On Friday, former Republican Senator, Steve French of Mountain Brook, made a testimony which signifies that Senator Harri Anne Smith made him an offer of a campaign contribution if he would vote for the legislation concerning pro-gambling.
French claims that this offer was made on March 11, 2010 and that she told him, ‘If you vote for the bill, I will give you a contribution.
Previous Bribes
Republican Senator Scott Beason of Gardendale made a similar accusation against Smith last month. He stated that Smith had said that he would be eligible for a campaign contribution of up to $500,000 from the Dothan Casino proprietors if he backed the legislation.
Smith is currently on trial with eight other people. All have been charged of trying to buy and sell votes for legislation which would help protect electronic bingo casinos by using campaign contributions.
French’s Story
Smith was a Republican caucus member back in March, 2010. She and a number of other caucus members were at a dinner in Montgomery at the Olive Room on March the 9th, 2010, at which French also attended.
French reported that during the conversation, Smith admitted that she had had people come to her asking for donations. She explained that she’d discouraged them by explaining that she had given Democrat Bobby Bright, who had run for Congress in 2008, an endorsement but the Republican party had not been pleased with this. However, French told her that such an endorsement would not faze him.
French claims that this was meant as an amusing comment and so was surprised when, two days, later Smith asked him if he wanted to have a campaign donation. He answered that he did. She then asked him if he would be willing to vote for the gambling bill to which French replied that he was not referring to the campaign donation and bill as one. Nevertheless, he agreed to read over the new version of the gambling bill and get back to her.
“The linking of the two was very uncomfortable to me and I thought she had stepped over the line,” he explained in his testimony.
The Voting
On March 30, 2010, French voted against the gambling bill. Two days later, the FBI made an announcement that they were carrying out an investigation into Statehouse corruption. It was at this point that French decided to get in touch with law enforcement.
However, Jim Parkman, Smith’s attorney, claims that it was not until April 5 that French contacted investigators which was two days after Smith was dismissed from the Republican Party for Democrat endorsement.
French explained that Smith’s politics was not the reason why he talked to investigators and that he had been against her dismissal.
The Case So Far
The seventh week of the trial ended on Friday, the 22nd of July and prosecutors plan to complete the case by Monday, the 25th of July. Tuesday can then be used by US District Judge Myron Thompson to consider the requests put forward to dismiss certain charges. The defense will then start on Wednesday.