Gambling developers were ready to give Sen. Scott Beason as much as $1 million a year if he would vote for a statewide referendum on gambling, but after the Gardendale lawmaker voted against it in procedural vote, they looked for ways to pass it without his support.

Testifying Friday afternoon, former gambling developer Ronnie Gillie said he thought Beason was on board with the gambling interests. Gilley and lobbyist Jarrod Massey had negotiated a deal with Beason for his support. Each year, the gambling interests would give Beason $1 million to use for his own campaign or to distribute to political allies.

Sen. Scott Beason

However, after Beason voted against a procedural hurdle known as a budget isolation resolution, Gilley became irate. In phone calls played in court Friday, Gilley told Massey to tell Beason they were now going to work against him in the next election.

“You tell that motherfucker when you see him, I’ll spend my last fucking dollar getting his fucking ass unelected,” Gilley said in the phone call.

In other recordings, Gilley and Massey discuss how to deal with Beason. At first, McGregor wanted Gilley to reach back to Beason again. Gilley agreed, even though he was angry with Beason and called him a “chickenshit.” A few hours later, McGregor called Gilley back to tell him he had changed his mind about Beason and that the gambling bill might not need his support.

“I’d rather that motherfucker have to come to you anyway,” McGregor said to Gilley.

Gilley testified that he and McGregor spoke to each other almost every day about the gambling issue. McGregor called Gilley “Big Boy” and Gilley called McGregor “Mister Mac.” According to Gilley, any campaign donations had to come from McGregor since he had almost run out of money.

Beason refused the gambling proponents’ offers, but Sen. Harri Anne Smith did not. In other recordings played in court, Gilley agrees to give Smith $400,000 for her campaign. In one conversation, Smith tells Gilley to call her if he sees her doing anything wrong.

The funds were difficult to pull together after state authorities closed his Country Crossings casino, Gilley said. Altogether, Gilley gave Smith more than $600,000, he said.

“It was a constant battle to obtain money,” Gilley said.

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