Former State Rep. Oliver Robinson To Be Sentenced in Bribery Scheme
The sentencing of former state Rep. Oliver Robinson is scheduled for Thursday in federal court. Federal prosecutors asked the judge in a filing earlier this week to give Robinson a lighter sentence because he helped investigators.
Robinson was part of a scheme to block the expansion of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleanup site in North Birmingham and Tarrant. He encouraged his constituents there not to have their soil tested for contaminants in exchange for bribes. After pleading guilty, he cooperated with federal prosecutors in investigations that led to the conviction of a former Balch & Bingham attorney and a Drummond Company executive.
U.S. Attorney Jay Town of the Northern District of Alabama has asked that Robinson be sentenced to 33 years in prison, pay $161,151 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and forfeit $390,783 from bribes. When his indictment was announced last year, prosecutors said Robinson’s charges carried potential sentences that could imprison him for years.
In a motion filed Tuesday in federal court, Town says Robinson began cooperating “soon after receiving the Grand Jury’s subpoena.” The prosecutor says Robinson met with investigators several times over 15 months and testified during the trial of the lawyer and coal company executive.
While Robinson publicly cooperated with federal investigators, some of the information he provided may not be public record. His attorney Michael Whisonant filed a motion on Tuesday asking that some records remain sealed because they “contain the names of minors as well as private health and medical information.”
The judge has not filed a response to the request regarding sealed documents.
U.S. and Iran to hold a third round of nuclear talks in Geneva
Iran and the United States prepared to meet Thursday in Geneva for nuclear negotiations, as America has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal.
FIFA’s Infantino confident Mexico can co-host World Cup despite cartel violence
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he has "complete confidence" in Mexico as a World Cup co-host despite days of cartel violence in the country that has left at least 70 people dead.
Supreme Court appears split in tax foreclosure case
At issue is whether a county can seize homeowners' residence for unpaid property taxes and sell the house at auction for less than the homeowners would get if they put their home on the market themselves.
Top House Dem wants Justice Department to explain missing Trump-related Epstein files
After NPR reporting revealed dozens of pages of Epstein files related to President Trump appear to be missing from the public record, a top House Democrat wants to know why.
ICE won’t be at polling places this year, a Trump DHS official promises
In a call with top state voting officials, a Department of Homeland Security official stated unequivocally that immigration agents would not be patrolling polling places during this year's midterms.
Cubans from US killed after speedboat opens fire on island’s troops, Havana says
Cuba says the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. is gathering its own information.
