Nation: Birmingham Mayor Charged With Bribery

By Jay Reeves

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The mayor of Alabama's largest city, Larry Langford, was arrested Monday on federal bribery and fraud charges connected to a multibillion-dollar sewer bond deal that has driven the surrounding county to the brink of bankruptcy.

Federal prosecutors in Birmingham said Langford, Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre were charged in the 101-count indictment released Monday. The charges also include money laundering and filing false tax returns.

Langford is accused of receiving $230,000 in bribes from Blount, some of them routed through LaPierre, to influence the bond deals while Langford was president of the Jefferson County Commission. Blount's firm made $7.1 million in fees from the bond work.

The indictment says Blount paid $219,500 to LaPierre for his help.

Langford and LaPierre pleaded not guilty in a court appearance and were released on $50,000 bond each. Blount arrived later at the courthouse to surrender.

The three men also have denied any wrongdoing in the face of similar allegations contained in a civil lawsuit by federal regulators.

Langford, 62, was taken into custody around 7 a.m. Monday, FBI spokesman Paul Daymond said. Langford was president of the Jefferson County Commission before he was elected mayor last year. Birmingham is in Jefferson County.

The county is trying to avoid filing what would be the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history over $3.2 billion in debt for sewer bonds, nearly double the record of $1.7 billion set in 1994 by Orange County, Calif.