Republican Alabama Senator Scott Beason’s recorded racist remark to play in Federal Court

Were I to call Scott Beason a derogatory name, I would be falling into the same type trap & garbage dump in which he lives & from which he operates. So I shall refrain. However, suffice it to say what he says, and what he has done – collaborating with Kansas racist GOP Secretary of State Kris W. Kobach to write a horrid experimental law in Alabama – remains proof positive of their misguided notions. In their case, it’s not “airs of superiority,” they really believe it!

Judge says defense can play aborigine tape in bingo trial

Published: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 4:23 PM     Updated: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 4:27 PM

By Kim Chandler — The Birmingham News

Republican Alabama state senator Scott Beason

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — The federal judge in the State House vote-buying trial said he will let defense lawyers play recordings in which a wire-wearing legislator says disparaging things about black voters, if they become relevant during the trial.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson told prosecutors that it’s not his job to “sanitize” the motives of Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, who recorded State House conversations for investigators.

“These are obviously explosive, explosive recordings,” prosecutor Edward T. Kang told Thompson.

“I agree it’s explosive, but it’s only explosive because Mr. Beason made the comments,” Thompson responded.

Thompson said jurors should have the full picture of Beason’s possible motives when he recorded conversations with casino owners pushing a bill to hold a statewide referendum on gambling,

Defense lawyers for VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor tried to play the recording this afternoon for the majority black jury. At the time, a McGregor lawyer was questioning a lobbyist about the GOP push to take over the Alabama Legislature and how voter turnout is crucial to political parties.

However, Thompson agreed with prosecutors and refused to let the defense team play the recordings ahead of the presentation of Beason-related evidence. He said the will be appropriate later in the trial, depending on evidence that prosecutors present.

The wire Beason wore picked up unflattering conversations among Republicans and provided a shocking court moment when the case first went to trial last summer.

In one conversation with Rep. Ben Lewis, Beason and other legislators were discussing Greenetrack casino in predominately Greene County. ”That’s y’all’s Indians,” said Lewis. ”They’re aborigines, but they’re not Indians,” Beason responded. Lewis also wore a wire in the case.

In another, a group of Republicans discussed how a referendum on gambling would impact voter turnout. One Republican said ”every black, every illiterate” would be taken to the polls, and another interjected that it would be on ”HUD-financed buses.”

”That’s right. That’s right. This will be busing extra,” Beason replied.

The jury of 12 plus four alternates consists of 13 African-Americans and three whites.

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This story originally appeared here: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/02/thompson_defense_can_play_abor.html