A look back at all things and people and events 2009 …

Video: Bill Blount joins Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks
with a guilty plea.

Aug. 1 | We counted down the days to former mayor Larry Langford’s original Aug. 31 trial date with our greatest series ever, Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks. Seriously, look how many criminals we stuffed into one month …

• Mary Kay Beard | James Bevel | Bill Blount | Mary Buckelew | Rube Burrow
• Gregory Clarke | Matthew Cloyd, Russell DeBusk and Benjamin Moseley | Jeff Germany | Dedrick Griham | Richard Hawes
• The HealthSouth 16 | Virginia Hill | Troy Ingram | John Katopodis | Al LaPierre
• Don MacDermott | E.B. McClain | Jeff and Jessica McCord | Chris McNair | Danny Ray Miles
• Jack Montgomery | Samuel Pettagrue | Richard Scrushy | Don Siegelman | Lakendall Sims
• 16th Street Baptist Church bombers | Simon Speights | J.B. Stoner | Marvin Warner | Gary White

Who didn’t make the list? Langford, convicted Oct. 28. And pipe maker McWane Inc., whose latest fine is $4 million.

Aug. 10 | A juicy morsel: Wade on Birmingham had the exclusive scoop on the exclusive screening of the documentary “Food, Inc.” P.S. We love our news tipsters.

Aug. 11 | The dirge continued as we presented the Birmingham Heritage Festival lineup and demise in the same day. P.S. Never piss off Ludacris. Ever.

Aug. 25 | Our Vote 2009 coverage kicked into high gear with our extensive look at the Birmingham city council and board of education races. Later, we had results from all 18 races, nine of which were headed to runoffs.

Aug. 27 | The end of August also means the start of our monthlong coverage of the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, with an in-depth look at the local films plus the opening night documentary, “Best Worst Movie.”

See all of our August coverage.

• • •

Haiku flashback

football season: dear coach (Aug. 31)

Please take us to the
national championship
(or else, you’re fired).

• • •

365 days of Birmingham’s best and worst: Wade on 2009

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. A 30-part series running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 Oct. 19 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Don Siegelman

Positions held: Alabama’s governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state; Vestavia Hills resident after leaving office in 2003.

Wanted for: fraud (2004); bribery, mail fraud and obstruction of justice (2005)

Date of conviction: June 29, 2006, convicted alongside HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy; 2004 trial went nowhere after prosecutors dropped all charges on second day.

Sentence: 7 years 4 months in prison, 3 years probation, $50,000 in fines, $181,325 in restitution and 500 hours community service.

Criminally fun fact: Siegelman served nearly 9 months in a low-security Louisiana federal prison before being released in March 2008 on appeal bond. His case is under review by the House Judiciary Committee and was featured in a February 2008 episode of “60 Minutes.”

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Don Siegelman
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

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Subscribe to our free newsletter!

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. Running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Bill Blount

Positions held: Montgomery investment banker, handled Jefferson County’s bond swap deals

Wanted for: bribery and conspiracy, indicted with Al LaPierre and Langford

Date of conviction: today, admitting to bribing county commissioners Langford and Mary Buckelew.

Sentence: Sentencing date to be determined. Blount faces up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy and 5 years in prison for bribery (prosecutors wil ask for 52 months), plus up to $500,000 in fines. Plea agreement says he will forfeit $1 million. Blount is expected to testify in Langford’s trial.

Criminally fun fact: The government says Blount paid for several of Langford’s expensive purchases, including $11,750.40 at Bromberg’s Fine Jewelers and nearly $30,000 in 4 years at Remon’s Clothier.

According to the Press-Register (Mobile), Blount has had a tangled history of bond financing deals gone sour, from two 1995 deals for the City of Mobile that warranted investigation by the FBI and the IRS, and a state warehouse construction project from 2001 pushed by political pal and then Gov. Don Siegelman.

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: William Blount
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

Want more Wade on Birmingham? Subscribe to our free newsletter!

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. Running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Richard Scrushy

Positions held: founder of Birmingham-based HealthSouth, TV talk show host

Wanted for: fraud and conspiracy (2005); bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud (2006)

Date of conviction: acquitted of 2005 charges, but convicted alongside former governor Don Siegelman on June 29, 2006.

Sentence: nearly 7 years in prison, then 3 years probation, $400,000 in fines plus up to $150,000 to repay cost of incarceration. On June 18, Scrushy lost a civil suit and was ordered to pay $2.87 billion.

Criminally fun fact: Scrushy set up a ministry in 2006 to feed African children and provide mortgages. He helped found the charity organization Computer Help for Kids with convicted former Birmingham pol John Katopodis and mayor Larry Langford; the charity employed gay porn star Ryan Idol as a computer technician for $30,000.

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Richard Scrushy
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

Want more Wade on Birmingham? Subscribe to our free newsletter!

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. Running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Gregory Clarke

Position held: pastor, New Hope Baptist Church (6,000 members)

Wanted for: filing false tax returns, owing $35,684 in back taxes

Date of conviction: July 20, 2007

Sentence: 21 months in prison, but was released from Atlanta federal prison in April after 14 months served. He’s serving the remainder of his sentence in a Birmingham halfway house.

Criminally fun fact: Clarke says he was targeted by the Bush administration for his support and friendship of former governor Don Siegelman [letter, Jan. 12, 2009, PDF].

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Gregory Clarke
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

Then and now

Does not compute: Back in his Fairfield days, Mayor Langford set up a charity with pals John Katopodis and Richard Scrushy to get computers to kids. Except that tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars went to him, Katopodis and a gay porn star. All of this came out in court as HealthSouth and Katopodis sued each other.

Both sides settled in March without revealing the terms of the deal. Frankly, plenty was revealed already.

Meanwhile, Langford’s latest effort to give computers to kids rolls on, having ordered an additional 14,000 laptops this week without Birmingham school board approval. The technology upgrades could cost millions for a system already struggling to keep facilities open.

More on Larry Langford and John Katopodis.

Keep reading for more updates, plus a scandalous photo of yours truly, after the jump …

(more…)

If Alabama hasn’t received enough national media attention lately, the drought is over, friends.

Exhibit A: Don Siegelman freed by “60 Minutes.” The former governor talked with the news magazine about seeing his story and his challenge for Republican operative Karl Rove.

Check out his brief interview from last Sunday’s broadcast …

• Siegelman Future Hinges On Appeal [CBS News]

Exhibit B: How bad is the state’s tax system? PBS news magazine “Now” investigates.

“Now” gets inside the lives of three Alabamian families — each in a different income bracket — to document the impact of regressive tax policies on people’s lives and wallets. The program follows a working mom to a grocery store, showing viewers how a 10 percent sales tax on groceries makes a significant difference in what her family eats.

Viewers travel to the backwoods to meet a couple who have always held jobs but still face hunger. They wonder why the government takes such a big share of the salary they earn. The program also spends time with a well-to-do suburban couple who benefit from a system that gives them huge tax breaks, and we hear their opinion on a tax hike.

The show airs at 8:30 p.m. Friday on APT-10 (a one-time only resurrection from its current time slot, 3:30 a.m. Sundays, banished there by the cowards at Alabama Public Television). Video and podcast will be available next week on the show’s site and on iTunes.
• Alabama Tax Policies [APT]

Exhibit C: As the corruption in Alabama’s two-year college system comes to light, lawmakers are running scared. Many “work” for the system, and are now being hauled before a grand jury to prove they’re not in it just for money. Oh, but think of the children poorly educated not-quite-collegians! (Hat tip to our pal Dave.)
• Fear, Paranoia and, Yes, Some Loathing in Alabama State House [New York Times]

Also:

• Rains bring nearly full capacity for local pollution- and pharmaceutical-tainted lakes
• Council approves mayor’s plan to beat council with pointy sticks
• Ah, spring, when a young man’s fancy turns to— er, fancy? Really?

• • •

More headlines | send us your news tips.

After nine months in prison, Don Siegelman is a free man. Sort of.

The former governor, convicted in 2006 of bribery, mail fraud and conspiracy, will be released from an Oakdale, La., prison camp on bond today as his appeal is considered. Meanwhile, co-convict Richard Scrushy remains locked up, his release denied because of flight risk.

The appeals court says enough substantial questions remain about the conviction to allow the release. Siegelman could end up in Washington, testifying before the House Judiciary Committee. Ironically, he didn’t even take the stand at his own trial.

How bizarre is this legal maze? See the “60 Minutes” report from February and judge for yourself.

• The Birmingham News: Siegelman leaving prison on appeal

• • •

More headlines | send us your news tips.

In case you missed the broadcast — and apparently Huntsville and Mobile did — check out the 13-minute report from “60 Minutes.” It uncovers some odd doings behind the conviction of former governor Don Siegelman. Plus, you can watch him rake the yard in the big house.

Karl Rove has denied any involvement, and Alabama Republican Party Chairman Mike Hubbard called Jill Simpson (who named Rove in her CBS interview) a liar.

Lingering questions:

• Did Simpson knowingly omit details in her congressional testimony?
• Why won’t the Justice Department share its files on the case?
• Why did Rove skip testifying before Congress? And why didn’t Congress compel him?
• Did the prosecution’s star witness write out his testimony? If so, why wasn’t it shared with the defense?
• And finally, was Siegelman’s crime bribery, politics as usual, or just being in the enemy party?

• CBS: Did Ex-Alabama Governor Get a Raw Deal?

• • •

More headlines | send us your news tips.

Update: Watch the full report from “60 Minutes” broadcast on Feb. 24.

This time for sure: “60 Minutes” will air its investigation of whether former governor Don Siegelman was targeted by GOP strategist Karl Rove. A main source, Republican attorney and operative Jill Simpson claims she was asked by Rove to photograph Siegelman in a compromising position with an aide (shades of l’affaire McCain). Rove denies any such campaign.

Siegelman’s conviction for bribery has drawn criticism from 52 former states’ attorneys general, hinting that it, too, was the result of more Republican dirty tricks.

Here’s a sneak peek of the story, which airs at 6 p.m. Sunday on CBS 42 (opposite the Oscar lead-in, Barbara Walters):

Bonus video: Reporter Scott Pelley shares inside info, after the jump …

(more…)

CBS news magazine “60 Minutes” has been investigating whether White House politics pushed for the prosecution of former governor Don Siegelman. He and HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy were convicted on charges of conspiracy, bribery and more. Republican operatives with White House ties have been accused of setting up Siegelman, a Democrat. Among those interviewed by CBS is Rep. Artur Davis (D).

The story had originally been scheduled to air in November, but was postponed, stirring up blog rumors galore. It could air at 6 tonight on CBS 42 or within the next few weeks. (The show Web site doesn’t say one way or the other.)

Update: It’s not Feb. 17. Maybe Feb. 24? (Against the Barbara Walters special before the Oscars.)

Update: Yep, Feb. 24.

Update: Watch the full report from “60 Minutes.”
• Hartselle Enquirer: Legislators not happy with Riley’s numbers

• • •

More headlines | send us your news tips.

Then and now

D&D, dungeons and dollars: The Dick and Don show has moved to federal prison. After netting about seven years each and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy and former governor Don Siegelman are in custody, awaiting appeal.

Not much left to say, except see you in 2014.

(more…)

It’s not the first time Don Siegelman and Richard Scrushy have made Page One of newspapers.

But their sentencing-turned-shackling made for front-page news across Alabama.

Check out the full gallery after the jump.

(more…)

The case is just about closed on the two local boys made bad. Former governor Don Siegelman and HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy were both sentenced to prison and six-figure fines, then immediately taken into custody earlier this evening.

Siegelman, the only Alabama governor with a prison sentence, won’t be free until late 2014 (barring parole). He’ll have to cough up more than $230,000 and perform 500 hours of community service. And don’t forget the three years of probation.

Scrushy, mogul turned evangelist turned con, won’t be out until spring 2014 (barring parole); he’ll have three years probation when out. He must shell out more than $400,000, not counting having to repay the costs of incarceration, which will easily be more than $150,000 if he serves the full term.

The pair racked up all kinds of charges: mail fraud, conspiracy, bribery, obstruction of justice. They were convicted one year ago tomorrow.

Has justice been served? Tell us after the jump. Plus, bloggers’ reactions.

• Birmingham News: Siegelman, Scrushy taken into custody.

(more…)

From the penthouse to …: HealthSouth continues its long march to solvency and respectability. A Dallas real estate company will buy its 280 headquarters and giant faux hospital for $60 million from the Birmingham-based health care giant, far less than the $238 million spent on them. The money will go to paying down the company’s $4.2 billion debt, or about 1.4 percent. HealthSouth will remain in its building for a year while seeking new office space within the metro area.

Meanwhile, founder Richard Scrushy and former governor Don Siegelman are a mere 24 days away from sentencing. Federal prosecutors have asked for 25 to 30 years jail time and millions in fines and restitution. Attorneys for the pair have filed for no jail time. Naturally.
• Unused hospital, HQ sold [Birmingham News]

The unholy power of Oprah: Birmingham-based Books-A-Million saw a 40 percent jump in profit between the first quarter of this year and 2006. Was it smart marketing, long-term planning or higher productivity? Or was it the awesome power of daytime TV host Oprah Winfrey? According to the retailer’s president, Oprah’s recommendation of self-help DVD “The Secret” helped boost sales revenues. Yeah, here’s the secret: Save the Oprah, save the world.
• Books-A-Million posts 40 percent increase in profits [Birmingham Business Journal]

Jazz in the field: Moss Rock Preserve (the nature site, not the residential development) will hold an outdoor jazz festival Sunday, featuring Birmingham’s own Eric Essix and Oteil Burbridge as well as headliner Kirk Whalum. The event runs from 3 to 10 p.m., with tickets priced at $24.50. Parking will be at Regions Park (formerly the Hoover Met), with shuttles running to the preserve. [map]
• Preserve Jazz Festival site

Also:

• Citizens asked to conserve water, but ‘go nuts’ with gasoline
• Mayor’s budget funds wacky new neighbor, surprise pregnancy
• Free from schools shackles, teens start summer jobs looting, chilling

• • •

More headlines | send us your news tips.