Sessions. Why does that name ring a bell?

[The Backlash Cometh]

I read the Times' Magazine regarding the railroading of the Democratic politician in Rove's home state in Alabama. Siegelman. And then I read the names of the Republican politicians who obviously received a pass. The name Sessions came up. Why does that name ring a bell?

Was he the one who was part of a trio of powerful men who, over lunch, made a decision that affected national politics? Did it have to do with Clarence Thomas? Or the Gore-Bush election?

- - - - -

Selective Justice in Alabama?
snip
Young settled into his chair, personal lawyer at his side, and proceeded to tell a group of seasoned prosecutors and investigators that he had paid tens of thousands of dollars in apparently illegal campaign contributions to some of the biggest names in Alabama Republican politics. According to Young, among the recipients of his largesse were the state's former attorney general Jeff Sessions, now a U.S. Senator, and William Pryor Jr., Sessions' successor as attorney general and now a federal judge.

<snip>

Early in the investigation, in November 2001, Young announced that five years earlier, he "personally provided Sessions with cash campaign contributions," according to an FBI memo of the interview. Prosecutors didn't follow up that surprising statement with questions, but Young volunteered more. The memo adds that "on one occasion he provided Session with $5,000 to $7,000 using two intermediaries," one of whom held a senior position with Sessions' campaign. On another occasion, the FBI records show, Young talked about providing "$10,000 to $15,000 to Session . Young had his secretaries and friends write checks to the Sessions campaign and Young reimbursed the secretaries and friends for their contributions."

snip


Several people involved in the Siegelman case who spoke to TIME say prosecutors were so focused on going after Siegelman that they showed almost no interest in tracking down what Young said about apparently illegal contributions to Sessions, Pryor, other well-known figures in the Alabama G.O.P. and even a few of the state's Democrats. "It just didn't seem like that was ever going to happen," said an individual present during key parts of the investigation. "Sessions and Pryor were on the home team."

That description is not just a metaphor: several of the lawyers involved in the Siegelman investigation were from Pryor's office and had worked for Sessions as well when he held the post. In such circumstances, say experts on legal ethics, it is nearly always incumbent on investigators to inform a third party and recuse themselves from further questioning to avoid a conflict of interest. In this instance, it appears the investigators chose not to recuse themselves but to simply ignore the allegations. (Steve Feaga, an assistant U.S. Attorney in Canary's office, says, "I'm confident that we investigated every viable federal crime and prosecuted them.")


http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1668220-1,00.html

[acmavm]

1. One time an attorney told me that the 'law' and 'justice' have

nothing to do with one another. I wonder if he knew how right this administration would prove him to be?

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. I think the thing that is most shocking to me, is that I didn't realize how

endemic these good ole boy networks were in our national politics. Naive as I was, I actually made it into my forties thinking that only in the deepest backward parts of the South, maybe in Texas. Never, never, did I realize how incredibly corrupt the foundation of our country really was.

[acmavm]

4. Oh believe me, it's always been like this. I can support that

statement with facts. But the difference now is that it is so in-you-face, so out in the open. The thugs and criminals and liars don't give a damn if we know it or not.

[Oilwellian]

8. Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina

The deepest, backward parts of the South. :D

[speedoo]

3. It's been obvious to me for years, that Sessions is dirty.

What else could possibly explain how such an idiot got into the Senate?

[blogslut]

5. Wow

So, Pete Sessions took illegal campaign contributions. Let's hope this story gets a lot of attention.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Jeff Sessions. From Alabama.

Who is Pete Sessions? Maybe I'm confusing the two?

[blogslut]

7. I've been up all night. I need a nap.

Second thread I screwed up on this morning.

Pete Sessions is an R congressman from Texas. He sucks too but not as much as Jeff.