Will the indicted partners at Balch & Bingham risk their lives for the sake of the firm? Do they honestly, truly believe they can beat the criminal charges?

Before Steven McKinney and Joel Gilbert were indicted, Washington insiders were allegedly used to try to prevent or block the indictments, even allegedly whispering indirectly into U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ ear. They lost.

After a new U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama was confirmed,  Alabamian power-brokers thought he’d toss the possible indictments aside. He didn’t. They lost.

On the eve of their indictments, the law firm representing Joel Gilbert attempted to justify, rationalize the bribery scheme of suppressing African-Americans from having their toxic property tested by the EPA as “routine legal services.” We shredded their statement. No one believed the publicity stunt. They lost.

In May, the parties attempted to have the case tossed out because of a narrow interpretation of “official acts” and bias against their political views. The judge denied the motions and said their “conduct” not their political views were at issue. They lost.

0-4.

And now they are putting their lives on the line.

We ask again, who will flip and secure a plea deal before the 25th? It appears to be the only winning bet in this case.