As many as 60 legislators and state officials may find themselves testifying in front of a federal grand jury in Montgomery Tuesday.
A federal investigation, prompted by the Justice Department's public integrity unit, will look in to "inappropriate lobbying" thought to have been implemented by key supporters of the gambling bill, according to a report by The Associated Press.
Sen. Tom Butler (D-Madison), Sen. Hinton Mitchem (D-Union Grove), Sen. Scott Beason (R-Gardendale), Rep. Craig Ford (D-Gadsden), House Speaker Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia), Rep. Mac Gipson (R-Prattville) and Sen. Paul Sanford (R-Huntsville), are among some of the legislators who have confirmed they have received subpoenas, according to a report released by The Associated Press.
Sen. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) said that during a meeting with the Legislative Leadership and the Department of Justice attorneys said they have evidence that crimes had been committed.
"I think all the dust will have to settle on that before anything else comes back up," Hubbard said. "I believe that it is wide and far-reaching and that all that will come out in due time."
The FBI, federal prosecutors and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation started the investigation of corruption at the beginning of April, after the bill passed the Alabama Senate with a 21-13 vote.
With numerous casinos running campaigns against the governor and in support of the bill, the federal investigation opened a lot of eyes as to where organized gambling would take Alabama, said Todd Stacey, governor's office press secretary.
"What you saw was the U.S. justice department out of Washington D.C. opening an investigation into corruption involving this bill," Stacey said. "It just confirmed everything we had been saying, that this bill had completely corrupted the process."
Stacey said that, while some form of gambling bill comes up every year, this year's was unique in that supporters spent millions of dollars in smear campaigns against the governor.
The bill, which died in the House last Thursday, would have given voters the opportunity to decide Nov. 2 to legalize electronic bingo and create a State Gaming Commission.
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