Finally in local paper (Siegleman): Alabama in spotlight not always good

[MelissaB]

Alabama in spotlight not always good

Alabama is again in the national spotlight, and it's not flattering news.

The prosecution, conviction and sentencing of former Gov. Don Siegelman is the topic of great debate these days and it's a politically charged issue that is causing people to take sides. And it's never good when justice becomes an issue of left and right versus fair and just.

A federal jury convicted Siegelman, a Democrat, in June on six bribery-related charges and an obstruction of justice charge. The judge, Mark Fuller, a Republican, had chains and handcuffs placed on Siegelman at the moment of his conviction and sent him away to serve just more than seven years in prison.

The story was news in Alabama, of course, but it has since caused a whirlwind of controversy nationwide. Here are some reasons:

...snip

My guess is Siegelman and his attorneys are hoping a Democrat wins the White House in November. If so, you can expect an immediate investigation and a pardon for Siegelman to follow.

Regardless, expect a lot of negative pub for Alabama.

Mike Goens is the TimesDaily managing editor. He can be reached at 740-5740 or [e-mail].


More: http://timesdaily.com/article/20080302/NEWS/803020347/1031/2006

[pacalo]

1. That's the first article from an Alabama source that was written in a non-partisan manner.

K&R.

[annabanana]

2. Perhaps the "good" Republicans from Alabama will be embarrassed

by their state being highlighted (yet again) as being a "backwater swamp of bigotry and corruption". I know that the country club set are extremely sensitive to appearances.. much more so than they are to the underlying ugly reality of the Siegleman case.

[MelissaB]

3. Reasons he gives for the controversy

The story was news in Alabama, of course, but it has since caused a whirlwind of controversy nationwide. Here are some reasons:

The judge's decision to put Siegelman in chains and send him off immediately was certainly unusual, especially for a white-collar crime. Normally, those convicted have 45 days to get their affairs in order before reporting to prison. Usually, they also are allowed to stay out on bail during an appeal process. But the judge, a former state GOP executive committee member who was appointed to the judgeship by President Bush, went another away.

Almost everyone in the judicial system says a seven-year prison term does not fit the crime, but Fuller actually could have made the sentence longer, based on law. Yet, former Alabama Gov. Guy Hunt, a Republican, never spent a day in jail for state ethics violations.

The heart of the case against Siegelman is that he accepted a $500,000 contribution to his education lottery campaign from HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy. In return, Scrushy was appointed to an influential medical board that he had been appointed to previously by two other governors. Siegelman never personally pocketed any of the money, but he was responsible for repaying the lottery campaign fund. People contributing to political funds and candidates is nothing new, and it's nothing new for those who give the most to obtain government jobs or appointments. It happens almost every day in every state.

Two other criminal cases were initiated against Siegelman and later dropped because other prosecutors thought the cases were not just.

A key witness in the current case, Nick Bailey, said he met with prosecutors 70 times and they asked him to write his story down several times so he could keep it straight.

A GOP operative in the state, attorney Jill Morrow, said Karl Rove was involved in a plot to get Siegelman and even suggested trying to get evidence of him having an affair.

Fifty-two current and former attorneys general - Democrats and Republicans - requested that Congress look at the case because of appearances of politically motivated prosecution.

The Justice Department won't provide Congress with documents critical to the probe.

[Pastiche423]

8. Does't the writer mean Jill Simpson in the 3rd from the bottom

paragraph?

I got a letter from governor Don. He requests everyone contact their representatives to encourage them to take the next steps to the truth. Further he states, "Rove's documents, emails and phone records will prove his abuse of power and misuse of the DOJ for political purposes."

Does any know of a web site has been set up, making it easier for people to contact their reps? If not, how do we set one up?

[TacticalPeek]

4. K & R

:kick:

[Uncle Joe]

5. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, MelissaB.

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. I Don't want a Pardon

for a crime he didn't commit.

I want vindication.

[MelissaB]

7. Link to important thread about how the election results were changed in the middle of the night.

VIDEOS: ***** Don Siegelman Speaks! Don Siegelman discusses how the election results changed in the middle of the night, illegally. The election he won was lost when he was awakened at 4:30 in the morning. Republicans had changed the vote in one county, reversing the election outcome statewide. As announced the night before, Siegelman won by 3,000, then suddenly the outcome changed to Riley winning by 1,600 when Baldwin County recounted its vote and only the Governors race outcome changed. All the other races stayed precisely the same after the recount.


By L. Coyote here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2918882



and a compilation here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2909551

[mod mom]

9. k & r

[MelissaB]

10. One last kick for the weekday crowd.

:kick: