Western Tribune Column 3-18-09 Troy King

Just so you know what I am talking about in the column, this is the article and picture that appears to the left of my column in The Western Tribune.



Here's my column:

It appears AG wanted by more than us

For months it seems that to the left of this column has been a picture of Attorney General Troy King with the bold headline “Wanted” just above. That layout could take on a whole new meaning in the near future as an investigation of the attorney general himself is underway.

Not much is known about the investigation, other than it is being conducted by U. S. Attorney Alice Martin and that questions have been raised with the grand jury about King’s position on gambling and about an investigation of Tuscaloosa City council member Jerry Plott.

The Plott investigation may have been triggered by Stan Pate, who is familiar to the people of Bessemer as a real estate developer. Pate says he gave information about Plott to both Alice Martin and Troy King.

Sometimes these investigations move very slowly, and sometimes there is much surprise and fanfare when someone is indicted.

For reasons unrelated to the current investigation I would like to see King removed from office. His reluctance to allow DNA testing in cases involving a man sentenced to death and his insistence on trying to get the death penalty for a man who didn’t kill anyone after an appeals court commuted his sentence to life in prison are two of many reasons.

Then there is this. Most of the time an investigation by the feds does not leave any stone unturned.

In a story that didn’t quite make it into the main stream media last year King was accused of a dalliance. When questioned about it during a radio interview with WVNN’s Dale Jackson he refused to answer, saying “I don’t discuss rumors.” The radio host said his response, in the context it was used, was a “very damaging” statement and made King look guilty.

The rumored activities, if true, may not carry the weight of federal charges. But if federal charges are forthcoming, you can bet that the U. S. Attorney’s office will use anything they can find to undermine his character.

In order for his weekly photo to be removed he could do one of three things: his job, be removed from office or be defeated in a rematch, hopefully with John Tyson.

I like to think that I keep better company than Troy King and I am tired of being pictured next to him.

Tyson would make a better attorney general and might actually do his job.