Siegelman Speaks Out, Claims Karl Rove Behind Prosecution

[sabra]

Source: wsfa12

Former Governor Don Siegelman, out of prison to appeal his corruption conviction is wasting no time in making his case to a national audience. On Monday night Siegelman appeared live on Dan Abrams' show on MSNBC.

From the time word got out that Siegelman was under investigation by federal prosecutors, the former Governor said republicans in Washington and Alabama, were out to get him. Specifically, Presidential Advisor Karl Rove who is no stranger to Alabama politics, having guided the successful campaigns of a number of republican candidates.

"Karl Rove's fingerprints are all over this case. If you ask me, do we have the knife with his fingerprints on it, no, but we've got the glove and the glove fits," says Siegelman.

Siegelman repeated his complaints about Rove, saying the former Bush insider should testify before a congressional committee looking into the extent of the Bush influence in the Justice Department. Rove's attorney issued a statement today denying those allegations "As Mr. Rove has repeatedly stated, he did not speak with anyone in the White House or the Justice Department concerning the prosecution of Governor Sigelman" - Robert Luskin, Karl Rove's Attorney.

"Saying that Karl Rove is not involved in my prosecution is like saying George Bush is not involved in the war in Iraq." says Siegelman.


Read more: http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=8132762&nav=0RdE

[defendandprotect]

1. Evidently, there is at least one other similar case being investigated by

a top journalist ... as discussed on the Randi Rhodes Show yesterday with Thom Hartmann hosting --

Given the politicization/corruption of our Justice Department and these activities they concluded that "We have a police state" ---

and/or we are on a "slippery slope to a police state."

And they say it "Can't Happen Here?" . . .

The GOP has been hammering away at this one for decades --- generally in the open air!!

[Acadia Blue]

7. Just like the old soviet union. lol We are so freedom loving here.

[AlbertCat]

11. Tell me about it!

Oh the irony!

All my life, from the mid 50's thru the 1970's and beyond we were told how the conservatives were saving us from Commies....the pinko liberals were of no use there! Only a rough and tough conservative could stop the Red Hoards!

Here I thought conservatives hated the USSR....and it turns out to just be ENVY!

[DissedByBush]

25. 1999 people

The prosecution began in 1999, almost two years before Bush gained control of the DOJ, back when he was just corrupting and ruining Texas. However, the Republicans are responsible for continuing to pursue him after most of the evidence was thrown out the first time.

I'm going to hold off on any thought that he might be innocent though. It could be the Republicans inadvertently did us a favor by ridding us of yet another corrupt politician. Just because the prosecution is political doesn't mean he's innocent. The prosecution of Tom DeLay is also politically driven (a career Democrat grand jury shopping), but we know DeLay is guilty as sin and corrupt to the bone, and he hasn't even been convicted yet.

But I must admit I will get much more joy from seeing DeLay behind bars than Siegelman.

[Wednesdays]

31. Link?

:shrug:

[DissedByBush]

34. Public record

First indictment, 1999. Check Wikipedia even. We know Rove himself was involved in the prosecution behind the scenes, but Bush was still busy perjuring himself in Texas (I may have the timeline of the latter off a bit, but it did happen).

But still, my point, just because it was politically motivated, even if others were doing it, we should all be cheering when a corrupt politician is put behind bars no matter what party he belongs to. Makes me want to run a tin cup up back and forth across his cell bars until his roommate Big Bubba chases me off.

With few exceptions like Kucinich (we're on opposite sides of many issues, but he is squeaky clean and thus gets my respect), I wouldn't mind an immediate federal investigation into every elected official. Kick'em straight out if there was any law or even ethics violation found. You know hate crimes legislation where sentences are increased if the crime was due to hate? I prefer "Crimes against the American people" legislation where any of these people who violate our trust get the mandatory minimums they love to dish out for others. I say 20 years no parole and a fine of 10x any money involved. Bush gets to be first in line after we impeach him, or just wait until he's out of office (10x the Haliburton money, kiss that ranch goodbye).

Yes, I am bitter. Getting screwed over too many times does that.

I feel much better now. Thanks for listening.

[efhmc]

37. Agreed but we should also be going after those who prosecute

others (no matter whether innocent or guilty) using corrupt methods.

[DissedByBush]

42. If the methods themselves were corrupt, definitely

If the methods were legal, but the motivation was political, that's just politicians eating their own.

[efhmc]

39. Delay's presecutor Ronnie Earle:

EARLE HAS PROSECUTED FOUR TIMES AS MANY DEMOCRATS AS REPUBLICANS: “Over Earle’s 27-year tenure, his Public Integrity Unit has prosecuted 15 elected officials, including 12 Democrats.”

EARLE PROSECUTED DEMOCRATS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF STATE GOVERNMENT: “Some of the Democrats prosecuted by Earle and his Public Integrity Unit are former Texas House Speaker Gib Lewis, former Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox, former State Treasurer Warren Harding and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Yarbrough.”

FRIEND OF OFFICIAL TARGETED BY EARLE CALLED HIM A ‘BOY SCOUT’: “Democrats, for their part, are still upset over the prosecution of Attorney General Jim Mattox for bribery in 1985. … He was acquitted and years later, Jim Marston, a civil lawyer in Austin and friend of Mr. Mattox, asked Earle why he went ahead with the questionable case. “I said, ‘Ronnie, how can it be an abuse of power to threaten a lawyer? We threaten each other all the time.’ He told me that elected officials are held to a higher standard. They are supposed to be like Caesar’s wife.’ It was then that Mr. Marston realized how deep Earle’s principles run. ‘Ronnie Earle is a Boy Scout who is offended by wrongdoings, chief among them, public officials’ abuse of power.’

EARLE HAS REPUTATION AS PRINCIPLED, ‘OVERLY CAUTIOUS’: “Deliberate in the capital cases he sends to juries, Earle is well known for examining an issue from all angles before acting. ‘If I have any complaint about Ronnie, it’s that he is overly cautious about who he prosecutes,’ says Marston. ‘The fact that it has taken two years to investigate Tom DeLay is a sign not of partisanship, but of being completely careful.’”
In no way can this person be mentioned as as politically motivated as the republicans.

[Baby Snooks]

2. But this is off the table as well...

All of this is off the table as well. The agenda is all to Madame Speaker. She does not and will not allow distractions. She has spoken. That is the end of it. Do not disturb her further. Or the agenda.

The problem is it is not our agenda. Nor is it the agenda of justice.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. wish I could recommend your comment n/t

[TacticalPeek]

3. K & R

:kick:

[Lugnut]

5. K&R n/t

[pauldg0]

16. Just a side note...

..I'm a member of that "wing" too!!

Keep on supporting him..go John.

[Lugnut]

18. Not a problem.

John Edwards speaks for me.

[pauldg0]

35. Do you think Edwards and someone else...

.....say Gore could still break up this mess we already have?

[FourScore]

6. Of course he was. n/t

[elmerdem]

8. Thanks to Shumer & Boxer

We know this won't get looked into. They helped to make sure that the DOJ wonn't be independent until the criminals are gone.

[Pastiche423]

10. Feinstein NOT Boxer!

Senator Boxer is the best! DiFi can go suck eggs.

[hootinholler]

17. I recon I've missed something.

Can you fill me in please?

-Hoot

[L. Coyote]

40. Schumer and Feinstein n/t

[jeff30997]

9. Rove is an evil clown!

I rest my case.

[mdmc]

12. DEMOCRATS UNITE!!!

Lets stop ROVE NOW!

[InfiniteNether]

13. Let's waterboard Rove, since apparently it's not illegal.

[sonias]

14. We all believe Karl Rove was behind it

Don is not alone. Anyone who has ever followed the many unethical, win at all costs campaigns of the Roving Karl, knows he's an evil bastard with only one goal - world domination and making quick profits for himself. He's a heartless, soulless, pathetic excuse of human being.:grr:

Sonia

[Kevin Cloyd]

15. They've covered their tracks

With Rove’s denial you can be sure that the White House e-mails are gone for good. Every three years they remove the hard drive from all white House computers and have it destroyed and then they copied over the back-up tapes. They should go to prison for that and a million other things they’ve done.

[drm604]

19. Notice the qualified denial?

"As Mr. Rove has repeatedly stated, he did not speak with anyone in the White House or the Justice Department concerning the prosecution of Governor Sigelman" - Robert Luskin, Karl Rove's Attorney.

I wonder if he can truthfully say that Rove did not speak about the prosecution with anyone period, no qualifications.

[IsItJustMe]

20. It is very sad that the Republicans have politicized the justice department of the US. For this,

they should never be forgiven.

[curiousdemo]

22. Shouldn't be TurdBlossom....

:hurts:

[jeff30997]

21. Pigboy I truly hate you!

[rucognizant]

24. Good Graphic!

Thanks jeff 30997

[1monster]

29. What a truly horrible insult to .... Pigs. They are really intelligent animals and

deserve better than to be compared to dishpicable (a la Sylvester the Cat) human beings such as Rove.

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

All I am gonna say is that if one Democratic politician is successfully

"taken out" than others will be. They must be prosecuted and this must stop.

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

23. delete

duplicate again - I guess my laptop isn't so new anymore.

[FourScore]

26. cute.

[laylah]

27. ...

I have great hopes for the outcome of Gov. Siegleman! May Rove, et al, rot in HELL...from MY keyboard to the ultimate being's monitor!

[laylah]

28. Of COURSE

Lee Atwater, JUNIOR (Rove) is behind any and all slimy tactics since 2000! May he rot; and ROT he will, deservedly so. Why does Carl Rove HATE America so much? Just asking?

[JDPriestly]

30. Rove has not denied that he spoke to someone in Alabama

about the matter. Knowing Rove, that is the key.

[Laxman]

32. Karl Rove Deported to Sweeden

"I'm not even fargin from there" -KK Karl

There's nothing funny about the evil that this clown has committed but I couldn't resist thinking about him being hauled away after his testimony like Maroni in Johnny Dangerously.
That's a fargin trick question!

[JPZenger]

33. Raw Story: Siegelman is tip of iceberg in Alabama prosecutor misconduct

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/How_Bush_US_attorney_riddled_with_0401.html

The above story is about a series of US Attorney politically inspired prosecutions of Dems in Alabama. This story was covered Monday afternoon on Air America.

The prosecutions with very limited evidence include a lawyer who led lawsuits against the tobacco industry and a Mississippi Supreme Court justice. To intimidate Dems in the Alabama legislature, the prosecutors had Federal Marshalls deliver supeonas to them on the floor of the Legislature - which is a violation of the law.

Much more at the link.

[donheld]

36. K & R

[samsingh]

38. i think he's right

how will the repugs feel when their disgusting kind start to become political prisoners when democrats have the power?

[L. Coyote]

41. VIDEOS on DU: Don Siegelman on Dan Abrams' Verdict = 2008.04.08

Part 1 HERE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=116364&mesg_id=116364

Part 2 HERE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=116368&mesg_id=116368

Part 3 HERE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=116371&mesg_id=116371