Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton's (D-Greensboro) obsession with Elon Musk knows no bounds.
The State Senate Democrat leader went on the record in an interview with AL(dot)com this week about his support for gambling with a caveat, “I support gaming in the state 100%,” Singleton reportedly said.
“I have been in conversation with the potential sponsor, and one of the things I’ve asked for in the bill for us to fully support it is some African American ownership — not just people working in the place. Because it’s my people who walk through those doors more frequently than anyone else, we should at least have some ownership so that we could also be good corporate citizens in our communities.”
Also in the AL(dot)com report, former Auburn and NBA great Charles Barkley said that if he had the opportunity to be part of an African-American investment group that would own a majority stake in an Alabama casino, he’d be all in.
Barkley also reportedly told the outlet that he supports legalizing sports betting in the state. “Hell yeah,” he said this week. “I would love to be part of it.”
One factor Singleton wants to consider is Elon Musk and DOGE's recent cuts to and within the state.
“Circumstances are beginning to hit us where we are looking to have new dollars,” Singleton said. “Chairman Albritton understands that. When I look at DOGE taking $290 million away from Alabama for mental health and public health, all of that comes out of the general fund. That could be a hit to our budget, so new dollars are needed so we can have sustainability.”
Reports continue that lawmakers are working behind the scenes to push for a gambling package. Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston (R-Scottsboro) went on the record about it just several weeks ago.
"There's some conversation going on behind the scenes," the Jackson County Republican lawmaker said to host Todd Stacy. "I think some votes are being counted. You know, with the loss of, not the loss of Senator Reed, but when Senator Reed is stepping down to become Secretary Reed, that's a yes vote that is gone. So we didn't need one vote. Now we need two. So we'll see what happens with that."
He added, "I think there's only been one time, and that was the fourth year of my first quadrennium, that we did not have a conversation about gambling."
Apryl Marie Fogel is a Birmingham resident who frequently appears on and guest hosts radio programs around the state. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X at @aprylmarie.
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