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Country music stars George Jones and Randy Owen are the latest to be caught up in an Alabama “vote buying” political gambling corruption probe.
The two men offered to perform with a former recording artist-turned-state lawmaker in Alabama in exchange for his vote on pro-gambling legislation. Fittingly, Owen is the lead singer for the long established country music group Alabama.
The stars sought to capitalize on a request that then-state Sen. Bobby Denton, known as the "singing senator," made before he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in March 2010.
When Denton had asked Owen, lead singer of the country band Alabama, if he could sing a song from his Christmas CD, Owen told him he would sing with him if he voted for the gambling legislation, according to wiretap of a casino developer and his two lobbyists who discussed the conversation.
Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley told lobbyist Jennifer Pouncy and her boss, Jarrod Massey, to let Denton know that if he voted for the legislation, Jones would sing with him too and that music executive James Stroud would produce it, the newspaper reported. All three involved in the case have pleaded guilty to charges relating to corruption, bribery and conspiracy.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
