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Drummond’s Shameful Conduct: Dumping Support for Autistic Kids
Garry Drummond is flip-flopping and twirling in his grave. After firing their loyal Vice President of Government Affairs, David Roberson, on February 7, 2019, sheer vindictiveness and pettiness appear to have driven Drummond Company to allegedly dump their support of Dave Roberson’s charity of choice: Spring Valley School, a school that caters to developmentally disabled, special needs, and autistic children. Unsolicited, Mike Tracy, the CEO of Drummond Company dispatched a letter on February 19, 2019 alleging that a Contribution Committee had met and that the $5,000 annual support had been denied. In his letter, Tracy thanks the school for their…
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Scary Canary! Panic as Roberson–the Missing Link– Considers Singing to Feds
Our sources in Washington, D.C. tell us there has been panic since our post a week ago about ex-Drummond executive Dave Roberson who is now considering singing like a canary to federal investigators. Venable, the prestigious law firm out of Baltimore, that tried unsuccessfully to prevent the indictments of Balch & Bingham partners Steven McKinney and Joel I.Gilbert, is now out and about, hot on the trail. Our sources could not tell us who has contracted them (Balch? Drummond?). Our website traffic confirms the sheer depth of the panic: we had record traffic on Monday and Tuesday of last week,…
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Drummond, Newsome Conspiracy Case, North Birmingham Bribery Case, Southern Company, Spotlight on Balch & Bingham
Roberson Preparing to Sing like a Canary
Facing 30 months in federal prison, bankruptcy, the loss of the family home, and the insurmountable emotional toll he and his family have suffered, ex-Drummond Commpany executive Dave Roberson is prepared to talk with federal prosecutors about the intricate details of the North Birmingham Bribery Scheme. Roberson never testified in his criminal trial and has never told anyone outside legal counsel about the meticulous and unsettling details. Just a few months back, Balch & Bingham and Drummond Company were not concerned because Roberson’s criminal lawyers were paid by Drummond and Balch’s grip on Jefferson County including federal probes was solid.…
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Balch’s Wilted Flower Ripped to Shreds
During the criminal trial of Balch & Bingham partner Joel I. Gilbert last summer, Lance LeFleur, the Director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), became le fleur fanée on the witness stand. As we wrote last year: The words from the [witness] stand shows a web of politicians and paid goons who appear to be all intimidated or controlled by Balch & Bingham. Balch ran the operation, called the shots, and appears to have had everyone’s undivided attention. Yesterday, Kyle Whitmire ripped the Wilted Flower a new one: When Drummond Co. and Balch & Bingham pressured the Alabama Department…
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Rule of Hypocrisy and Laffy-Taffyland
The pleadings filed in the Dave Roberson’s $50 million lawsuit against Balch & Bingham and Drummond Company appear to show a desperate attempt by Balch and Drummond to twist the rule of law into a mound of Laffy-Taffy. As we mentioned earlier this month, Balch & Bingham appeared to show a complete lack of integrity when they omitted a key phrase of law. In a nutshell, Dave Roberson was not their client, and both defendants admit it. Thus, the Alabama Legal Services Liability Act does not apply because there was no attorney-client relationship, no contract. More importantly the six-month statute…
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Where Have We Been?
We missed you, dear readers. We have had an intense week: meeting in the halls of power on Capitol Hill, and with respected investigative reporters and criminal investigators. Regardless of what Balch & Bingham foolishly continues to do or say, the fact remains that the fat lady has not sung. The Washington Post article on Balch & Bingham was a lightening rod. Doors have swung open as people hear in disbelief the stories of Burt Newsome, a staged arrest, a corrupt Star Chamber, “fall guy” Dave Roberson, and the deceptive pleadings by Balch & Bingham that appear to show a…
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Balch’s Deception Allegedly Destroys Mountain Brook Family
Selling the family home. Contemplating bankruptcy. Attempting suicide twice. Destabilizing an autistic child. And the alleged cause of these troubles? Balch & Bingham’s deception. Dave Roberson, the ex-Drummond executive who was abruptly fired in February only months after Drummond Company publicly vowed to defend and support him, has mounted a $50 million civil lawsuit that has provoked a deep look at Balch & Bingham’s alleged misconduct. Ex-Balch & Bingham partner and convicted felon Joel I. Gilbert apologized to Dave Roberson during his criminal sentencing hearing. Why? Because Gilbert appears to have repeatedly lied to Roberson, and never had Balch’s ethics…
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Balch’s Gross Lack of Integrity Shines in Roberson Suit
With Balch & Bingham’s General Counsel Schuyler Allen Baker, Jr. seated anxiously in the front row of the public gallery, Balch & Bingham demonstrated a complete and gross lack of integrity last Wednesday before the court of Judge Tamara Johnson who is presiding over the $50 million lawsuit from ex-Drummond executive Dave Roberson. Balch stupidly filed a false pleading before the court arguing that as legal service providers Roberson had missed the statute of limitations under the Alabama Legal Services Liability Act and Balch’s Motion to Dismiss should be granted. Big problem is (and both Balch and Drummond Company have acknowledged)…
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Roberson’s Wife Attempted Suicide Twice
In a shocking revelation in open court today, ex-Drummond executive Dave Roberson’s wife Anna, who grew up in Jasper, Alabama attempted suicide twice because of her husband’s troubles allegedly caused by Balch and Bingham’s bad legal advice and Drummond Company’s alleged greed. The bad legal advice was central to the criminal case known as the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal in which ex-Balch & Bingham partner Joel I. Gilbert was sentenced to 5 years to federal prison while Dave Roberson was sentenced to 30 months to prison last year. Both men were found guilty on six federal charges including money laundering…
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“Balch Owed No Duty” Goes to Court Tomorrow
Tomorrow marks the first hearing in which Balch & Bingham will have to defend itself against the $50 million lawsuit from ex-Drummond executive Dave Roberson who allegedly was repeatedly lied to by ex-Balch partner and Balch-made millionaire Joel I. Gilbert. Gilbert’s actions led to the indictment and conviction of Roberson, who is not a lawyer and relied on Balch & Bingham’s legal advice. The show starts at 10:00 a.m. CDT at the courtroom of the Honorable Tamara Johnson, Jefferson County Courthouse, Room 640, 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N, Birmingham, Alabama. In their pleadings, Balch concluded “Balch owed no duty…
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Third Party Risk and “Balch Owed No Duty”
In a week, one of Balch & Bingham’s top clients, Southern Company (parent of Alabama Power), will be hosting its annual shareholders meeting at Callaway Gardens in Georgia. Southern Company’s CEO Tom Fanning has quietly, but brilliantly, distanced the company from Balch & Bingham. Southern Company has not used Balch for lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. since 2016, and allocated resources to other lobbying firms on Capitol Hill according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Balch & Bingham appears to have become a third-party risk. And now Balch & Bingham has bigger problems on the horizon as the $50 million…
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Balch & Bingham Shoots Itself in the Head
Balch and Bingham’s response to the $50 million lawsuit filed by ex-Drummond executive Dave Robinson is like a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The response appears to be a notice, a blaring notice to all General Counsels who utilize Balch and Bingham legal services: If any Balch and Bingham partner ever provides bad legal advice, lies to you, or is involved in a criminal scheme, it is YOUR fault. Although Balch’s response spends pages upon pages arguing and whining about “statute of limitations,” Balch acknowledges that Roberson’s claims indeed arose from the legal advice Balch provided to Drummond. Balch’s best line from…
