Birmingham chose a shaky new beginning when it elected Larry Langford mayor last week.

Mr. Langford is a salesman. He could sell ice cream to a snowman, which is about what he did when he vigorously promoted the ill-fated VisionLand amusement park near Bessemer that cost 11 surrounding municipalities millions in tax dollars.

Birmingham voters may have levied a big mess on themselves when they put Mr. Langford in office without a runoff.

He is under federal investigation for his financial dealings on the Jefferson County Commission, which he is about to leave for the mayor's office.

The second-place finisher in the mayor's race, Patrick Cooper, legally challenged Mr. Langford's place of residence this week. He says the once-mayor of Fairfield still lives there, which makes him ineligible to become mayor.

Mr. Langford and one of his old buddies finally got around to getting their Alabama Ethics Commissions records straight before Election Day. Neither reported that Mr. Langford received between $100,000 and $150,000 from lobbyist Al LaPierre.

Voters can't say they hadn't been warned if things go badly with their new mayor.

Oh yes, he's also been in bankruptcy court.

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