Alabama US Attorney denies any involvement in university editor's termination

[MiaCulpa]

Source: Raw Story - Lindsay Beyerstein

This 'case is definitely about the first amendment,' says Harper's journalist

The abrupt dismissal of a veteran University of Alabama employee who blogged about the firing of seven US Attorneys has added a bizarre new twist to allegations that the state's US Attorneys targeted political opponents for prosecution.

Roger Shuler -- a high-profile blogger and leading critic of Alabama's judicial system -- has written extensively about alleged corruption among U.S. Attorneys for over a year. In particular, Shuler focused on two US Attorneys from his home state: Alice H. Martin of the Northern District and Leura G. Canary of the Middle District.

An editor in the University of Alabama Birmingham publications office for the last 12 years and a university employee for 19, Shuler was placed on administrative leave May 7 and formally fired May 19.

"I had worked there for 19 years and never received anything but positive performance reviews," Schuler wrote RAW STORY in May. "I never received an oral warning about anything. Then I was fired without warning, contrary to university policy and almost certainly in violation of federal law."

Though he admits he can't prove it, Shuler believes that he was fired for criticizing Alice Martin and other high-ranking political players in Alabama, including Canary, and Alabama's Republican governor, Bob Riley.

He's not alone. Scott Horton, a journalist for Harper's Magazine and a professor at Columbia University who has written extensively about the US Attorney scandal, also believes Shuler's firing was politically fueled.


Full report at the link.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Alabama_bloggers_firing_raises_troubling_questions_0709.html

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Note: Raw Story's Muriel Kane and Larisa Alexandrovna contributed to the research and writing of this report. :)

Peace,

Diane

[smoogatz]

1. Alabama's what the rest of the country's going to look like in eight years

if McCain wins.

[Raster]

3. Unfortuntely, you are probably correct.

[desktop]

2. Places like Alabama have been breaking the law for over a century

Alabama has learned that they can do what ever they want and only about 5% of the time will anyone stop them. Prayer in schools, firing people and imprisoning people for political reasons, continued racial discrimination, housing discrimination. It's all a daily occurrence in Alabama and a few other southern states. So if you move your family to Alabama and little Suzy and Johnny come home from school and want to tell you all about the creationism they learned in school today, don't be surprised, and good luck complaining to any state official, the naysayers have all been purged, one way or another.

[Raster]

4. And careful who you complain to... unless you want a cross on your front lawn...

burning or otherwise. Welcome to DU!

[awoke_in_2003]

6. I lived in a small town in Alabama

and in 1976, years after it was illegal to do so, the courthouse still had "colored" drinking fountains.

[Ian David]

5. See also: Anti-Gay Alabama A.G. Caught Being Gay

GAY OLD PARTY
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3598266

[colonel odis]

7. alabama believes it's its own country; therefore, america's laws don't apply.

typed from downtown birmingham.

[Doctor_J]

8. The GOP is so much like the Nazis it's scary

Alabama is a dry run for the country

[salin]

9. a worthwhile read...

the 'devil is in the details', and it doesn't look as if UAB covered their details well. Legal Schnauzer, it seems, has a decent wrongful termination case on his hand. Sounds like those feeling powerful didn't realize that a lot of folks are following what is happening in Alabama, and recognizing it is the epicenter of what the rove machine was trying to establish when politicizing the DOJ. Thus, the back peddling (though with potential strings attached) per his termination is likely due to press attention from outside of the state.

Best of luck to Schuler!