Three Years Later, Balch Partner’s Criminal Conviction Stings Three Stooges

Three years ago today, Balch-made millionaire and esteemed partner Joel I. Gilbert was convicted on all six-federal charges, including bribery and money laundering.

Will Gilbert be reporting to prison soon, now that he has lost his appeal?

If Gilbert had reported to prison during his appeal, due to COVID-19, he probably would have been released early like the bought-and-paid-for ex-State Representative Oliver Robinson was.

Instead, he’ll probably now have to serve the entire 5-year sentence. Convicted along side Gilbert was ex-Drummond Executive David Roberson who will serve two and a half years. In his early 70s, some ask, is this a death sentence?

Gilbert, who apologized to Roberson during his sentencing hearing, was on Balch’s payroll until the day he was convicted. What other secret deals, non-disclosure agreements, guarantees, and pay-outs are hidden behind public view?

Disgraced ex-U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town resigned months after we, the CDLU, filed our formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice with jaw-dropping photographic evidence of his inappropriate meeting with ex-Balch partner and Alabama Power CEO Mark A. Crosswhite.

Now with an alleged elderly exploitation scandal in Alabama and alleged housing assistance cronyism in Mississippi, federal investigators have more to dig into.

Interestingly, Drummond Company has goose-stepped with Balch since February of 2019 and their actions raise the question, Why?

A fiercely independent coal company marches tightly with an embattled law firm, an alleged racist law firm. Why?

The Three Stooges (Drummond Company, Balch, and Alabama Power) fiercely sought protective orders last December in the rebirth of the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal, David Roberson’s $75 million civil lawsuit.

Roberson’s case has since been sealed in its entirety in a secretive Star Chamber.

Why?

We believe that alleged criminal acts, unsavory conduct, secret deals, and possible pay-outs are being hidden from public view.

Gilbert’s conviction was a tremendous sting. His only long-term employer was Balch & Bingham, the sister-wife of Alabama Power, and his last big client was Drummond Company.

If Gilbert knows more about the alleged secret deals, pay-outs, and hidden agreements, maybe he needs to sing to the federal investigators and shave off some of that five-year sentence.

Integrity. Got some?