Larry Langford

Larry Langford
30th Mayor of Birmingham
Incumbent
Assumed office November 13, 2007
Preceded by	Bernard Kincaid
Personal details
Born	(1948-03-17) March 17, 1948 Birmingham, Alabama

Larry Paul Langford (born March 17, 1948) is the Democratic mayor of the city of Birmingham, Alabama. He previously served on the Jefferson County, Alabama Commission, including a stint as commission president. He also acted as mayor of Fairfield, Alabama and served one term on the Birmingham City Council.

Langford is largely responsible and best known for raising money and generating public interest and support for Visionland Theme Park (now known as Alabama Adventure Theme Park), located near Bessemer. The park was built largely by bond issues backed by a consortium of municipalities in the western part of the county, as well as the city of Birmingham and the county government. The park later declared bankruptcy, and was sold to Southland Entertainment Group for just over $5 million at auction.

In 2007 Langford was investigated by the SEC on corruption charges. In 2008 a lawsuit was filed against him for illegally accepting $156,000 in cash and benefits.

On December 1, 2008, Langford was arrested by the FBI on a 101 count indictment alleging conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns in connection with a long-running bribery scheme. He is currently free on bail.

Education

Langford graduated from A. H. Parker High School before entering the United States Air Force. He graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1972 with a bachelor of arts degree in social and behavioral sciences.

Early career

Langford was a reporter for WBRC (Fox 6) television. He was later a public relations director for a Birmingham Budweiser distributor.

Political career

Langford, a Democrat, was elected to the county commission in 2002, and elected president despite the fact that he was one of only two Democrats (along with former WBRC television reporter Sheila Smoot) on the five-member commission. Gary White, the Republican who crossed party lines and voted for Langford for president, lost his seat by a landslide in the 2006 election, as voters from his heavily-Republican district replaced him with Jim Carns. Republicans campaigned heavily during their primary that they would not support the election of a Democrat to the County Commission. When Carns took his seat, the three GOP members replaced Langford with Bettye Fine Collins as president.

Langford has long been a proponent of a domed stadium for the city, intended to replace the aging Legion Field as a venue for football on the collegiate and professional level. He previously promoted a tax hike to pay for the dome, which was soundly rejected by voters. Since taking office as Birmingham mayor, he has vowed that a domed stadium will be built in the city no matter what.

As Fairfield mayor, Langford spoke publicly many times about his plans to run for higher office, particularly Governor of Alabama. After the bankruptcy of Visionland, Langford's political fortunes seemed to wane, and his talk of higher office diminished. After losing the county commission presidency, Langford announced on June 5, 2007 that he would run for mayor of Alabama's largest city.

He emerged as a top contender in a field of 10 candidates that included incumbent mayor Bernard Kincaid. Preliminary results credited him with 26,277 of 52,111 votes cast in the election, meaning that he avoided a runoff with challenger Patrick Cooper by 170 votes. Cooper then challenged the election in court, saying that Langford was still a resident of Fairfield and did not legally reside within Birmingham's city limits. Cooper later withdrew his case.

Church and state

Langford has been both praised and criticized for the degree to which his Christian faith informs his political agenda. He holds Bible studies for municipal workers at City Hall each week and is a frequent speaker at public prayer services and at Church events.

On April 22, 2008 Langford issued a proclamation on city letterhead proclaiming the following Friday to be "It's Time to Pray" in the City of Birmingham. He called upon "all Bishops, Priests, Pastors, Ministers and all of our citizens of various denominations and creeds" to join him in donning burlap sacks and having their heads smeared with ashes during a prayer rally at Boutwell Auditorium. The display, part of his "Plan 10/30" series of anti-crime rallies, was intended to show humility and restore God's favor to a city wracked with violence. Anticipating complaints from defenders of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, Langford stated that "the Constitution of the United States calls for a separation of church and state - it never said anything about a separation of church from state.”

Pride Week controversy

Langford injured relations with the Birmingham LGBT community in May 2008 when he refused to sign a proclamation for the annual Central Alabama Pride Parade, refused to allow banners on city property for the event, and refused to issue the sponsor a parade permit. Langford further stated that it was inappropriate for the government to condone a lifestyle. He was quoted in saying "My policy is don't ask because it's not my business, and don't put me in the position to make it my business."

"I thought I had stated my position very clearly. If I were to sign the permit to put up banners on city right of ways I would be condoning that which I don't condone," he said. "To give a proclamation is totally under the purview of the mayor."

2020 Olympics

Langford told the Birmingham City Council, on May 24, 2008, that he intends to file the paperwork, along with the $500,000 fee, necessary for Birmingham to be a contender to host the 2020 Olympics.

Public corruption allegations

SEC investigation and lawsuit

In 2007, Langford and two associates were investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for actions which occurred during his tenure as County Commission president involving allegedly illegal transactions which steered County bond business to particular companies in exchange for bribes.

On April 30, 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission sued Langford in federal court. The lawsuit alleges Langford accepted more than $156,000 in cash and benefits from Montgomery banker Bill Blount in exchange for county bond business. Ironically, Jefferson County senators on the same day approved bills by a 6-1 vote that would give Birmingham's mayor a $40,000 pay raise in the next term.

Arrest by FBI

On the morning of December 1, 2008, Larry Langford was arrested by the FBI on a 101 count indictment alleging conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns in connection with a long-running bribery scheme. Also indicted were lobbyist Al LaPierre, and Montgomery investment banker William Blount.

While Langford was head of the Jefferson County commission, he engaged in a variable rate auction, and bond swaps, to raise money to help improve its sewer system. The result of the bonds has resulted in a $3.2 billion sewer debt. Langford is alleged to have received $230,000 in bribes from Blount, some routed through Al LaPierre, to help influence the bond deals while Langford was head of the Jefferson County Commission. Blount's firm earned $7.1 million in fees from the bond deals. The government is currently seeking $7.6 million in forfeiture from the three men.

LaPierre pleaded not guilty and will be released on a $50,000 bond secured by property. Langford also pleaded not guilty and has been released on a $50,000 non-surety bond. He is forbidden to travel outside of the Northern District of Alabama without prior approval from the court.

External links

• Larry Langford profile at Bhamwiki.com