Roberson’s Immunity Deal Tied to Ghost-Written Letters

Balch & Bingham’s behavior at times appears to be low-class.

Now Drummond Company appears to have engaged in alleged low-class, if not classless, conduct.

One of the most startling facts we learned this year was how convicted ex-Drummond executive David Roberson declined a full immunity deal before the criminal trial.

In July, we wrote about this tsunami:

In the North Birmingham Bribery Case, Dave Roberson was offered an immunity deal if he had testified against Balch & Bingham, according to insiders. Why didn’t he testify? Why didn’t he take the deal?

We now recently learned that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama offered the deal in exchange for specific testimony about how Drummond Company allegedly knew that the campaign contributions for politicians to sign ghost-letters written by convicted Balch-made millionaire Joel I. Gilbert were flat out bribes.

Several heavy-weight politicians were allegedly involved in the pay-to-play scheme.

Roberson refused to testify out of loyalty to Drummond and assurances that Drummond had his back.

Now that Roberson has lost his gainful employment, home, personal possessions, health insurance, and now on the brink of bankruptcy, Drummond Company stubbornly refuses to resolve the $75 million lawsuit.

Low class? Classless? or Blatant foolishness?

Even if Roberson’s criminal conviction is tossed, and he is vindicated, his life has been shattered as the “Fall Guy” for a bigger scheme, a disgraceful scheme.

Here are some of the details of the alleged pay-to-play scheme we wrote about this past summer:

Ex-U.S. Senator Luther Strange, Balch & Bingham’s biggest stooge…involved himself in the North Birmingham EPA matter even though Strange had no authority to do so. At the time, the Governor had delegated the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to handle all issues related to the North Birmingham EPA matter.

• • • • On October 13, 2014, convicted felon and Balch-made millionaire Joel I. Gilbert sent Luther Strange, then the Alabama Attorney General, a draft letter about the North Birmingham EPA matter.
      • Four days later, on October 17, Strange accepted a $25,000 contribution from Drummond Company.
      • Six days later after the money was deposited, Strange signed the ghost-written letter and dispatched it on his official letterhead to the EPA on October 23, 2014.

Read the source documents here.

The vast majority of the U.S. Congressional delegation from Alabama….[even] though none of these members of congress represent the North Birmingham area, they jointly signed a letter to the EPA, allegedly provoked, too, by Balch.

• • • • On October 30, 2014, a ghost-written letter drafted by Balch & Bingham and signed by six members of the U.S. House of Representatives in Alabama was dispatched. That same day, Congressman Robert Aderholt reported receiving $5,000 from Alabama Power, according to FEC filings.
      • A week before, Drummond Company gave Congressman Bradley Byrne $5,000 on October 22, while forking out another $5,000 to Congressman Mike Rogers on October 24.
      • Balch & Bingham sweetened the money trail by tossing $2,000 to Congressman Aderholt on October 28, 2014.
      • At various times in October, Congressman Mo Brooks received $2,000 total from Balch & Bingham, $2,500 from Drummond, and $5,000 from Alabama Power.
      • Congresswoman Martha Roby reported a $4,000 contribution from Alabama Power on election day, November 4, 2014—five days after the letter was mailed out.
      • Over $30,000 was used to grease the wheels.

Read the source document and FEC data printout here.