IVEY TO BYRNE:  RETURN THEDONATIONS

“Untilthe tainted money is returned, a cloud of doubt will linger over thesetransactions.”

(MONTGOMERY, AL – MARCH 16, 2010) State Treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kay Ivey today challengedRepublican opponent Bradley Byrne to return thousands of dollars inquestionable donations made by four PACs linked to gambling interests.

Sunday’s Montgomery Advertiser reported thatoriginal campaign finance statements, which were filed earlier this year,showed VictoryLand and the Jefferson County Racing Association made donationstotaling $148,000 in late December to PACs operated by the Alabama Nursing HomeAssociation. Those PACs (VOTE98 PAC, FUTURE PAC, ELDER PAC and Secure PAC) madecontributions on the same day to Bradley Byrne, as well as several politicalcandidates, including Roger Bedford, Lowell Barron, Ron Sparks and Artur Davis.

Oddly enough, the statements’ dates were changedlast week to show the PACs contributed to Byrne BEFORE they received money fromthe gambling interests, raising new questions about the matter.

“Byrne has repeatedly promised he will not acceptgambling money, and I take him at his word,” Ivey said. “But as they say, theproof is in the pudding. It is highly unusual to amend a finance report just tochange a date, and that is prompting new questions.

“Given how contentious gambling has become in ourstate, people deserve to know where this money came from, and when it changedhands. Byrne swore last October that he would not accept any money from theAlabama Education Association, directly or indirectly. I agreed with hisposition, and took the same stand for my campaign as well.

“Yet in this instance, Byrne is engaging in a doublestandard by taking gambling donations that are being washed throughPACs.  

“So I say to Bradley Byrne: abide by your originalethical standard. Return all of the money you received from VOTE98 PAC, FUTUREPAC, ELDER PAC and Secure PAC. Then the matter will be resolved once and forall.

“Until the tainted money is returned, a cloud ofdoubt will linger over these transactions. As one Republican candidate toanother, I urge you to do the right thing. You will sleep better at nightbecause of it, and the people of Alabama will, too.”

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Paid for by the Kay Ivey Campaign forGovernor

P.O. Box 771, Montgomery, AL  36101-0771  ∙  (334) 293-9300  ∙  www.kayivey.org