Milton McGregor's lawyers argue that Gov. Bob Riley should testify in new bingo trial

MONTGOMERY, Al. 
A federal magistrate this morning held a hearing on VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor's efforts to put former Gov. Bob Riley on the stand as a defense witness in McGregor's upcoming trial on vote-buying charges.

Milton McGregor

McGregor lawyer Joe Espy told the judge defense lawyers want to ask Riley what he knew about the federal investigation and whether his political motivations to shut down McGregor's casino affected the case. A lawyer for Riley called those claims outrageous and said the defense lawyers were creating "a sideshow for the media."
Espy said he believes Riley has relevant knowledge about the case. He said that questions he might want to ask Riley included whether he rewarded a key prosecution witness with a judgeship appointment for participating in the case.
McGregor is accused of offering legislators campaign contributions in exchange for yes votes on a bill that would have allowed electronic bingo casinos at select locations in the state. Espy said Riley, who was fighting the legislation and attempting to close such casinos with an illegal gambling task force, offered a lawmaker a government project to vote against the bill.
"We have information that Bob Riley was doing the exact same thing that the defendants were doing or accused of doing," Espy said. "We're accused of yes votes, he did it for a no vote."
Riley lawyer Matt Lemke outside court called the accusation "outrageous slander."
"Governor Riley never once offered a single dollar for a vote," Lemke said.
Lemke said the defense lawyers have failed to show Riley has any relevant knowledge about the accusations in the case that would merit calling a former governor to the witness stand.
"Nobody says Bob Riley has any information about the bribery case that was going on," Lemke said.
"Everything else is a sideshow for the media."
A key strategy of the McGregor defense has been to cast doubt on the motivations of prosecution witnesses and others associated with the case.