Ads link Alabama governor to Choctaw gaming money

Wednesday, April 8, 2009  

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley (R) denies accepting money from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in exchange for opposing gaming in his state, a charge made in new ads.

A group called Sweet Home Alabama Coalition says the governor accepted money from the gaming tribe during the 2002 campaign. Riley, who opposes gaming, has threatened lawsuits against television stations that run the ads.

“I’ve never met a Choctaw, never spoken to a Choctaw, never had a Choctaw ask me to do anything,” said Riley, The Dothan Eagle reported.

The allegation stems from the Jack Abramoff investigation. A leader of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana said the Mississippi Choctaws boasted they spent $13 million “to get the governor of Alabama elected to keep gaming out of Alabama."

The Choctaws were Abramoff's biggest client. They also hired public relations executive Michael Scanlon, who was Riley's press secretary when he was in the U.S. House.

Get the Story:
Riley says latest television ads are lies (The Dothan Eagle 4/7)
TV stations stop pro-bingo group's ads linking Riley to Choctaws (The Birmingham News 4/8)
Ads linking Riley to gaming pulled (AP 4/8)