It’s not clear which candidates will attend, or whether Sandra Little Brown and David Carrington will participate, as both are running unopposed on Nov. 2.

The forum runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at WorkPlay, 500 23rd St. S., Lakeview [map].

[Map of Jefferson County Commission districts]

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

In the absence of a designated successor, we often find ourselves heading toward chaos.

George W. Bush anointed no one as a possible Republican successor to the presidency. The mad scramble left an opening for the Democrats to exploit.

Gov. Riley had no preferred candidate in the GOP to follow in his footsteps. Well, at least not until Saturday, when he finally tossed a late endorsement to Bradley Byrne.

It has been chaos in the Republican camp in Alabama leading up to Tuesday’s runoff election. The two biggest names running for governor were Tim James, the son of a former two-term governor, and Roy Moore, former chief justice of the state supreme court — and they finished in third and fourth place.

The runoff featured front-runner Byrne, former chancellor of the state’s 2-year college system and scourge of the Alabama Education Association. It also had a dark horse, Robert Bentley, a doctor and state representative.

Tuesday night, Bentley, shown at right, pulled off the upset by soundly defeating Byrne 56 percent to 44 percent in unofficial results. He had trailed Byrne just 6 weeks ago in the primary election 25 percent to 28 percent.

City folk may have liked Byrne, but it was country folk who supported Bentley. Rural counties overwhelmingly went for the doctor over the lawyer.

• • •

Runoff winners and losers from Tuesday
around Alabama and metro Birmingham.

• • •

Bentley faces Democratic challenger Ron Sparks, shown at left, who pulled off an upset of his own in knocking out Artur Davis, the 7th district congressman.

As many of you may not know, Sparks has served two terms as the state’s agricultural commissioner. And even if you did know that, your Sparks knowledge probably ends there.

The two unknowns, Bentley and Sparks, are left to battle for the state’s top office. Who’da thunk it 2 months ago?

Headed toward chaos? No, just the orderly progression of moneyed interests.

In this year’s election, those two interests are the AEA and the gambling lobby.

The AEA and Byrne have been at odds over merit pay and tenure law for years. Naturally, the AEA bankrolled millions of dollars in anti-Byrne ads during the runoff campaign.

It has also be a big contributor to … Sparks. Both sides covered.

Note to AEA head Paul Hubbert: Next time, it’ll probably be cheaper just to run for the governor’s office yourself in 2014.

Make no mistake: A teacher’s union isn’t the same as an educational reform group. One is there to maintain benefits and protection for teachers, even as the state remains in the Bottom 2 in education decade after decade.

As for bingo, Sparks wants to legalize it and tax it, following a public referendum. His campaign has been funded in part by gambling political action committees.

No such funding appears to have come into Bentley’s largely self-funded campaign. While personally against it, Bentley says he’s OK with a state referendum on bingo, which, if approved, should be taxed.

Are Alabamians screaming for bingo, or for other forms of gambling from dog racing to lotteries to casinos? We may soon have our say at the ballot box.

The same ballot box where we’ll still be scratching our heads on Nov. 2 over the curious race between Robert Bentley and Ron Sparks.

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

• • •

• U.S. House: On the Democratic side, Terri Sewell beat Shelia Smoot in the District 7 race to replace Artur Davis. On the Republican side, Don Chamberlain beat Chris Salter for the nomination.

The heavily gerrymandered district favors Democrats. Should Sewell win in November, she would be the first black female Representative in state history.

• Attorney general: James Anderson clinched the Democratic nomination, defeating Giles Perkins. Anderson faces GOP nominee Luther Strange.

• Jefferson County Commission: The members will be all new in the fall after the last standing incumbent went down Tuesday.

In District 1, George Bowman beat Johnathan Austin in the Democratic runoff. If this sounds familiar, he beat Austin a few weeks ago in the special election to fill the seat immediately. Bowman faces Republican Greg Stanley in the fall.

In District 2, Democrat Sandra Little Brown beat Gary Richardson, winning the seat with no Republican opposition.

In District 3, Jimmie Stephens defeated incumbent Bobby Humphryes Jr. on the Republican ticket. He’ll face Vivian Ford, who defeated fellow Democrat Ron Yarbrough.

In District 4, Republican Joe Knight beat Ronnie Dixon. Knight will face Democratic challenger Roy Wood.

• Jefferson County Sheriff: Willie Hill defeated Ron Blankenship to win the Democratic nomination. Hill battles Republican incumbent Mike Hale.

Election Day is Nov. 2.

• • •

Also:

• ABC 33/40: Election analysis from Second Front writer Kyle Whitmire
• Clarion Caller: Jenn Foster on Bentley’s victory
• Flashpoint: Post-runoff thoughts
• Doc’s Political Parlor: Who had a good night last night? A bad night?
• The World Around You: Hello Governor Sparks – The Upside Down World of Alabama Politics

• • •

Who will win the governor’s race in November, Bentley or Sparks? Who should win? Tell us in the comments.

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

A semi-soggy Primary Election Day in Alabama brought some surprising results amid light voter turnout.

• Governor: Rep. Artur Davis, long touted as the frontrunner in the Democratic race, fell to opponent state agriculture commissioner Ron Sparks (pictured below left) in a landslide.

Davis picked up less than 38 percent in his attempt to become the first major black candidate for governor of Alabama. It appears not so much that Sparks won as much as Davis lost, and the reasons are many. Davis failed to win the endorsement of key black Democratic groups; he voted against his party on health care reform; he could still be the wrong color for a conservative Southern state.

Byrne, left, will face either Bentley,
center, or James in a runoff.

Meanwhile, a very tight three-way race among Republicans kept watchers guessing until late Tuesday night. State senator Bradley Byrne eventually pulled far enough ahead with 28 percent to secure one runoff spot. With 99 percent of precincts counted, Robert Bentley had a tiny 140-vote lead over Tim James, 25.15 percent to 25.12 percent.

It’s likely the close vote will trigger an automatic recount, which will set the stage for the July 13 runoff. The winner faces Sparks on Nov. 2.

• • •

Results from Tuesday’s primaries, state and metro Birmingham.

• • •

• U.S. Senate: Incumbent Richard Shelby handily won the GOP nomination, facing and probably trouncing Democratic attorney William G. Barnes in the fall.

• U.S. House: In District 6, Republican Spencer Bachus won 76 percent of the vote to secure re-election to his 10th term.

In District 7, the seat being vacated by Artur Davis, Don Chamberlain and Chris Salter are headed for the GOP runoff, while Terri Sewell and Shelia Smoot will compete in the Democratic runoff. Keep in mind: Only three times in history has a non-Democratic candidate filled the seat.

• Lieutenant governor: Democratic incumbent Jim Folsom Jr., who ran unopposed, will battle state treasurer Kay Ivey, who knocked out two opponents in the Republican primary.

• Attorney general: James Anderson came up just a hair short to win the Democratic nomination outright, facing a runoff with Giles Perkins. But the real tale is in Luther Strange‘s trouncing of incumbent Troy King, who not only faced opposition in a primary but also from GOP leaders after an extended battle with Gov. Riley over bingo and gambling. Strange day, indeed.

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

• • •

• Jefferson County Commission: We’re still not sure why anyone wants this job, given that previous members have sent the county into billions of dollars in debt and have gone to prison. Certainly not most of the incumbents, since only one ran for re-election.

In District 1, a seat that came open when William Bell became mayor of Birmingham, Democrats Johnathan Austin (Birmingham city council member) and George Bowman (former county commissioner) are headed to two runoffs. One runoff to immediately fill the position, the other for the regular 4-year term.

In District 2, former Birmingham city council member Sandra Little Brown and radio station owner Gary Richardson will compete in the Democratic runoff.

In District 3, Vivian Ford, a minister and a Realtor, will be in the Democratic runoff against Ron Yarbrough, who served recently as assistant tax assessor in the Bessemer cutoff. Incumbent Bobby Humphryes Jr. will face businessman Jimmie Stephens in the GOP runoff.

In District 4, Democrat Roy Wood, ran unopposed, will face the winner of the GOP runoff, businessman Ronnie Dixon or attorney Joe Knight.

And in District 5, Republican business owner David Carrington won the seat outright by defeating two opponents.

• Sheriff: In Jefferson County, incumbent Mike Hale handily defeated Republican challenger and convicted felon Jim Woodward. He’ll face the winner of the Democratic runoff, Ron Blankenship or Willie Hill.

In Shelby County, incumbent Chris Curry easily won re-election in the Republican race.

• Voter turnout: Secretary of State Beth Chapman had predicted 35 percent to 38 percent turnout among registered voters Tuesday. In 2006′s primary, turnout was 38.4 percent, while in 2002′s primary, it was 35 percent.

But in Jefferson County, voter turnout was under 25 percent Tuesday. That was about the same turnout for Madison County and Huntsville.

With such low figures in the major cities, it’s likely the statewide turnout will be low, too, maybe even below 30 percent.

Update June 3: Birmingham News estimates statewide turnout to be about 33 percent.

• • •

How did your candidates do on Tuesday? Are you planning to vote in the runoffs? Leave us a comment with your thoughts on the primaries.

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

• District 1 | tonight, The Harbert Center, downtown [map]
• District 5 | Tuesday, Hoover City Hall, council chambers [map]
• District 3 | April 19, McAdory High School, McCalla [map]
• District 2 | April 22, Lawson State Community College, A.G. Gaston Auditorium [map]
• District 4 | April 26, Tarrant City Hall, council chambers [map]

[Map of Jefferson County Commission districts]

The alliance is taking voter questions ahead of time through an online form.

Bright House and Charter plan to record the forums to show on their on-demand channels.

• • •

More Vote 2010 coverage.

Video: Mary Buckelew gets probation
instead of jail time: “Justice was served today.”

Nov. 2 | Our Vote 2009 resumed coverage as a special election for mayor of Birmingham was set. As each of the 14 candidates announced, as each forum and town hall emerged, we had the info. And still, the campaign continues …

Nov. 3 | Birmingham looks to Austin for a way to spur badly needed economic development. Can the city and the Birmingham Business Alliance match the Texas metropolis’ success?

Nov. 4 | Do Birmingham’s nonprofit organizations and their volunteers deserve awards? YP Roundtable thinks so, but we call it “selfishly egotistically uncharitable.”

Nov. 6 | A Wade on Birmingham exclusive: How Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival went from being in debt to $20,000 in the black. All it took was budget cuts, fast fund-raising and more ticket sales.

Nov. 6 | ABC’s “Supernanny” visits Hayden to help a family of five with discipline problems. One household down, many many more to go.

Nov. 12 | Speaking of discipline … Former Jefferson County Commission president Mary Buckelew escaped with a slap on the wrist, or 3 years probation and $20,000 fine for lying to a grand jury. She had faced 12 to 18 months in prison.

Nov. 18 | HealthSouth chief executive officer Jay Grinney says the way forward for the city and county is combined government, along with the Birmingham Business Alliance’s economic development plan. He was a keynote speaker at the Birmingham Economic Summit.

Nov. 18 | Birmingham took a big bite out of crime in 2009, with a 12 percent drop in the first three quarters. Despite the effort, the city still placed seventh nationally in city crime rankings.

Nov. 23 | Campaign oddity exhibit A: “Cooper Rap.” Exhibit B: Candidate arrested for disorderly conduct at a bar.

Nov. 24 | A council coup, of sorts. Roderick Royal becomes incoming city council’s new president and interim mayor, ending Carole Smitherman’s short tenure.

Nov. 30 | Two calendars, A Picture of Health and Brave Beauties, raise money for charity. Two weeks later, the cover model for “A Picture of Health” died from ovarian cancer.

See all of our November coverage.

• • •

Haiku flashback

the iron bowl in 17 syllables (Nov. 26)

Tradition, empty
malls, rivalry, crimson white,
orange blue, braggin’ rights.

• • •

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

She must also pay a $20,000 fine and perform 200 hours of community service in the Jefferson County school district.

Buckelew told Judge Inge Johnson: “I made a mistake that I do not condone for myself. I can never restore that I so foolishly gave away.”

Buckelew pleaded guilty in 2008 to one count of obstruction of justice. Prosecutors recommended a lesser sentence for her cooperation with investigators.

She was expected to testify in Blount’s trial until he pleaded guilty. Buckelew was also expected to testify in the federal trial of former mayor Larry Langford but never took the stand.

Also:

• Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks: Mary Buckelew
• Sentencing today and in the next few months for other high-profile Alabama pols.

William Bell has entered the race for mayor of Birmingham, or at least, has announced his media conference for 10 a.m. Thursday in Linn Park. The Jefferson County commissioner and former city councilor announced his intention via media release [pdf].

Bell served briefly as interim mayor following the retirement of Richard Arrington. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1999, 2003 and 2007, coming closest in 2003 until the runoff election against incumbent Bernard Kincaid. He began his service on the city council in 1979 and was the first black council president.

He devised the Bell Plan, selling the Birmingham Water Works for $200 million that went to school improvements.

Bell’s campaign Web site, WilliamBellForMayor.com, appears to be under construction.

• • •

Scott Douglas also intends to run. His conference will also be at 10 a.m. Thursday, but at Kelly Ingram Park.

Douglas announced via a media release [pdf] (written in the past tense) on his campaign site, DouglasForMayor.org, defining his platform as “green jobs, green schools, green transportation, green communities.”

He has served since 1992 as executive director of Greater Birmingham Ministries, an interfaith group that serves the underprivileged and functions as community organizer.

The number of mayoral candidates has reached 11.

Hat tip to The Terminal for breaking stories on both candidates.

Also:

• Bhamwiki tracks the mayoral candidates

• • •

More Vote 2009 coverage.

The boarded-up windows,
The hustlers and thieves,
While my brother’s down on his knees.

My city of ruins.
My city of ruins.

Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up!

— “My City of Ruins,” Bruce Springsteen

Like most Southern places, Birmingham has seen its fair share of colorful officials. And former mayor Larry Langford never failed to make waves with his unapologetic brand of leadership during his 32 years as a politician.

But Wednesday, his career ended not with a triumphant exit from office but the bang of a judge’s gavel. Langford was convicted in federal court in Tuscaloosa for bribery, money laundering, fraud and conspiracy, facing up to 805 years in prison for his crimes.

His dwindling base of supporters no doubt found the decision questionable. His vocal opposition cheered at the demise of the reign and the man.

But what is there to cheer?

• Langford’s misdeeds as Jefferson County Commission president all but destroyed what little trust residents had in that body of governance to spend judiciously and to fix the ailing sewer system. The county is billions of dollars in debt in a virtual bankruptcy, and no one has stepped forward with a clear solution on how to stop the bleeding, start the repayments.

• Birmingham must elect a new mayor in just 45 days. Given that voter turnout has dropped to 20 percent or less, given that candidates qualify with very few requirements, it’s easy to see how another problematic pol could end up at the reins.

• The city budget is a mess, requiring acting mayor Carole Smitherman to audit the books thoroughly. Langford did indeed meet his promise to push through ideas to better Birmingham, ideas both simple (paving streets, cleaning up neighborhoods) and outrageous (recruiting the 2020 Olympics, hiring a 13-year-old contractor for $10,000). (Full list of Langford’s initiatives from Bhamwiki.) But he showed little regard for answering questions on proper budget management even in a struggling economy.

Hubris propelled Langford far in his career, and hubris ultimately brought him down. He acted as if other opinions, especially contradictory ones, had zero merit. He bullied when he could have collaborated. He preached humility before God, then proceeded to use his office (then and now) as though anointed with divine power.

Langford alone wasn’t responsible for these tragic results. Who else can we blame?

• Voters, sadly, got the government they deserved. In 2007, Langford’s woes — legal and financial — were publicized during the mayoral election, yet he still won on the first ballot beating nine opponents, including the incumbent.

• His elected colleagues. The Birmingham city council rarely challenged the soundness of his math or his ideas during the last 2 years. His fellow county commissioners ended up entangling themselves in similar criminal activities only to find themselves convicted as well.

• The media. Did the Birmingham News fail in its mission to hold City Hall accountable? Were its editors scared that Langford would play the race card? How did a Pulitzer Prize-winning paper flinch before the mayor had even been sworn in?

Oddly enough, Langford railed against the media after the verdict. Yet when his lawyers asked for a change of venue to get away from Birmingham and possible media contamination of the jury, Langford got his wish. The jury selected was mostly unaware of Langford’s arrest and media attention. Judge Scott Coogler reminded jurors to stay away from newspapers, TV reports and even blogs and tweets regarding the case.

In short, Langford got the trial he wanted, just not the verdict.

He’ll be in jail by early 2010. But the rest of us will remain in a prison of Langford’s misguided design.

Jefferson County, free of Langford’s grip for 2 years, will spend the next 10 years trying to undo the whole sordid mess. The bankruptcy will be the largest in U.S. history, and each one of us will pay dearly for his crimes. Fundamentally, the commission itself remains an odd body, one without a county manager or incentive to fix itself. It just sits there, waiting for a solution to fall from the sky. No such solution is coming, though.

And the City of Birmingham started anew today, with Smitherman meeting with employees and charting a course for her short tenure as mayor. But who will come forward to run this time? The names include Smitherman, runner-up from 2007 attorney Patrick Cooper, previous mayor Bernard Kincaid, county commissioner (and previous mayoral candidate) William Bell and even former four-term mayor Richard Arrington.

The city desperately needs a rare combination of sober stewardship and passionate drive at the helm. We need someone who works with the council, who plays nice with other elected officials, who works on behalf of merchants and residents. That next mayor must make extremely difficult decisions about how to keep crime on the decline, economic development on the rise and the quality of life as an imperative — all with a soon-to-be-revealed accurate budget.

Birmingham has seen its share of dark days, and make no mistake, Wednesday was among its darkest. The fall of a leader reflects not only on him but the good people who put him there and the city he helped divide.

Only together can push Birmingham from the city of perpetual promise to one of real hope and accomplishment and unity.

• • •

Also:

• Birmingham News’ John Archibald: “It is only sadness I feel, now. It is the sadness of corruption.”
• Birmingham News editorial: “His actions represent a tremendous betrayal.”
• Birmingham Blues: “Langford could have taken a deal, and it’s testimony to his near-delusional arrogance that he didn’t.”
• Progressive Electorate: “A man who had so much promise and had so much vision succumbed to power and a unique shopping addiction.”
• Left in Alabama: “Langford was a leader of much promise and great ideas, but he let his own ego and greed get the best of him thus the verdict.”
• Doc’s Political Parlor: “The conviction also leaves what was left of Birmingham’s economic reputation with another black eye.”
• Lee Daily Blog: “Some are saying that Langford’s conviction was a sad day in Birmingham. It was sad only in the sense that it reminded us again of the corruption and dishonesty that has become so common in our city, county state and federal government.”
• Leeds Herald Daily News editorial: “Prosecutor George Martin gave a warning to all elected officials in Jefferson County, that if they are corrupt or considering acts of corruption they should know they will be prosecuted and convicted.”
• Legal Schnauzer: “The most intriguing question that rises in the wake of the Langford prosecution: Where was Mary Buckelew?”
• Roundup of stories from Spitball Army and the Terminal

Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.

Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks.

Your thoughts on who should lead Birmingham and what happens next are welcome below.

In the Tuscaloosa federal courthouse, Birmingham mayor Larry Langford was found guilty on all 60 counts of of bribery, money laundering, fraud and conspiracy. The jury deliberated less than 2 hours this afternoon before returning a verdict.

The conviction automatically removes Langford from office. Council president Carole Smitherman becomes acting mayor until a special election is held. Valerie Abbott becomes acting council president.

Judge Scott Coogler set Langford’s forfeiture at $241,843; sentencing will take place in early 2010, in 90 to 120 days. Langford, who remains free until then, faces up to 805 years in prison.

Following the trial, Langford said he plans to appeal, adding “We all have our trials, this too will pass.”

Video: Langford chastises Birmingham media after the verdict (3 min.)

While Langford served on the Jefferson County Commission, Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount paid Langford with about $236,000 in cash, jewelry and clothes, sometimes using lobbyist Al LaPierre as a middleman. Blount and LaPierre, who were indicted with Langford, pleaded guilty earlier this year.

Langford, in turn, steered millions of dollars worth of county bond business to Blount’s firm, Blount Parrish. The three passed off the transactions as loans, creating false promissory notes to cover their tracks.

The trial was originally slated for Aug. 31, until Langford’s attorneys successfully petitioned for a change of venue from Birmingham. The next available date in Tuscaloosa was Oct. 19, and the trial has lasted 8 days. Langford was arrested in December 2008.

Langford becomes the fourth county commissioner convicted of sewer-related finances. The others were Mary Buckelew, Chris McNair and Gary White. (A fifth commissioner, Jeff Germany, was convicted of misapplying funds and conspiracy.)

He began as a reporter for WBRC-TV 6, but turned to politics after his election to the Birmingham city council in 1977. He went on to become mayor of Fairfield in 1988, where he pushed for regional cooperation to open the Visionland amusement park (now Alabama Adventure).

Langford started his service on the Jefferson County commission in 2002, and soon became commission president. He entered office with the county already $1 billion in debt in sewer-related bills.

In 2007, he became mayor of Birmingham. He also worked as public relations director for Birmingham Budweiser. (Full bio at BhamWiki.)

His conviction ends his 32-year political career.

Video: Langford’s media conference after the verdict (20 min.)

• • •

What do you think of the verdict? Birmingham’s future? Share your thoughts in the comments, please.

• • •

Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.

Follow @LLtrial on Twitter for continuous media updates.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for daily coverage of Larry Langford’s trial from Wade on Birmingham.

Illustration by Herman Henderson

Highlights: Week 2 began with the last of the prosecution’s witnesses on Monday. Norm Davis of NBC Bank testified that Langford asked for a loan of $50,000 to $65,000, shortly after the institution became Jefferson County’s financial adviser. Langford received a credit card with a $25,000 limit, later raised to $65,000. Meanwhile, his credit score plummeted from 585 in 2003 to 485 in 2006. (Scores below 600 are considered “high risk” for lenders.)

Davis also painted a grim picture of Langford’s personal finances: In 2007, he was $649,946 in debt (including his mortgage) and $238,192 in credit card debt.

Prosecutors also read into the record portions of Langford’s deposition to the Securities and Exchange Commission from June 2007. Langford said in the deposition that he paid for his own clothes during trips to New York; Bill Blount testified last week that he had purchased the items, including a $12,000 watch, to bribe Langford. Langford also said that Blount never loaned him or gave him money; Blount had testified that he gave Langford more than $100,000 using Al LaPierre as a middleman.

Odds and ends: Who ended up buying Langford’s Rolex for $8,500? Patrick Cooper, Birmingham lawyer and runner-up in the 2007 mayoral election.

With the prosecution on the verge of wrapping up, Langford and his team have still made no decision as to whether he’ll take the stand.

Quote of the day: “Getting ready to kick this thing off. No! It’s block by the Mount Cody of judge/jury conferences.” — Birmingham News columnist John Archibald

Homework:

• Squidoo: Who Is Larry Langford?
• “Larry Langford, as first week of trial ended, had his mind on smokes and domes” … Langford: “I’m sleeping like a baby.“

Also, what lessons have we learned from the trial so far? “Archibald: Can’t we agree on a few things?”

• Langford, under no circumstances, should be allowed to handle public money.

• Everyone who gave Langford clothes or money … you are as responsible for the fallout as he.

Next: Defense expected to begin Tuesday.

• • •

Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.

Follow @LLtrial on Twitter for continuous media updates.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for daily coverage of Larry Langford’s trial from Wade on Birmingham.

Highlights: Bill Blount concluded his testimony. He said Langford had great influence as Jefferson County Commission president as to which banks would be part of the bond deals.

Al LaPierre provided most of the day’s testimony. He explained that Langford came to him with money woes (past-due loan, large bills) in 2003 and 2004. LaPierre would in turn call Blount, who would pass money through LaPierre to Langford: $50,000, $69,000, $6,000. Blount also hired LaPierre to monitor the Jefferson County Commission for potential bank competitors in bond deals; LaPierre earned $201,000 total in 2003 and 2004 for his services.

LaPierre said Blount didn’t pay Langford directly because Blount knew it to be a violation of Securities and Exchange Commission rules. Under cross examination, LaPierre said he had no express agreement with Langford to trade cash for votes. He also admitted he never told Langford that Blount had provided the money. During redirect, LaPierre said he assumed Langford knew who the source was.

Following the start of the SEC inquiry, LaPierre said Blount had all three sign promissory notes to show the payments as loans, though almost none of the money was repaid. (One check from Langford in 2008 showed a payment to LaPierre of $5,000.) LaPierre said they were creating a false paper trail.

LaPierre also said he paid Langford’s $50,000 bill at Remon’s to avoid political embarrassment during Langford’s 2007 mayoral campaign and to keep Langford happy.

Quote of the day: Prosecution: “Were these loans?” LaPierre: “At that time, that was the story we were telling.”

Homework: See our full live Day 5 coverage below.

Next: The trial enters Week 2. Prosecution may finish on Monday.

• • •

Bonus coverage

Live tweets from the media, including Wade on Birmingham. Although you can’t comment in the chat window, please feel free to leave comments in the regular section at the bottom of the post.

• • •

Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.

Follow @LLtrial on Twitter for continuous media updates.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for daily coverage of Larry Langford’s trial from Wade on Birmingham.

Highlights: Langford friend and associate Bill Blount took the stand, testifying to bribing him with $236,000 in cash and gifts. The Montgomery investment banker, who has known Langford for 30 years, said he used the bribes to steer $7 million worth of bond business to his firm via Langford’s position as Jefferson County Commission president.

When Langford was short on cash, Blount said he sent checks to middleman Al LaPierre. Blount said under cross examination that he and Langford never expressed any explicit arrangement.

More details emerged on the gifts, including a $1,093 sweater from a New York store and $50,000 in suits, shirts and ties at Remon’s downtown and a flight to an Atlanta baseball game, all paid for by Blount for Langford.

Quote of the day: Prosecutor George Martin: “Who did you bribe?” Blount: “Mayor Larry Langford.”

Homework: “Tweets from the jury box: jurors using Twitter jeopardize trials” from the Christian Science Monitor:

As reporters in Tuscaloosa, Ala., try out their new micro-blogging accounts this week to cover the high-profile trial of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford … defense attorney Michael Rasmussen says he’s worried about jurors also taking to the Internet to research the case or send tweets to their friends.

Next: Blount continues testimony, plus LaPierre takes the stand Friday. We’ll be there in the courtroom.

• • •

Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.

Follow @LLtrial on Twitter for continuous media updates.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for daily coverage of Larry Langford’s trial from Wade on Birmingham.

Highlights: City finance director Steve Sayler completed his testimony, saying the original estimate for Jefferson County’s sewer repairs was $1 billion. The former county finance director discussed the bond swaps, but said he wasn’t aware Blount Parrish was receiving hundreds of thousands in fees. Langford’s friend, Bill Blount, runs the firm. Sayler also said that Blount Parrish had no expertise at the time in bond swaps.

Other witnesses testified that Blount bought thousands of dollars of clothing and shoes for Langford and fellow county commissioner Mary Buckelew, who lied to a grand jury about those gifts. Among the items bought for Langford during trips to New York: five pairs of shoes (three women’s pairs, two men’s) for $1,684, a leather jacket for $2,000 and a watch for $12,000.

One juror was nodding off in the afternoon after fighting off sleep this morning.

Quote of the day: “Blount said he had a very good relationship with the mayor and had control of three votes on the commission.” — James Lister, banker at Lehman Bros. in 2003, when Blount called about Jefferson County bond swaps and his relationship with Langford.

Homework: “Next Birmingham City Council president could be mayor for a while,” by Birmingham News editorial writer Joey Kennedy

Who do you think is the best choice of those remaining who are likely to be picked to lead the council? The battle for president supposedly will be between Steven Hoyt and Roderick Royal.

Next: Blount takes the stand Thursday.

• • •

Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for daily coverage of Larry Langford’s trial from Wade on Birmingham.

Jeff Germany

Positions held: Jefferson County commissioner

Wanted for: misapplying county funds and conspiracy

Date of conviction: June 14, 2006

Sentence: 3 years 7 months in prison, plus repaying the county $126,860

Criminally fun fact: Germany funneled $479,990 in public funds through the nonprofit Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity to benefit himself ($25,000), his wife (a Mercedes), his ex-girlfriends and business buddies. Germany’s lawyer contended during the trial that the money went to constituents in his district.

Germany said, “If you’re saying I can’t help my friends, then the only people I can help are my enemies, and I’m not going to do that.”

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: Category – Criminals
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

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

John Katopodis

Positions held: president of Birmingham city Council; Jefferson County commissioner; chairman of the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission; secretary of the Alabama Republican Party; co-founder of nonprofit organization Computer Help for Kids along with Richard Scrushy and Langford

Wanted for: mail and wire fraud

Date of conviction: July 1

Sentence: To be sentenced Oct. 28. Katopodis, convicted on 97 counts, faces up to 20 years per count and forfeiture of $162,910.

Criminally fun fact: Katopodis wrote a couple of books while at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government: “Resegregation in the South: the Case of Sumter County, Georgia” (1975) and “Pre-school in Sweden: The Formation and Implementation of a National Policy” (1977).

Katopodis was involved in the founding of Southside’s EPIC School and the McWane Science Center, as well as leading the drive for the Alabama School of Fine Arts’ current facility, opened in 1993.

He had a ring made with the Kennedy family crest on it to present to John Kennedy Jr. in 1995. Katopodis hid it in a pouch of Red Man chewing tobacco, telling Kennedy, “It’s redneck Cracker Jack: There’s always a surprise inside.”

His downfall was from spending $250,000 of Computer Help for Kids’ $815,000 in donations.

• • •

Additional reading:

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

• • •

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

Al LaPierre

Positions held: executive director of the Alabama Democratic Party; lobbyist for the City of Fairfield and Jefferson County Racing Association; consultant to Montgomery-based Blount Parrish and Company for Jefferson County bond swap deals.

Wanted for: conspiracy and filing a false tax return, indicted with Bill Blount and Langford

Date of conviction: July 30

Sentence: To be sentenced Nov. 19. Maximum is 8 years in prison, but prosecution is expected to recommend 4 years, as part of LaPierre’s plea agreement and testimony in Langford’s trial. He also forfeits $371,932 plus taxes owed from 2003 to 2006.

Criminally fun fact: LaPierre promoted VisionLand (now Alabama Adventure) to state legislators on Langford’s behalf in 1996. His political action committees were among the biggest contributors to Langford’s 2002 campaign for the Jefferson County commission.

• • •

Additional reading:

• Bhamwiki: SEC investigation into Jefferson County bond swaps
• Crime Watch
• Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed

• • •

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

Chris McNair

Positions held: milkman, photographer, Jefferson County commissioner, state legislator (one of the first black representatives since Reconstruction). Also, father of Denise McNair, one of the four girls killed in the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church.

Wanted for: bribery and conspiracy related to awarding contracts in the Jefferson County sewer debacle.

Date of conviction: April 21, 2006

Sentence: 5 years in prison and more than $850,000 in restitution. However, McNair, 83, remains out on bond pending an appeal 2 years after sentencing.

Criminally fun fact: McNair once had a health clinic named in his honor, until the Jefferson County Board of Health renamed it as the West End Health Center in 2008.

• • •

Additional reading:

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

• • •

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

Mary Buckelew

Position held: president, Jefferson County Commission (Governing magazine’s 1997 Public Official of the Year)

Wanted for: obstruction of justice, lying to a grand jury about accepted gifts, including $4,000 in designer shoes, a purse and a spa treatment.

Date of conviction: Oct. 28, 2008

Sentence: Faces 12 to 18 months in prison. Sentencing postponed from June 30 to Sept. 30, after Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s federal trial. Her cooperation in a plea deal was to uncover others involved in criminal activity related to the bond swaps over the Jefferson County sewer system.

Criminally fun fact: Heckuva job … Buckelew was honored by FEMA in 2002 for her “drive, enthusiasm and dedication.”

• • •

Additional reading:

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

Gary White

Positions held: Jefferson County commissioner. Also became Golden Rule Bar-B-Q manager.

Wanted for: bribery and conspiracy related to the $3 billion sewer debacle

Date of conviction: Jan. 10, 2008

Sentence: He faces up to 85 years in prison and $2.25 million in fines, but was awarded a new trial prior to sentencing.

Criminally fun fact: He took up to $4,000 in bribes in hundred-dollar bills.

• • •

Additional reading:

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

What killed Jefferson County? Poor leadership? Not enough civic engagement? Bad financial management? The recession?

Let us start with the budget, a gaping black hole of billions of dollars of debt from the sewer crisis debacle. [More stories on the Jefferson County sewer system problem.] Add to that the demise of the county’s bizarre occupational tax and its $75 million in annual revenue. Rainy day fund? Emergency action plan? What’s Jefferson County’s Plan B? Heck, it doesn’t seem like it has a Plan A …

Kyle Whitmire of Birmingham Weekly does an exceptional job in “Politician-Assisted Suicide” of breaking down the tangled politics and morass of mistakes that have led us to today, the end of the budget.

With no money left, the county has yet to declare bankruptcy. It has however …

• Placed 900 employees on administrative leave with no return date. (The county employs 3,000 workers.)
• Shut down its satellite courthouses where citizens can renew drivers’ licenses and auto tags.
• Revamped its Web site.
• Battled with Sheriff Mike Hale over budget cuts to his department.
• Left Cooper Green Mercy Hospital untouched.
• Fled town: Commission president Bettye Fine Collins was in San Diego at a Republican National Committee meeting (checked into a hotel under her maiden name), and Shelia Smoot was in Nashville at a National Association of Counties convention.

So what’s left? The Legislature could reinstate a revised occupational tax or force the commission to hire a county manager. Jefferson County’s legislators will meet again Tuesday to look for a solution via Montgomery.

Update: The commission must also fend off a lawsuit from within. County tax assessor Dan Weinrib filed suit today to prevent any budget cuts to his department. (Hat tip Kerry Sanders.)

Meanwhile, the debt grows, the commission is out, and workers and citizens are left to wonder how much worse can it get.