So Long to Alabama-based Coal Exec and His Attorney
With the rampant corruption we see all around us, it’s easy to think that big money gets everything it wants, including get-out-of-jail-free cards, via the purchase of a brand of justice unavailable to you and me. Fortunately, that’s not always the case.
Last Friday a jury found an executive at privately owned coal company Drummond, along with his attorney, guilty of six federal crimes surrounding their bribing a politician, in an attempt to avoid having to pay to clean up a site they that had left riddled with toxic chemicals. Each faces 100 years in prison.
To David Roberson, VP of government relations at Drummond, and to Joel Gilbert, an attorney with Balch & Bingham who represented his client, we say, “Buh-bye. You won’t be missed.”
Craig,
The behaviour of the individuals involved is very serious. I don’t for a moment believe the individuals at the time thought of themselves as criminals, or performing a criminal act. But those are considerations for the Judge in sentencing.
On the other hand, corruption of public officials strikes at the heart of an effective democracy, and the fact that all these individuals held offices of public trust and social esteem should weigh heavily against any mitigation.
While I don’t believe sentences should ever be excessively crushing and deter rehabilitation, in this case the sentencing judge must send a message to the community to deter others from attempting this sort of corruption. (general deterrence)
Any corporation or individual who seeks to mine natural resources must understand the licence comes with an inherent responsibility to rehabilitate the site at the conclusion of mining.
Even during resource extraction, the company or individual must plan in advance and lodge with the relevant authority a detailed plan of action to undertake all reasonable steps to address any adverse effects on the environment or community that may occur at any time..
It’s the duty of public officials to monitor, enforce (or assist) and regulate the effect of mining activity in an impartial, effective and honest fashion.
When such ethical and practical considerations are embraced, mining can be a source not only of prosperity to a community but pride and social identity for generations.
I hope the good folk of North Birmingham, and Alabama receive justice and elect a representative with more integrity than Oliver Robinson, an black American former basket ball hero, who was elected as a Democrat in 1998.
The betrayal must be particularly bitter for his electors as he represented a poor predominately black underprivileged constituency, and was held in high esteem, especially among the young.
What makes Robinson’s betrayal more henious, is this wasn’t case of a corporation corrupting a weak, venal or desperate politician. Robinson was wealthy and secure, his motive was just greed.
It’s a bad day, for a State with more than it’s fair share of bad days.
However, it’s a good day for the environment and good corporate governance !