial heard testimony for six days, then found him guilty -- in less than two hours -- on all 60 counts of money laundering and bribery charges.
That's big time trouble alright, for which Langford (below, left, with wife Melva) is going to serve some big time in jail -- one news article says that's 500 years maximum sentence, another says 800 years. Either way, he's already 61 and doesn't have hundreds of years of life left to serve.
A TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE ROLEX
During his trial, moved to US District Court in Tuscaloosa, Ala. to better ensure a fair trial, The Christian Science Monitor reported:
"...Mr. Langford is at the center of a spectacular scandal where, prosecutors say, a popular mayor whose motto is "Do something!" gambled a city's future on a risky Wall Street scheme, all while taking bribes in the form of cash, Rolex watches and designer clothes."
The cash he took came to $230,000, good for at least a couple of new suits. All the goodies he accepted were in exchange for steering $7.1 million in sewer-bond business to a prominent investment banker.
LEAVING CITY NEAR BANKRUPTCY
"The bonds and debt restructuring destabilized the finances of the county, which includes Birmingham, and its sewer system, helping to push the county to the brink of bankruptcy last year," reports The New York Times.
In fact, the city of Birmingham has debt of $5 billion, in large part due to the botched sewer project. Should the city go under in bankruptcy, it will become the largest municipality in the nation's history to do so.
NEED FOR ETHICS REFORM
The conviction proves the need for statewide ethics reform, according to State Rep. Patricia Todd of Birmingham who said:
"I hope that every elected official learns that you can't accept these kinds of gifts without the person wanting something in return. Shame on him for violating the public trust and thinking he's above the law."
Larry Langford, pictured right with an afro in 1979, was a controversial and flamboyant mayor. Responding to Birmingham's rising murder rate last year, he held a prayer service, wearing a burlap sack and ashes on his forehead.
PUBLIC POWER, PERSONAL GAIN
"This is no fairy tale; it's an old story, the one where the politician trades public power for personal gain," said Asst. U.S. Attorney Tamarra Matthews-Johnson during closing arguments, reported by Bloomberg.com.
Testifying against Langford in the trial were both of Langford's two co-conspirators, investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre -- both of whom had pleaded guilty. Yet after conviction, both Langford and his wife Melva played the race card in Langford's failed defense.
PLAYING THE RACE CARD
In response, Roy Exum writes in the Chattanooganthat untruthfully playing the race card "slaps at every single soul who is so fervently trying to erase racism forever. If Melva Langford ever wanted to exacerbate a divide, her ill-timed remarks stuck a dagger in Alabama's determined climb to overcome a tragic image born in the 1960s."
TO READ "OUT OF THE SEWERS INTO FEDERAL PRISON: BIRMINGHAM'S LANGFORD GETS 15 YEARS" CLICK HERE.
TO READ "BIRMINGHAM MAYOR LANGFORD CONVICTED ON 60 COUNTS" CLICK HERE.
TO READ " 'BAMA'S BIRMINGHAM VOTES TO REPLACE OUSTED MAYOR: IT'S 4 MAYORS IN 4 MONTHS," CLICK HERE.
TO READ "BIRMINGHAM MAYOR ARRESTED: LANGFORD JOINS JAILED MAYORS' CLUB" CLICK HERE.
by Sharon McEachern
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