Democratic 5th Congressional District candidate Steve Raby worked in 2006 with former Republican Lt. Gov. Steve Windom to help out-of-state investors who were attempting to open an electronic bingo casino in Macon County, The Decatur Daily reported.

The newspaper's Sunday report quoted Windom as saying in a sworn court deposition that part of the effort included working to defeat Macon County Sheriff David Warren, who they felt was blocking efforts for a new casino to compete with VictoryLand at Shorter.

Raby and Windom, who opposed gambling expansion when he was lieutenant governor, joined forces to help the Lucky Palace casino operation open a bingo casino in Macon County, according to Windom's sworn testimony. It came in a federal court suit Lucky Palace filed against the sheriff and VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor.

The newspaper said that Raby and Windom formed a political action committee that used other PACs to hide $250,000 in funds that went to a candidate who lost the 2006 Macon County sheriff's race to Warren.

According to Windom, he and Raby were paid $50,000 each and would have split $1 million plus an interest in the casino if it were allowed to open.

Before deciding to run for Congress this year, Raby worked as a political consultant in Huntsville. He said Tuesday he worked on about "15 to 18" races in 2006

"I'm not a party to that lawsuit. I haven't seen his deposition," Raby said.

The law allowing bingo in Macon County gives the sheriff authority to make the rules on operation of the games. Lucky Palace operators contend in the lawsuit that Warren's rules gave Victoryland a monopoly.

Windom said in his testimony that he was hired by Lucky Palace to help it get a license and that he solicited the help of Raby. They decided to try and oust Warren as sheriff in the June 2006 primary, running Shorter Police Chief Sandor Maloy against Warren, Windom said.

Windom said Maloy was okay with the idea of another casino opening in Macon County.

Raby told The Daily that he was contacted by Windom and not by Lucky Palace.

"I came to it because Windom and I have been friends for a long time. He asked me if I'd look at the sheriff's race down there, and so I did. I developed a strategy for a race," Raby said.

Windom testified that an assortment of PACs controlled by Raby and Mike Echols of Tuscaloosa were used to put about $250,000 into Warren's campaign.

The Daily reported that Windom sent Raby an e-mail at the time that asked, "Could we put the Lucky Palace checks into your PAC and then transfer to Echols? Concerned over direct gaming money to Echols since he has been identified with governor in Birmingham News stories."

Maloy lost the election. The federal lawsuit in which Windom gave the sworn deposition is still pending.

---

Information from: The Decatur Daily, http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml