Birmingham Blues

Yesterday, Kyle reported that the Birmingham Finance Department was soliciting estimates for a brand new Larrymobile, a 2008 Cadillac Escalade EXT with fancy features that regularly sells for more than $65,000.
Today, the mayor said he wouldn’t ask the taxpayers of Birmingham to provide him with an Escalade. How nice of him! And the way [...]

“Montgomery puts the all in gall, the city in audacity, the front in effrontery.”
I couldn’t agree more.

Loretta Nall notes that Troy King is scheduled to appear on “The Dale Jackson Show” (WVNN 770AM/92.5FM in Huntsville) tomorrow morning (Thursday) at 8:00. The topic was to be today’s scheduled execution of Thomas Arthur (why am I not surprised that Troy couldn’t resist the opportunity to crow over it?), but the Supreme Court [...]

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford castigated a local clergy group today because he doesn’t think enough churches participated in his sackcloth and ashes rally back in April. He also criticized churches for espousing prosperity theology, a valid point IMO, but pretty funny coming from the man who accessorized his sackcloth with a Rolex and designer [...]

The state Supreme Court has again delayed the execution of Thomas Arthur, who was convicted of the 1982 contract killing of Troy Wicker Jr. The decision came in the wake of dueling affidavits, one from another inmate confessing to the crime and another from the victim’s wife, who put out the contract, swearing Arthur [...]

I was horrified, as I know all of you were, by the shooting at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Knoxville. There will be time, somewhere down the road, to contemplate the level of hatred that could motivate one human being to attack and murder others over a difference in political philosophy. Right [...]

Following up Sunday’s exposé of skewed salaries in the Attorney General’s office, the Birmingham News editorializes today that Troy King should be concerned about public perception of his favoritism.
Just what kind of law firm is Attorney General Troy King running?
Clearly, one that promotes and generously pays those fortunate enough to be in the inner circle. [...]

Remember last year when Birmingham City Councilor Joel Montgomery got so drunk that he fell on his face in a Southside parking lot? And then got abusive and sexually inappropriate with the police after he was arrested for public intoxication? And later got the charges dismissed in return for agreeing not to sue [...]

The Birmingham News ran an article yesterday (the online version of which is in serious need of an editor’s mouse) detailing the inflated salaries of some of AG Troy King’s aides. King’s chief of staff and spokesman, Chris Bence, apparently managed to keep a straight face while explaining how King had designated Bence a [...]

Not to mention a grandstanding wacko who thinks the answer to Birmingham’s problems is to incur new debt of $154 million. Yeah, I know municipalities sometimes must borrow for big capital expenditures, but with Larry’s record of debt management, the City Council would be crazy to go along with him.

As for the litterbug part, [...]