Alabama senator E.B. McClain (Democrat), the Rev. Sam Pettagrue charged in theft

[Ian David]

Source: The Birmingham News

Alabama senator E.B. McClain, the Rev. Sam Pettagrue charged in theft
Case involves $65,000 grant to nonprofit
Saturday, April 05, 2008
CAROL ROBINSON
News staff writer

State Sen. E.B. McClain and the Rev. Sam Pettagrue have been charged with first-degree theft of state money, authorities announced Friday.

The warrants, issued Wednesday by representatives of the Alabama attorney general's office, stem from an ongoing joint criminal investigation by state and federal authorities into Alabama's two-year college system.

St. Clair County District Attorney Richard J. Minor, acting as a special prosecutor for the attorney general's office in the investigation, said the charges against McClain, 67, and Pettagrue, 65, involve a $65,000 grant in 2002 from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to the Community Resource Center, a nonprofit founded by Pettagrue.

<snip>

Pettagrue, former pastor of Sardis Baptist Church, turned himself in to authorities Friday afternoon and was released on $5,000 bond.

McClain, a Midfield Democrat, is immune to arrest while the Alabama Legislature is in session and is expected to surrender when the session ends.



Read more: http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1207383354177730.xml&coll=2

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More Black Collar Crime.

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. I'm glad that DU is big enough to deal with these cases.

This is key to raising the integrity of the Democratic party everywhere. Turn the unscrupulous people out.

[jwirr]

2. I want to know more about this before I make a judgment. It is

election year and a red state. Are the *ss prosecutors busy at work? What is it they actually did? Paying wages is often a part of grants AND exorbitant wages are as old as the hills. Did they actually do anything for seniors and education? There are some questions that need answers.

[qanda]

4. That really wasn't clear. Although they really didn't deny anything either.

I'll wait to hear some of the evidence before I pass further judgment.

[MADem]

8. Well, the Feds are involved, too....I don't know if they'd get their hands dirty

on false charges. I'd guess they'd keep an arms-length distance if that were the case.

[classykaren]

3. Is this more bogus crap like arresting the alabama governor?

[jody]

5. McClain & Pettagrue may or may not be guilty but the AL two-year college system is corrupt and the

culprits should go to jail.

[MasonJar]

6. I know nothing about this case, but the Alabama attorneys-general

should be arresting themselves. They are thigh-deep in destroying everything America has been built on...probably with this charge neck-deep by now. How can they be believed after the partisan lynching of Don Siegelman?

[dbonds]

7. Need more info, but AL Attorney General is corrupt - so hard to judge.

I live in AL where Dems seem to have trumped up charges thrown at them all the time. AL where it is illegal to be a Democrat.

[Ian David]

9. Exactly what I was thinking, too. n/t

[Doctor_J]

10. Another political prosecution

there will be a lot more in the next 8 months.