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Thanksgiving Mystery and the “Third-Man” Testimony
A year ago during Thanksgiving, someone stuffed an envelope into ex-Drummond Executive David Roberson’s mailbox with the explosive photographs of ex-Balch partner and Alabama Power CEO having refreshing cocktails with U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town. The photos eventually helped bring down Town, who resigned in disgrace on July 15th. Now pressure is mounting for Crosswhite, who should have known better, to resign or retire. The photographs have brought misery to Town and “the most powerful man in Alabama.” But what about the third man in the photographs? Mike Cole is a well-respected attorney, who allegedly told his friend Roberson about…
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Drag Queens: Drummond Company Cross-Dressing as Law Firm
RuPaul is probably in disbelief that he’s been outperformed. Drummond Company has done one of the greatest acts of cross-dressing in the history of Alabama: the coal company is portraying itself as a law firm. Well-read legal blog Legal Schnauzer predicted correctly last week that Judge Tamara Johnson would reject Drummond’s latest stall and delay tactic, writing: What is that central question Drummond seeks? Whether a corporation, which is not itself a legal services provider, may avail itself of the [Alabama Legal Services Liability Act] statute of limitations where its alleged liability is based on the conduct of its general…
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Rebirth May Spur New Indictments
Alabama Today, which broke the stories on Balch & Bingham’s alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal, dropped this bomb today about the rebirth of the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal: [Burt] Newsome, [ex-Drummond executive David] Roberson’s [civil] attorney, said, “We are confident that the evidence will show that Mr. Roberson was deceived and that criminal activity was concealed from him by both Balch and Drummond, and he first learned about this misconduct at his criminal trial. Furthermore, we believe that the evidence will also show that David Roberson, nor Joel Gilbert either for that matter, received a fair trial and that other indictments…
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Erupted! Rebirth of North Birmingham Bribery Case “Shall Commence”
This early morning, Judge Tamara Johnson has denied Drummond Company’s foolish attempt to stall discovery and video depositions writing: “The Court further has considered the fact that discovery was stayed [for over 17 months], pending a ruling on the Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss [which was DENIED on October 30, 2020]. The Court FINDS that any further stay of Discovery in this matter is unwarranted. It is ORDERED that the herein Discovery, for both Parties, is NOT STAYED and shall commence.” The order now means an avalanche of video depositions will begin to take place, and the mountain of documents and…
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CDLU Provoked Probe: Ex-CEO of Balch & Bingham Client Charged With Afghan War Contract Fraud
Patience they told us. Patience. CDLU’s letters, faxes, emails, phone calls, and meetings with the Office of the Special Counsel, the U.S. Department of Justice, and FBI since 2017 have finally paid off. This late afternoon, the U.S. Department of Justice released this statement: The former chief executive officer of a U.S. government contractor was charged today in connection with schemes to defraud the U.S. Department of Defense regarding contracts related to U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan. Paul Daigle, 40, was charged with conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud, and four counts of false claims in an indictment filed today…
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Drummond, Newsome Conspiracy Case, North Birmingham Bribery Case, Secret Star Chamber, Southern Company, Spotlight on Balch & Bingham
With Neon Lights Shining, Will Biden Administration Target Drummond Company?
For the almost four years that we have been advocating that Balch & Bingham reform themselves top to bottom, we have learned one truth: those closely associated with or defending Balch make the dumbest, most foolish, and poorest decisions at the worst time possible. In the summer of 2017 at the height of two federal investigations of the embattled law firm, Balch stupidly decided to attack us, the CDLU, publicly and seal the entire Newsome Conspiracy Case in an unconstitutional and secretive Star Chamber. Then there was disgraced ex-U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town who foolishly chugged down cocktails with ex-Balch…
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$11.6 Billion Acquisition: PNC Bank Asked to Terminate Balch & Bingham; New Websites Launched
Civil Rights Leader and CDLU Chairman of the Board Ernesto Pichardo has reached out to William S. Demchak, the Chairman, CEO and President of PNC Bank which is in the process of acquiring BBVA USA for $11.6 billion, asking him to terminate BBVA USA’s outside counsel, Balch & Bingham, before the acquisition is completed. “The undisputed fact is that BBVA USA was founded in 1964 by a staunch segregationist who was part of racist Alabama Governor George Wallace’s inner circle. BBVA USA’s founder was also a long-time partner at Balch & Bingham, a law firm which continues to engage in…
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Balch Debacle: Drummond on the Hook for $75 Million while Balch Skates (For Now)
Imagine: your company hires a law firm that provides false legal advice; the law firm’s alleged negligence gets your corporate officer indicted, convicted and sentenced to federal prison; the law firm declares they “owed no duty” to your corporate officer; the firm successfully weasel-words itself out of a civil liability lawsuit calling the “false legal advice” a legal service; and dumps the entire liability on your own company. Who in Corporate America, with a sound mind, would hire or continue to utilize that law firm? Balch & Bingham’s debacle with Drummond Company appears to have made the once prestigious firm…
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“Let’s Get Mikey! He likes it. Hey Mikey!” Drummond’s General Counsel Blake Andrews Under Fire
We have no bones to pick with Drummond Company whatsoever. None. But walking goose-step with embattled law firm Balch & Bingham is detrimental to one’s health, livelihood, and reputation. Just ask Jeff Sessions, Luther Strange, or disgraced ex-U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town among others. Even former Drummond CEO Mike Tracy abruptly “retired” last year after cuddling up with Balch, and after the alleged set-up of “fall guy” ex-Drummond executive David Roberson was exposed. Now, Blake Andrews , General Counsel of Drummond Company is under fire for allegedly conspiring with Tracy to allegedly have Roberson sign off on all invoices and…
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Rebirth of North Birmingham Bribery Investigation Begins
Blake Andrews and Mike Tracy, what have you done? Drummond Company, who foolishly walked goose-step with embattled law firm Balch & Bingham, faces a new North Birmingham Bribery Investigation from the legal team of ex-Drummond executive David Roberson. Well-read legal blog Legal Schnauzer reports that Roberson’s attorney, Burt Newsome, has dispatched initial discovery requests. We understand that more discovery requests and video depositions are in the works. Newsome, who has hired a around-the-clock private security firm and installed cameras and motion-detectors at his home and offices, was nearly killed in a head-on car crash in September that some speculate appears…
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Will Lying to Clients Doom Balch & Bingham as a Third-Party Risk?
How many clients would want to be engaged in felonious conduct and go to prison on behalf of Balch’s stupendous lies? Sorry Balch, but lying to a client is not a legal service. Balch & Bingham defended the indefensible in a court of law in August: declaring openly that lying, misleading a client with “false legal advice” is a legal service. When Balch originally was sued by Drummond Company’s former executive David Roberson, Balch defended themselves by stating unequivocally that “Balch owed no duty” to Roberson. What clients would want to deal with a law firm whose partners engage in unsavory conduct,…
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Balch Stooge Set to Sing Like a Canary; Will Grand Jury Hear About Balch’s Shenanigans?
Kyle Whitmire of AL.com reported yesterday that Balch stooge Trey Glenn (pictured above, left) has struck a plea deal in his criminal ethics case writing: Last week, the former regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency — and a Trump appointee — pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor violations of the Alabama Ethics Act. As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped felony charges against him and he won’t spend any time in jail. Instead, he must pay $10,000 in fines and keep his nose clean during two years of unsupervised probation. “Part of the understanding is that Mr. Glenn will testify truthfully in…
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Drummond Company to Stand Trial; Framing “Fall Guy” Roberson Called “Legal Services” by Drummond Attorney
On Friday afternoon, Judge Tamara Johnson issued an order that forces Drummond Company to stand trial for the alleged set up of “fall guy” and ex-Drummond executive David Roberson. The order also allows Roberson’s attorneys to begin discovery of the darkest secrets surrounding the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal that should help Roberson’s $75 million lawsuit against his former employer and embattled law firm Balch & Bingham. A can of slimy worms has been opened. Some believe that the order is a devastating blow to Drummond Company and their political allies like Alabama Power and Balch. What former or current executives…
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Our Deepest Sympathies to the Balch & Bingham Family
We learned today, just moments ago, that Schuyler Allen Baker, Jr., Balch & Bingham’s legacy partner and General Counsel, died on Wednesday after a courageous battle against cancer. Although we wrangled and tangled with Balch & Bingham’s General Counsel for over three years, we set aside those disagreements and differences today to express our deepest sympathies to the Balch family, Mr. Baker’s colleagues, and his friends and family. We know these are difficult moments for those closest to Mr. Baker, especially his immediate family. When Jesus learned of his friend Lazarus’s death, He was troubled in spirit. “And Jesus wept.”…
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Lying Sacks of Marbles: Balch Calls False Advice, Lying to Client a “Legal Service”
What sound, reputable client would ever hire embattled law firm Balch & Bingham after this despicable admission? Balch has stunned the legal community today in a report from Legal Schnauzer, the well-read legal blog. David Roberson, the ex-Drummond Company executive, is suing Balch and Drummond for $75 million. Balch, which once stated in court proceeding that Balch “owed no duty” to Roberson, appears to have stepped onto another landmine, affirming that the firm “basically gave [Roberson] bad advice.” Quoting from the transcript of court proceedings, Legal Schnauzer published these stunning words by Balch’s defense attorney: In November of 2014 before…