State GOP asks `60 Minutes' for evidence or retraction

[EFerrari]

State GOP asks `60 Minutes' for evidence or retraction
Thursday, February 28, 2008
KIM CHANDLER
News staff writer

MONTGOMERY - The chairman of the Alabama Republican Party sent a letter to "60 Minutes" producers asking for a retraction unless they could provide evidence backing up a segment on former Gov. Don Siegelman's prosecution.

In the segment aired Sunday, north Alabama lawyer Jill Simpson said Republican strategist Karl Rove in 2001 asked her take a compromising photo of Siegelman with one of his aides.

"Only the most committed anti-Rove/Bush activist could swallow such a tale," party chairman Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, wrote in the letter to "60 Minutes."

"If you are unable to publicly produce hard and convincing evidence that backs the outrageous charges you aired to millions of viewers across the nation, I ask that you publicly retract the story on your next broadcast."

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1204190159183980.xml&coll=2

This is actually a good thing. We're more likely to get another segment this way. Thanks, AL GOP!

[napi21]

1. 60 Minutes is NOT the only network to have reported on this story.

Dan Abrams has reported on it a few months ago, and said so on his show on Mon. night. He also had that Al. attorney on again last night along with Seigleman's daughter who explained that the ONE THING holding up her father's appeal is the court hasn't been able to provide a transcript of the trial which has been over a year ago! HMMMM, maybe, just MAYBE the GOP went too far this time!

[EFerrari]

4. Montgomery Advertiser: TV host calls for Siegelman's release

Feb 28

TV host calls for Siegelman's release

The host of a cable talk show is calling for the release of former Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman and has been airing a series of segments called "Bush League Justice" to rally support to his cause.

On Wednesday night, Dan Abrams, an MSNBC host and NBC News chief legal correspondent, called for the release of the former Alabama governor pending his appeal.

Siegelman was convicted of federal bribery, conspiracy and obstruction charges in June 2006. He is serving a sentence of seven years and four months. He also was ordered to pay $182,000 in restitution and a $50,000 fine immediately after his sentencing.

The case brought up numerous "questionable" instances, including a lengthy appeal delay, excessive punishment and 52 former state attorneys general who are asking for an investigation into the case, Abrams said during Wednesday night's "Live with Dan Abrams."

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080228/NEWS01/802280322

I'm glad Dan is reporting on this story. He's doing a great job, too.

[malaise]

RELEASE DON SIEGELMAN pending

his appeal.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Jill Simpson testified, under oath, before Congress....Karl refuses subpoenas....

So, we have a "she said" / "he said" where she swears under oath and he refuses to testify under oath.

Tough decision as to whom to believe, huh?

[EFerrari]

5. The Birmingham News: Rove denies lawyer's Siegelman assertion

Rove denies lawyer's Siegelman assertion
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE and KIM CHANDLER
News staff writers

Former White House adviser Karl Rove said Tuesday he never asked a Rainsville lawyer to take compromising photographs of Don Siegelman, and he said he never discussed the former Democratic governor's prosecution with Justice Department officials.

"It never happened," Rove said in a telephone interview. "Seeing where I was working at the time, a reasonable person could ask why I would even take an interest in that case."

Rove responded to allegations of involvement in Siegelman's prosecution that first surfaced last spring. Most recently Simpson told CBS's 60 Minutes in an interview aired Sunday that Rove asked her during a meeting in 2001, while he was working in the White House, to take photographs that could be used against Siegelman in the 2002 gubernatorial race.

Siegelman is serving a seven-year sentence after being convicted in 2006 on bribery and obstruction charges. His lawyers are seeking his release while his case is being appealed and said this week they will seek appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate claims made on "60 Minutes."

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1204103721251760.xml&coll=2

What scum Rove is and how fitting that he's working for Faux now.

[Junkdrawer]

10. Deny it under oath, Karl n/t

[bluerum]

3. GOP throwing air punches. Let them exhaust themseleves. Then go in for the kill.

[deminks]

6. Let's look at this another way, AL GOP, there's roughly 70-80 % of us

who are committed anti-bushco, whereas, there's only roughly 20-30% who are committed pro-bush like yourselves. The pro bush 20% may all live in AL now, but they are still delusional. To think that a corporatist telecom owes you anything at 20% is delusional. They don't owe us anything.

You may have owned them at one time in your prime. The telecoms are beholden to no one, and only broadcast stuff that sells. And right now, we're buyin.

Hook your wagon to the old neo nazi fatshits. Go ahead. There won't be even 20% left. America has lost her patience.

[EFerrari]

7. LOL! I was looking for the AL GOP email address so you could

tell Mike your very good point and look what I found intead:





http://www.algop.com/

ETA: The real email addy is [e-mail]

[KharmaTrain]

8. Simple Solution...Independent Prosecutor

Yep...let 'em squawk about their own mess...it'll just draw more attention.

Now CBS will need to answer and let's see how they handle it...and the response of the viewers to the story. I suspect there has been more interest in this story than most they've aired this year...and the sideshow games of having the broadcast blacked out and now this response will only keep it on their radar. In addition, Dan Abrams at MSNBC has also spotlighted the case and let's see how he follows up. The voices will get louder as more details of this travesty become public.

As Ms. Simpson said...if they want to find out if Mr. Rove is telling the truth, put him under oath. If the AL GOOPers want to put up or shut up, they should be also demanding for an independent investigation that would clear them, if they are so certain open the books, release the emails and let the sun shine in. But you know that's the last thing they want.

It's amusing to see how ham-handed the Alabama GOOPers are dealing with this...and they're going to pay for this in time. The pressure is building...Siegelman needs to be released NOW and then his appeal expedited. Once vindicated, it'll be time to take a good look at who framed him and why...Mr. Siegleman's cell would sure look nice with Rove in his place.

Cheers...

:hi:

[EFerrari]

9. They're desperately trying to keep their pants on.

Riley is still in the state house and the thugs that put him there are all still around.

I imagine their sleep has been a little troubled this week. :)

[malaise]

11. Too late for that

Where's that photo of the freeper on the toilet.

[KharmaTrain]

12. This Is Like A Bad 60's Movie

I'm waiting for George Kennedy to show up as the sherrif. :rofl:

We expected pushback here...and to be honest, it's been pretty lame. I think they're expecting Rove and the BFEE to come to the rescue and shove this under the rug.

What should be troubling to them, but they're too ignorant to see it...and that was the large turn-out for the Democratic primary...that's a message that will really keep them awake for many nights following next November... :smile:

:hi:

[EFerrari]

13. Molly Ivins would be loving this!

[malaise]

14. Indeed

Imagine Molly's been dead for a year already. :cry:

[EFerrari]

16. It's so hard to believe it.

This would be a good year to go find some of her work to keep us company. I

[malaise]

23. I have Bushwhacked and Who Let the Dogs in

As was written in the WP Book World, Molly had 'deadly wit and a passion for factual reporting'. Molly was one of the great political writers of all time.

Why don't you start a thread on Molly.
add

[spanone]

i could swallow such a tale

[spanone]

15. dupe sorry

[madokie]

17. You know it is going to be fun watching karl rove go down

the bigger they get the harder they fall, comes to mind. Its coming and it'll happen. imo

[EFerrari]

19. This case is part of the Abramoff clutch of felonies.

Rove asks, why would he be interested? Well, we know why. Abramoff and his clients wanted Don out of the state house.

[bdamomma]

22. Oh, I hope so, that SOB is too arrogant for me, I hope he

goes down hard, and wipe that smirk off his face too.

[EFerrari]

25. Here is a great Scott Horton piece that lays out all the connections

between the AL statehouse --> Rove ---> Jack Abramoff.

Abramoff and “Justice” in the Heart of Dixie
DEPARTMENT No Comment
BY Scott Horton
PUBLISHED June 9, 2007

On a hill above Birmingham, Alabama stands a statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of the forge, a symbol of the city’s debt to the steel industry around which it grew. Today, however, little steel is forged in Birmingham, but scandals are coming aplenty. What continues to emerge from the former Pittsburgh of the south are more details in the unfolding allegations surrounding the politically driven prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, today in the form of an article in the Birmingham News. Or rather, perhaps the Birmingham News piece is itself the story. Under a headline stating “Two Siegelman Advocates Missed Out on State Contract,” the News reports:

The two people alleging that former Gov. Don Siegelman’s prosecution was tainted by politics are tied to a company that did not win a state contract from Gov. Bob Riley’s administration last year. Former Riley Chief of Staff Toby Roth said he believed the lost contract was a factor when the two people signed statements accusing Riley’s advocates of engineering the case against Siegelman, a Democratic rival. “I think it certainly raises suspicions about their accusations,” Roth said. “This has got a sour grapes aspect to it.”

Now as my readers know, I am an attorney and an opinion-journalist, I teach law and journalism students at Columbia University, and as an attorney, I spend a good part of my practice representing and working for the media. My instincts tell me that this story was been peddled by Toby Roth - he may well have called a “marker” to get it run - and it aims to discredit the evidence for Karl Rove’s involvement by linking the sources to a failed contract bid. This is mighty thin gruel. But it all goes downhill from there. And you really have to read the story to its end. As in the Sherlock Holmes tale of “Silver Blaze” the really fascinating thing about the Birmingham News story consists of the facts which are strangely missing. For instance:

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/06/hbc-90000257

[Uben]

18. Ask Alabama GOP for e-mails re case

I'll bet you will get zero!

[malaise]

24. The GOP have no emails

about anything that matters.

[notadmblnd]

20. tell tthe GOP that you had evidence, but ther servers wern't backed up

and all of it went missing.

[EFerrari]

21. Surely Karl could provide his copies?

:shrug: