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Balch’s Plan
Exactly one year ago today, we wrote about Balch & Bingham gagging on their own lies and loss of control after they filed a motion that eventually lead to the creation of their own, private, secretive Star Chamber in Jefferson County, Alabama. A year later, Balch’s conduct in the North Birmingham Bribery Case is the talk of the legal community. Balch’s reputation appears to have been flushed down the toilet on Friday night. The corrupt web of influence, the buying of politicos, the hiring of consultants, the ghost-writing of letters, the use and abuse of our public institutions are all…
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Will Gilbert Share Balch’s Dark Secrets?
Convicted Balch & Bingham partner and ghost-writer extraordinaire Joel I. Gilbert faces at least 20 years in federal prison. The data about federal sentencing guidelines on bribery are not favorable. The vast majority (94%) are first time offenders, yet a super-majority (75%) were sentenced to prison. With 6 guilty counts against him and a $360,000 bribe that was over five times the national median amount, Gilbert may not see his two young children until they are teenagers or in college. He may come out of federal prison as a senior citizen. What can Gilbert do to secure a shorter concurrent prison sentence for…
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Balch & Bingham Arrogantly Disrespects Alabama Supreme Court
Who do Balch & Bingham think they are to make these unsolicited demands? The Gods of Montgomery? The shadow government of Alabama? Unbelievable! Balch & Bingham’s legal counsel, Andrew “Andy2K” Campbell, has filed yet another unsolicited response with the Alabama Supreme Court against Burt Newsome’s Writ of Mandamus. The Writ asks for the immediate recusal of the Queen of the Star Chamber, Judge Carole Smitherman and the striking of all her orders in the Newsome Conspiracy Case. Smitherman, who accepted a $2,000 campaign contribution from Andy2K in February, has demonstrated unrestrained judicial bias against Newsome. But in this filing, instead of…
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CDLU Calls for Immediate Suspension of Balch & Bingham
Minutes after the guilty verdicts were handed down, we, the CDLU, wrote to Tom Fanning, the CEO of Southern Company and his General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Jim Kerr: “Time for us to talk again…and straighten out this mess for the good of Southern Company, for the good of OUR community.” Southern Company and its subsidiaries are one of Balch’s largest clients. The CDLU will embark on an aggressive community effort to force Balch clients, especially heavily regulated businesses, to immediate suspend all legal and transaction services with Balch & Bingham whose equity partner Joel I. Gilbert was found…
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Balch, Bingham & Bribery
After this evening’s verdict, Balch & Bingham immediately fired convicted Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert. Stan Blanton, managing partner, had the audacity to try to pivot the bribery scheme away from the firm, saying “our firm was not a party to the case.” But one of Balch’s most loyal, dedicated equity partners was. Gilbert was a Balch & Bingham-made millionaire. The bribery scheme, the invoicing, the bribery checks, the ghost-written letters were born at the offices of Balch & Bingham. Although the firm was “not a party” to the case, Balch & Bingham appears to have been the genesis and backdrop…
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An Open Letter to Balch & Bingham Employees
[This post was originally published on February 8, 2018. Today with the conviction of Balch & Bingham partner Joel I. Gilbert on all 6 counts, this message is more important than ever. Changes from the original post are made in purple font.] There are many professional, ethical, and outstanding professionals working at Balch & Bingham and we applaud you. We, the CDLU, are not against Balch & Bingham; we are against racism, discrimination, and unscrupulous if not criminal behavior. We seek to promote inherent goodness, and expose unconscionable corporate conduct and inept government behavior. Two Balch & Bingham partners were…
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GUILTY ON ALL 6 COUNTS: Balch & Bingham Partner and Drummond Executive
Balch & Bingham partner Joel I. Gilbert was found GUILTY ON ALL 6 counts and so was Drummond’s executive David Roberson. Justice, Justice! As Pulitzer prize-winning journalist John Archibald tweeted: Now that the bribers and the bribee has been brought to justice, it is time to look at so many others involved in this case who looked the other way or were complicit in the travesty. It should not end here.
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Tick-Tock
The CDLU was in the courtroom this afternoon. It was empty except for a handful of reporters and other observers. Soon the defendants, family members, legal teams, and representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office arrived. Even U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town was there. The jury entered. Members of the jury were happy and it appears there is congeniality among the group. The judge dismissed the jury for the day, speaking to them at eye-level just below and near the witness stand, without a robe. A veteran ex-prosecutor has told us it may take until Monday before verdicts are reached in…
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More Day 16: Defendants Own Words and Actions Prove their Guilt
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Martin gave the final rebuttal this morning and it was powerful. Even U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town was in the courtroom for the final discourse. Kyle Whitimire of AL.com tweeted: AUSA George Martin now up to give the second half of the government’s closing. He says he has 47 minutes and he’ll take half of that. (Jurors smile.) Martin showing again Government’s Exhibit 1: A draft letter Gilbert had written and edited for Oliver Robinson to send to the AEMC, in which Gilbert added the words “as a state legislator.” Martin: “This was bribery whether that…
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Day 16: Roberson’s Good Character vs. Balch’s Legal Advice
With the Alabama Media Group posting this morning a thorough and in depth profile of North Birmingham residents titled “We are a Forgotten Community,” the criminal bribery continued with closing arguments from Henry Asbill, defense attorney for David Roberson, the indicted Drummond executive. Keeping to a united defense strategy, Asbill shredded bought-and-paid-for politician Oliver Robinson and dismissed the criminal charges asserting that Roberson was acting in “good faith” and just doing his job. Asbill also pointed out that Roberson relied on Balch’s legal advice. Lauren Walsh of ABC 33/40 tweeted: Asbill now stressing; “Evidence of good character (ALONE) may create…
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Vindication or Conviction?
Good morning! Today we will hear from indicted Drummond executive David Roberson’s defense team who will make closing arguments. Yesterday, Joel I. Gilbert’s defense attorney made a strong case against Oliver Robinson observers say, but will it be enough? The question in some people’s mind is: Will Roberson’s team continue to shred Oliver Robinson or will they also separate themselves from Gilbert’s alleged unsavory and dishonest conduct? Will they argue that Balch provided bad legal advice that was not properly vetted by the firm? The government will provide a closing rebuttal which could heavily focus on the details that cannot…
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More Day 15: Concealing Bribery Contract is a First Amendment Right
Is there an emoji for this? Joel I. Gilbert’s defense attorney, Brandon Essig, argued that the defendants could conceal the contract with bought-and-paid-for defendant Oliver Robinson as a First Amendment right. Essig for the most part attempted to put Oliver Robinson and the Oliver Robinson Foundation on trial today, trying to shred Robinson’s credibility as a witness. Covering the closing arguments by Gilbert’s defense attorney, Kyle Whitmire of AL.com tweets: Essig now arguing that lack of disclosure is a First Amendment issue — that it was their right to hide Robinson’s contract with Balch and Drummond. Essig calls Robinson the…
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Day 15: Prosecutor’s Closing Argument Shows Gilbert Lied
The Assistant U.S. Attorney laid out a strong closing argument against co-defendants, Joel I. Gilbert and David Roberson. AL.com reports: Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Beardsley Mark made the government’s closing statement. She began her statement talking about growing up as a daughter of a costume seamstress, watching the theater come to life on opening night and the actor shine. That’s what Robinson was in this scheme, she said. “He was exactly the right person with exactly the right connections to deliver a message to the community,” Mark said. “His words and his presence would not go unnoticed.” Mark asked the…
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Death of a Law Firm
At the start of this criminal trial, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Senator Richard Shelby were touted as witnesses for the defense. Both gave it a pass. Even State Senator Rodger Smitherman, a key figure in the Newsome Conspiracy Case, was listed as a defense witness. But after the bombshell report of him sitting in on sealed Star Chamber hearings, looks like he, too, gave it a pass. Politicians are distancing themselves and the undercurrent of displeasure at Balch appears to be growing. These last four weeks, we saw more traffic on our site than we do in…
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Second Shot for Black Hall Aerospace
An update to our June post about ex-Balch & Bingham client Black Hall Aerospace a/k/a AAL USA, Inc. losing a piece of a $25 billion military contract: the winners of that contract have been pulled, and Leidos and Black Hall now have a second shot to win the award, but it is not a sure thing. Washington Technology reports: Leidos and Black Hall Aerospace will get a second shot at a $25.5 billion logistics contract now that the Army has decided to pull back awards to the six original winners and conduct a new evaluation. Leidos and Black Hall filed…
