Gov. Siegelman First Print Interview In AL: "This Is Not About Siegelman, This Is About America"

[Hissyspit]

From Legal Schnauzer:

Saturday, April 19, 2008
Siegelman Speaks Out in Alabama

Tommy Stevenson, of the Tuscaloosa News, is the first Alabama print journalist to interview Don Siegelman after the former governor's recent release from federal prison pending appeal of his conviction on corruption charges.

Stevenson produces an important piece, not only about the Siegelman case but about America's justice system as a whole.

"This is not about Don Siegelman, and it's not about the Alabama case," (Siegelman) said in his first interview with an Alabama newspaper since being released from a federal prison in Oakdale, La. "This is about America, it is about finding out who hijacked the Department of Justice and used it as a political tool to win elections."

Stevenson reports that Siegelman had just returned from two days in Washington conferring with U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Siegelman said he is willing to testify before Congress about his case "or anything else they want me to do."

"I tried to make clear to Congressman Conyers that, to me, above everything else, (my case is about) making it clear to anyone who might think that they can get away with this in the future that they won't be able to," Siegelman said.

Siegelman has maintained that he was targeted by political operatives, particularly Rove, the President George W. Bush's former chief political advisor. "So they've got to find out who is responsible, hold them responsible and make a clear and unequivocal statement that Congress and people of this country are not going to tolerate people taking over the Department of Justice and using it as a political tool," he said.

Stevenson provides an update on the legal status of Siegelman's appeal:

"We have not filed the appeal yet and have until the 23rd of May to do so," Siegelman said. "But you have to remember, that on an appeal, only what happened in the courtroom is relevant and you have to find errors to have action taken. I could get thrown back in Oakdale, I could get a new trial, I could get a new trial on one issue or not the other, or the court could reverse the conviction and I would be a free man."

Comments from Siegelman attorney Vince Kilborn provide insight on the heart of Siegelman's appeal:

"We think there were some problems with Judge (Mark) Fuller's instructions to the jury about what constitutes a bribe — that there has to be a quid pro quo involved and there was never any testimony that there was," he said. 'There were also several issues we tried to bring up in the case that the judge would not let us do that we think bear looking at."

[grantcart]

1. thank you

[angrycarpenter]

2. would a pardon by the president

do anything? Could he save his buddy Rove by simply issuing a pardon to Siegelman?

[countmyvote4real]

3. That would not change a thing that matters. And it will not happen.

* will not offer a pardon to Siegalman. This administration does not do "oops, we goofed." They don't offer evidence as much as they destroy it.

Let's pretend that a Siegalman pardon would make the corruption of the DOJ go away. And that's exactly what it would be. Pretend. Why in the world would any sane person accept that? The DOJ has been corrupted and must be returned to the pursuit of justice.

[angrycarpenter]

4. Think about it

they could blame it all on the Ala. GOP. They have shown a willingness to scapegoat underlings to protect themselves in the past.

They could portray them as a bunch of hicks who used a little good ole' boy politics to remove an opponent. I think that they would sacrifice a whole state full of supporters to save themselves.

It would not make it go away but it may buy them some time.

[Quantess]

5. That will be the day

when pigs wearing lapel pins fly out of Charles Manson's butt.