USA TODAY GOP Power Rankings: Rubio on the rise | OnPolitics

http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/09/29/republican-power-rankings-week-5-fiorina-rubio-trump/


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Eastern Flood Threat Ahead; Strong Winds, Coastal Impacts Possible - weather.com

http://www.weather.com/forecast/national/news/soaking-weather-pattern-east-flooding

Jordan Spieth breaks Tiger Woods' record at FedEx Cup - CNN.com

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/28/golf/jordan-spieth-record-winnings/?iid=ob_homepage_deskrecommended_pool&iref=obinsite

'Where do they find a win?' Paul Finebaum, others wonder if Auburn can win any SEC games in 2015 | AL.com - Ben Flanagan

http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/09/where_do_they_find_a_win_paul.html#incart_most-commented_news_article

LSU coach Les Miles just lets Leonard Fournette run | USA TODAY Sports

http://sports.usatoday.com/2015/09/28/lsu-coach-les-miles-just-lets-leonard-fournette-run/

Southern player has surgery for neck fractures - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/09/27/georgia-players-coaches-offer-prayers-for-southerns-gales/72932476/

Gulf of Mexico System (Invest 99-L) Fueling Heavy Rain; Flood Watches Issued - weather.com

http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/gulf-of-mexico-disturbance-tropical-development-sep2015


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Trust in the media is at an all-time low. That’s a terrible thing for all of us. - The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/28/trust-in-the-media-is-at-an-all-time-low-thats-a-terrible-thing-for-all-of-us/?postshare=3311443474569007


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Butch Jones Needs a Common Sense Coach | FOX Sports - Clay Travis

http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/outkick-the-coverage/butch-jones-needs-a-common-sense-coach-092715


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Alabama bounces back in Computer Composite rankings - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/09/28/college-football-computer-composite-alabama-ole-miss-ucla-utah/72948516/


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Speaker Dennis Hastert negotiates guilty plea over 'hush money' for 'sex contact' | Daily Mail Online

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3252279/Ex-House-Speaker-Hastert-lawyers-talking-possible-plea-deal.html


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Nationals suspend Jonathan Papelbon four games - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/09/28/nationals-suspend-jonathan-papelbon-four-games/72980498/


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Julio Jones on record-setting receiving pace for Atlanta Falcons | AL.com

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/09/julio_jones_on_record-setting.html#incart_river_mobileshort


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Live updates: Nick Saban previews huge Georgia game | AL.com

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2015/09/live_updates_nick_saban_previe_1.html#incart_river_mobile


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Aspirin May Double Cancer Survival - The Daily Beast

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/09/28/study-aspirin-may-double-cancer-survival.html?via=newsletter&source=DDMorning


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The Daily News Layoffs and Digital Shift May Signal the Tabloid Era’s End - NYTimes.com

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/28/nyregion/the-daily-news-layoffs-and-digital-shift-may-signal-the-tabloid-eras-end.html?_r=0&referer=http://www.drudgereport.com/


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In MLB playoffs, flaws create a parity party - Bob Nightengale

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/09/28/mlb-playoffs-field-handicap/72934834/


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Jordan Spieth’s awesome 2015 season in 15 unbelievable stats | For The Win

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/jordan-spieth-winnings-2015-compared-to-tiger-woods-stats-record-money-grand-slam?source=newsletter


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Armour: If the Browns are going to lose, why not do it with Johnny Manziel? - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/09/27/johnny-manziel-cleveland-browns-josh-mccown-mike-pettine-raiders/72939238/


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Jordan Spieth's exclamation point on dream season: FedExCup, $10M bonus - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2015/09/27/jordan-spieth-tour-championship-fedexcup-east-lake-golf-club-henrik-stenson/72944380/


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Gulf of Mexico System (Invest 99-L) Impacting U.S. and Mexico; Low Chance of Tropical Development - weather.com

http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/gulf-of-mexico-disturbance-tropical-development-sep2015


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Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout fight - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/09/27/jonathan-papelbon-bryce-harper-dugout-fight/72935822/


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Lights, camera, failure: Is Auburn 2015 the remake of Auburn 2012? | AL.com - Scarbinsky

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2015/09/lights_camera_failure_is_aubur.html#incart_big-photo


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USA Today Sports - NFL Scoreboard

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/scores/

USA Today Sports | NFL Schedule - Gametimes

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/schedule/

5 matchups that will define NFL Week 3: Megatron meets his match? - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/09/26/week-3-matchups-calvin-johnson-megatron-aqib-talib/72882274/

USA TODAY Sports’ Week 3 NFL picks | USA TODAY Sports Wire

http://sportswire.usatoday.com/2015/09/24/week-3-nfl-picks-predictions/

AL.com's Instant Analysis: Auburn offense a no-show in loss to Mississippi State | AL.com

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/index.ssf/2015/09/alcoms_instant_analysis_auburn_2.html#incart_2box

Jordan Spieth Birdies 18, leads Tour Championship after 3rd round | Yardbarker.com

http://www.yardbarker.com/golf/articles/jordan_spieth_birdies_18th_leads_tour_championship_after_third_round_video/s1_8626_19611940

WATCH: Butch Jones celebrates FG, doesn't realize it missed | Yardbarker.com

http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/video_butch_jones_actually_celebrated_aaron_medleys_kick_before_realizing_it_was_wide_right/s1_11536_19612996

After Nine-Year Wait, the Mets Are Returning to the Postseason - The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/sports/baseball/mets-clinch-first-postseason-berth-since-2006.html?ref=sports&_r=0

No. 12 Alabama rides defense to 34-0 win over ULM - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/09/26/no-12-alabama-rides-defense-to-34-0-win-over-ulm/72901894/

Tennessee's Butch Jones should coach with common sense, not off a card - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/09/26/butch-jones-tennessee-sec-ugly-loss-florida/72907284/

Texas trumps painful loss from last week with fumbled snap on punt | For The Win

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/texas-painful-loss-fumbled-punt


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Amazin' Mets clinch 1st playoff spot since 2006 - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/09/26/mets-clinch-1st-playoff-spot-since-06-by-beating-reds-10-2/72900938/


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Nick Saban: Days of Smash Mouth Football Are Over - Yardbarker

http://www.yardbarker.com/mobile/content/article/s1_127_19601296


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Touching moment Pope Francis stopped his motorcade to kiss and bless a 10-year-old disabled boy waiting on the tarmac with rosary beads | Daily Mail Online

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3250157/Touching-moment-Pope-Francis-stopped-motorcade-kiss-bless-10-year-old-disabled-boy-waiting-tarmac-rosary-beads.html


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USA Today Sports - College Football Scoreboard

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/scores/

Gulf of Mexico System Could Impact U.S. and Mexico - weather.com

http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/gulf-of-mexico-disturbance-tropical-development-sep2015

AL.com college football picks: Key SEC showdowns on tap this weekend | AL.com

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/09/alcom_college_football_picks_k.html#incart_river_mobile


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SEC Football by the Numbers Top 10 for Week 4: 2-1 Auburn has gone to 3-1 17 straight times | AL.com

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/09/sec_football_by_the_numbers_to_19.html#incart_river_mobileshort


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2015 college football TV schedule - USATODAY

http://themeck.blogspot.com/2015/09/2015-college-football-tv-schedule_24.html

Road Map to college football's Week 4 - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/09/25/road-map-college-footballs-week-4-ucla-arizona-ohio-state-michigan/72784690/

Red Sox hire former Braves GM Frank Wren - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/09/25/red-sox-hire-former-braves-gm-frank-wren/72815938/

Alabama State Rep Craig Ford Calls Out State Rep. Paul Lee - Calls Him Unethical :: RickeyStokesNews.com

http://www.rickeystokesnews.com/article.php/alabama-state-rep-craig-ford-calls-out-state-rep-paul-lee--calls-him-unethical-135046

An 'overwhelming' crowd of 80,000 people gathers to see the Pope in Central Park ahead of his huge mass at Madison Square Garden | Daily Mail Online

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3249600/Overwhelming-crowds-line-Central-Park-80-000-gather-glimpse-Pope-Francis-leads-huge-mass-Madison-Square-Garden.html

Butch Jones, Tennessee face crucial statement game vs. Florida - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2015/09/25/tennessee-florida-butch-jones-statement-game/72793546/


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Donald Watkins: Executive Betrayal - Robert Bentley's Fleecing of Taxpayers and Donors - Part 3 - David Byrne - Gov Bentley's Consigliere

Executive Betrayal - Robert Bentley's Fleecing of Taxpayers and Donors – Part 3

 

By Donald V. Watkins

©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on September 25, 2015

 

David Byrne – Governor Bentley's Consigliere

 

On August 14, 2009, federal and state regulators took control of Colonial BancGroup, a regional banking powerhouse based in Montgomery. The seizure of ColonialBank's 346 branches and $26 billion in assets made it the sixth-biggest bank failure in U.S. history, the worst of 2009, and the third largest during the credit crisis that plunged the financial markets into turmoil in 2008. Colonial's collapse cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation $2.8 billion. Colonial's shareholders lostbillions of dollars in stock value. Thousands of bank employees lost their jobs.

 

Although the public focused on the failed leadership of Bobby Lowder, Colonial's founder and CEO, it was David B. Byrne, Jr., who was in charge of the bank's legal affairs and regulatory compliance when Colonial failed.  Byrne was Colonial's executive vice president, general counsel,and corporate secretary.  Byrne is the same man who would later emerge as Governor Robert Bentley's chief legal advisor and consigliere. 

 

After Colonial collapsed, Byrne was retained for a while by BB&T, the North Carolina-based bank that bought Colonial's assets. He was eventually pushed out of BB&Tand was looking for work.

 

Lowder, Byrne and other top Colonial executives worried about an investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program into Colonial's "warehouse" mortgage lending business. Colonial had applied for $550 million in TARP funds during the financial crisis of 2008, but the bank was never cleared to receive a bailout. 

 

On August 3, 2009, just eleven days before regulators shut down Colonial, law enforcement agents raided the bank's offices in Orlando, where the warehouse lending was managed. David Byrne was the man who signed off on the legal review of Colonial's regulatory filings with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission. He also reviewedColonial's highly suspect TARP funding application before it was submitted to the U.S. Treasury Department. Byrne worried that, as Colonial's executive vice president and general counsel, he could face civil or even criminalcharges if fraud was found in the bank's TARP applicationor customary business operations.

 

Federal prosecutors found a $3 billion fraud scheme operating during Byrne's watch at Colonial. Senior vice president Catherine Kissick was charged, convicted, and sentenced to eight years in prison for her role in the fraud. Byrne escaped criminal prosecution.  However, Byrne was deemed to be "unemployable" because the $3 billion fraud scheme operated right underneath his nose at Colonial and it was larger than the $2.7 billion accounting fraud discovered in 2003 at HealthSouth. 

 

In 2012, Bentley rescued Byrne from the ranks of the unemployed by hiring him to replace R. Cooper Shattuck as his chief legal advisor.  This action came after Byrne's wife, Alice Ann Byrne, brokered a deal with Bentley to advance and protect the interests of Rebekah and Jonathan Mason as state employees in exchange for a job for David. Alice, who has served as the general counsel of the State Personnel Department since 2000, practically ran the Department from her lawyer's position. The governor agreed to this deal.

 

After David joined Bentley's staff, he and Alice took care of the governor's wishes with respect to his favorite state employees. They arranged for former trooper Wendell Ray Lewis to receive a total of $799,285 in base pay and overtime as a member of Bentley's executive security detail, as well as a highly questionable promotion from sergeant to lieutenant in 2014. They aided Bentley in directing $393,538 in total compensation to Jonathan, as the director of Serve Alabama. They also helped Jonathan increase Serve Alabama's small staff to thirteen state employees.

 

David advised Jonathan on Serve Alabama's distribution of$20 million in grants and program benefits to religious and service organizations across the state. These payments included substantial financial contributions each year to the First Baptist Church of Montgomery Foundation, where David Byrne serves as a board member.

 

David also cleared the way for Rebekah to operate her private public relations firm, RCM Communications, Inc., while working full-time as Bentley's communications director. Undeterred by state ethics laws, Rebekah conducted RCM business from the governor's office and used state resources to further her private business interests.

 

On August 26, 2015, David Byrne, along with Bentley and others, were accused in a federal court lawsuit of forcing Alabama One Credit Union, a Tuscaloosa-based financial institution with $598 million in assets, into settling hotly disputed legal claims for millions of dollars to benefit one of Byrne's former law partners and close personal friends, attorney Justin D. "Jay" Smyth, III. Bentley and Byrne, who are named defendants in the lawsuit, pressured a stateregulatory agency into facilitating the delivery of monetary benefits to Smyth and his clients. This was an unprecedented abuse of executive powers by Bentley and Byrne. Their actions pushed Alabama One into conservatorship under state control.

 

This was the second time in six years that David Byrne has been a central figure in the demise of a regulated financial institution. First, it was the 2009 collapse of Colonial Bank.  Next, it was the conservatorship of Alabama One. Each time, the collateral damage to innocent parties was catastrophic.

 

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John Boehner Folds in the Face of the Kamikaze Caucus - The Daily Beast

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/25/john-boehner-folds-in-the-face-of-the-kamikaze-caucus.html?via=newsletter&source=DDMorning


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2015 college football TV schedule - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/06/02/college-football-tv-guide-schedule-fbs-2015/26525745/


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SEC Week 4: Viewer’s guide, picks | USA TODAY Sports

http://sports.usatoday.com/2015/09/24/sec-week-4-viewers-guide-picks/


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SECond Look: Can Alabama and Auburn bounce back? | AL.com

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/09/second_look_can_alabama_and_au.html#incart_river_mobile


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Alabama kicker arrested for DUI | AL.com

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2015/09/alabama_kicker_arrested_for_du.html#incart_river_mobile


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Listen to Vin Scully’s touching tribute to Yogi Berra | For The Win

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/vin-scully-tribute-yogi-berra


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New York Yankees pay tribute to legendary career, life of Yogi Berra | For The Win

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/new-york-yankees-tribute-career-life-yogi-berra


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Lawmakers Loved The Pope, No Matter What He Said - The Daily Beast

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/24/lawmakers-loved-the-pope-no-matter-what-he-said.html?via=newsletter&source=DDAfternoon


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USA TODAY Sports college football staff picks for Week 4 | USA TODAY Sports Wire

http://sportswire.usatoday.com/2015/09/24/usa-today-sports-college-football-staff-picks-week-4/


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The Hill: Where Yogi Berra's loss hits home - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/09/23/yogi-berra-dies-loss-hits-home-the-hill/72711216/


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New Big Three bring intrigue to Tour Championship - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2015/09/24/new-big-three-rory-mcilroy-jordan-spieth-jason-day/72711344/


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