FBI investigating over bingo bill

Published 1:36 am Thursday, April 1, 2010

By Staff
The FBI is investigating whether there was corruption involved in bingo legislation, Senate and House leaders said Thursday.
Democratic leaders released a statement saying that top Republican and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate were called to a meeting at the offices of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation which included Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom, Senate Democratic majority leader Zeb Little, Senate minority leader Jabo Waggoner, House Speaker Seth Hammett, House Democratic majority leader Ken Guin and Republican minority leader Mike Hubbard.
The Democrats said the timing of the investigation "smells to high heaven." They blamed the investigation on Gov. Bob Riley, who has been an opponent of gambling legislation. His gambling task force has led raids against what he believes are illegal electronic bingo establishments in the state.
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A Riley spokesman denied the governor had any involvement in the investigation.