Chris Estes

The first person from my college days is making a run for political office.  When you meet certain people you know they are meant for greatness. My Friend Mitchell Howie is running for congress.  Since I met Mitchell, or Mitch to me, I knew he was going to be somebody.  I have known Mitchell for years and have no problem putting my support behind him.  He is a natural born leader with a great heart.  He is a visionary and will be a great Congressman from Alabama.

The picture below is from an Ole Miss at Auburn University game in 2005 when I got Mitchell to go to a game with me.  In his true form he still wouldn’t wear the real burnt orange of Auburn instead he wore the burnt orange of the University of Texas his Alma Mater.  As you can tell Auburn won that game and he got to experience Toomer’s Corner in its prime!

As time goes on you are sure to learn more about Mitchell J. Howie from me as I will be helping out with his campaign as much as I can.  Mitch sent out a mass e-mail today that I thought you might enjoy:

by Mitchell John Howie, Alabama 5th Congressional District Candidate

For far too long Washington has failed to operate because of gridlock.  Gridlock due to party politics being placed higher than the desires of the American People.  Parker Griffith’s flip to a Republican after campaigning as a Democrat is a good example of this self serving problem.  Washington politicians are far too concerned with winning reelection than serving the people they represent.  The instinct of professional politicians (like Parker Griffith) for self preservation and their perpetual political posturing leads to these sorts of Washington-style games. When Parker Griffith takes a poll and flips parties, he abandons the values and principles he was elected on and betrays the public trust.  This is not what the people deserve. The people deserve someone who is dedicated to service, they deserve a military officer who understands service to this country.

Gridlock leads to our government not getting anything positive accomplished. Instead, we are left with a system of professional politicians attempting to score political points and one party is portrayed as failing and the other succeeding.  But the only folks succeeding are professional politicians.  Service to the country becomes a casualty in these political games and the people are left with each party’s political failures.

I am convinced that the American people, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal, or an angry Tea Partier, you want our government to serve the people and stop playing tired Washington politics.  Just as I joined the military to serve my country, I am dedicated to serving North Alabama and doing what is in the best interest of the people and our country.  I am not going to congress to play political games, I am going for service.

Now I am a Democrat and I will not switch parties.  Not because of partisan politics but I believe folks should campaign on values they believe in and then legislate based on those same values.  It is a matter of my personal integrity and governing based on values I share with the residents of all the communities across North Alabama in District 5.

Those shared values are strength and growth.  I want to strengthen and grow all our communities by growing our economy, by strengthening our education system and ensuring our National Security.  Last week we announced our candidacy in every single county across North Alabama.  Since that time, I have met with seven mayors, 3 university presidents, a board member of the TVA, and countless constituents.

In meetings with the mayors and other local officials I explained my jobs initiative of a Green TVA and received a warm response.  My jobs proposal would replace many manufacturing jobs that have been lost over the years in North Alabama.  Once we implement this proposal, North Alabama will attract companies to North Alabama to manufacture solar panels and wind turbines.  By easing our reliance on foreign oil with this jobs proposal we will simultaneously ensure our national security while strengthening our economy.  When I am in congress I will work with state and local elected officials and private industry to make this vision a reality.  With your help Alabama will become one of the first leaders in this new technology just as we were pioneers with space technology.  It is time for a new day in Washington with a young patriot dedicated to serving this country with innovative ideas.

I need your help.  Will you help me defeat the likes of self-serving politicians like Parker Griffith and implement service oriented representation in congress?  I need you to take the time to donate $25 or more on my website.  This simple act will help elect someone who is dedicated to service and who will get the job done in Washington. You can send a clear message to all politicians that what is important is service to the people, not saving their political career or their next re-election campaign.  This is a message that needs to be sent, please send it with me.

The time is now!  We have our financial reports due at the end of this month, and people are waiting to see who is getting funding to make decisions on who to support.  I disagree with this dynamic but recognize that running a campaign is expensive and without funding, even the best ideas and noble values are lost. For my service oriented campaign to succeed I need your help and your contribution.  If you cannot afford to donate at this time then please go to our website and get involved with the campaign.

Thank you so much for your support and please forward this request to anyone you think wants to send the message to Washington to “stop playing political games in Washington and get to work!”

Just when you thought an era of Kennedy’s and Clinton’s was coming to an end it is being Reported that Caroline Kennedy is to take Senator Hiliary Clinton’s New York Senate seat.

NY Governor David Paterson has the task of appointing Clinton’s replacement.  If you remember Gov. Paterson replaced the embattled Elliot Spitzer after the prostitution scandal.

Read about Speculation about Caroline Kennedy’s appointment to the US Senate.  It isn’t so far fetched as ABC, the Boston Channel, and CNN are all buzzing about the News.

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was arrested this morning on over 101 counts of Bribery, Fraud, Conspiracy, Filing False Tax Returns, in the 101 count indictment of Larry P Langford and Friends.

Langford’s indictment comes as no surprise with the waning hours of the US District Attorney’s office likely to undergo change in January.  The Indictment also includes Langford’s Friends William Blount and Al LaPierre.

Birmingham’s NBC 13 Broke the news story a few hours ago:

Breaking News: Langford, LaPierre, Blount face 101-count federal indictment

Andrea Lindenberg and Rod Carter
Published: December 1, 2008

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was arrested Monday and the 101-count indictment against him has been unsealed.

This morning, U.S. Attorney Alice Martin announced that Langford, along with friend Al LaPierre and businessman Bill Blount, face charges of conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns.

Langford was taken into custody at his job at Birmingham Budweiser Distributing. LaPierre turned himself in. Blount was expected to do the same.

Martin said Langford, as president of the Jefferson County Commission, steered $7.1 million in business to Bill Blount’s investment banking firm Blount Parrish. Martin said that in exchange, Blount ensured Langford’s “crushing debt” to the tune of $235,000.

During the news conference Martin said Langford received bribes from Blount—through friend Al LaPierre—to buy clothes and jewelry from expensive New York boutiques and high-end stores in Birmingham as well.

Martin said that between 2003 and 2006, Blount paid for about $235,000 in clothing, jewelry and charge account bills for Langford.

The U.S. Attorney also said that Blount gave Langford a $11,000 Rolex watch.

Another accusation is that Bill Blount engineered a personal loan from Colonial Bank for Langford, who defaulted on the loan. Then, Martin said, Blount set up a loan for LaPierre at the same same bank to pay off Langford’s original loan.

Martin said it was all in return for steering Jefferson County bond business to Blount’s Montgomery firm, including the multi-billion dollar sewer bond business.

She said, “He (Langford) sold his public office to a friend.”

Reginald McDanial with the Internal Revenue Service said, it was a “textbook, tax fraud scheme.” He went on to say, “all money is taxable, even money from illegal activity is taxable.”

On Monday morning, Deborah Vance with the mayor’s office released a statement which said in part:

“This is certainly no surprise to us—we anticipated something happening soon especially knowing Alice Martin’s days in office are numbered with the swearing in of a new president in late January—just a little over a month from now.”

Langford was set to make a first appearance Monday morning at 10 a.m.

Tomorrow is the BIG day. ELECTION DAY For almost two years the airwaves have been crammed with banter, chatter, propaganda, and attack ads.  It will all  be over tomorrow night.  But in order for it to end and all of that time you spent watching and reading about the elections to be worth while you have to GO VOTE.

If you want to talk about politics or anything that is effecting your life in my book you have to vote.  It doesn’t matter so much who you vote for as long as you VOTE.  Every person in America has the right to vote don’t forget that as you enter the poll.  If you get to the poll and they can not find your name then request a provisional ballot.

I voted early or absentee as I will be out of state on election day.  To show you who I voted for in the Presidential election I voted like this:

Notice I did not vote straight party ticket and I did vote in Favor of Alabama’s Rainy Day fund.  I would like to remind everyone in Alabama that tapping into the Alabama Education Fund Rainy Day program will save the Schools.  Many school districts fear that if they do not get funds soon that teachers payroll will be effected.  It is already hard to retain qualified teachers with extremely low salaries but if their checks bounce they will have to seek employment else where.  So Vote Yes on Proposition 1 on the Alabama Ballot to save the Schools.

MOST IMPORTANTLY

GO VOTE!