Alabama casino owner gave $100,000 to Tyson’s race

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The prosecutor trying to shut down the state’s largest gambling hall admits the owner gave him $100,000 in campaign contributions in 2006 to run for state attorney general.

VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor told the Mobile Press-Register that Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson Jr. asked for even more.

``He specifically asked me for $150,000, and I told him that wasn’t possible, but I flat-sure gave him $100,000, and he wanted more,‘’ McGregor said.

Tyson, the commander of the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling, told the Press-Register last week that he didn’t ask for — or even know of — any contributions to him by gambling interests in the 2006 campaign, which he lost to Republican incumbent Troy King.
Tyson clarified his statement Monday night, saying he did ask for and receive $100,000 from McGregor. Tyson said his statement last week was meant only to apply to contributions from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, which operate casinos in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka.

McGregor’s contributions were made to political action committees, which then contributed to Tyson.

According to campaign finance reports from 2006, McGregor’s contributions mean Tyson received about $200,000 in donations from PACs that received much of their donations from gambling interests.

Gambling proponents have used the contributions to criticize Tyson in ads. Tyson said he had discussed the contributions with the governor Monday, and Riley asked him to remain as commander.

VictoryLand in Shorter, about 20 miles east of Montgomery, is the state’s largest casino with 6,000 machines McGregor calls legal electronic bingo and that Tyson calls illegal slots.

Tyson and state police tried to raid VictoryLand before dawn Friday but were blocked by a court order. VictoryLand shut down its machines Monday night, and McGregor said they would remain closed for a few days for updates.

The decision followed an Alabama Supreme Court decision Friday that blocked electronic bingo games from being used in the north Alabama town of Ashville. The court ruled unanimously that for bingo to be legal, it must involve lots of player interaction, including marking cards and recognizing a winning card.

Most of the machines in Alabama require a player to push a button three times per game. Tyson and the governor say that doesn’t meet the Supreme Court’s requirements.