Strong Backing for Ex-Governor's Appeal (54 Former State AG's File Brief Supporting Seigelman)

[Hissyspit]

Source: New York Times

Strong Backing for Ex-Governor’s Appeal

By ADAM NOSSITER
Published: May 31, 2008

Fifty-four former state attorneys general filed a brief Friday supporting the appeal of former Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama, convicted two years ago on bribery and corruption charges in a prosecution depicted by his supporters as politically motivated. Robert Abrams, a former New York attorney general and an author of the brief, said the document was unprecedented in bringing together a large number of former top state judicial officers, mostly Democrats but also some Republicans. Mr. Abrams said it reflected “strong feelings” that an injustice had been done to Mr. Siegelman, a Democrat who was freed on bond from a federal prison in March after serving nine months.

Last year, 44 of the former attorneys general petitioned Congress to look into the Siegelman case, which a House committee is now doing.

- snip -

The former governor and his supporters have contended that the money was nothing more than a routine political contribution and that there was no agreement that the businessman, Richard M. Scrushy, would be re-appointed to a board on which he had previously served. The new brief, filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, largely restates those arguments. “Completely absent from the trial record is any evidence that Governor Siegelman and Mr. Scrushy entered into an explicit agreement whereby Mr. Scrushy’s appointment to the Con board was conditioned upon Mr. Scrushy’s making the political contributions in question,” the brief says.

- snip -

Mr. Siegelman has pointed to the possible involvement of Karl Rove, the former White House political director, in his prosecution, citing the testimony of a former Republican political operative. The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed Mr. Rove, who has balked at giving sworn testimony on the matter.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/us/31siegelman.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin

[Pastiche423]

1. Governor Don's conviction IS going to be thrown out!

And the cherry on top is going to be a frog marched rove, right into prison.

[hisownpetard]

9. That is my most fervent hope!

[Peace Patriot]

2. I'm sure glad to see this large group of former AG's support Siegelman!

And it's not just frog-marching of Rove that needs to be done. We have to STOP GOVERNMENT SPYING, and associated dossier-creation, blackmail, intimidation, dirty tricks/setting people up, "enemies" lists, politicalization of the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the Dept. of Justice, political promotions and demotions in the military services, and of course all the similar crap going on in FEMA, the EPA, the NSA and every corner of our government. The President of Ecuador recently did a purge of Ecuador's military and intelligence service, to root out U.S. spies who were involved in the recent U.S./Colombian bombing of Ecuador and other subversion. That's what we need--a purge. Scour the government for Bushites and clean them all out, because you know, by now, after eight years of this fascist coup, they've had time to plant all sorts of spies, dirty tricksters and saboteurs within government agencies. It's a very dangerous situation for a Democratic president--and I hope Obama is ruthless is dealing with it. I've seen Republican policy come and go, over a long lifetime of observation of our government, but I have never seen anything like this--a Republican regime actively engaged in destroying our government. We need to restore the very idea of government as the servant of all of the people.

[NBachers]

14. Hear, Hear!

[not fooled]

18. yep

The gov't now filled with 'puke henchmen and sleeper cells ready to activate once the Dems get the WH (assuming of course it's not already set up for Coup #3).

"Purge" is correct.

[tblue37]

21. De-Nazification. n/t

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Stevepol]

4. You sure Alabamians would vote that way, not Diebold?

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[anniebelle]

6. We have several losers here in Tennessee too.

Unfortunately, we have Zach Wamp and Bob Corker to deal with here in 'redneck heaven'. Every time we write a LTTE in our local rag, we get hate mail from several knuckledraggers. At least we know they're having someone read them to them.

[MasonJar]

13. I take umbrage at Kentucky being included in your Nazi indictment.

We have a Democratic government in Frankfort and with the exception of the interloper Ernie "one term" Fletcher have had for many years. The only other Republic governor in my memory was Louis Nunn, 30+ years ago and he was appalled at the latter-day GOPers, especially speaking out before his death of the malicious actions in Ky. of Grover Norquist and other national Nazis, who came to Ky in order to get Fletcher elected and make sure he towed the party line once elected. That was his downfall as his crooked dealings were summarily exposed and cost him re-election. Of course we have been represented in Congress by the two top embalmed Senators, Bunning and McConnell, for wayyyyy toooo loooooooooong. McConnell is in a tough race this fall; I am sure he will try to cheat to win. Hopefully he will fail since we have dems in control.

[LiberalFighter]

17. Just like Indiana is just a bunch of dumb hoosiers....

but we've elected 2 Democrats as Governor 2 terms each. And I believe at one time had 8 Democrats out of 10 in the House. Currently, 5 out of 9 in the House. We have had I believe a Democratic control of our State House 7 of 11 sessions since 1989. And we have elected one Democratic Senator since 1998.

Even though we have enjoyed some success we still have too many dumb hoosiers.

This year there may be an increase in Democrats elected nation-wide.

The problem with states like Kentucky and Tennessee is that people like Bunning and McConnell give their states a bad name. Of course, some of those residents don't care if they have a bad name.

[AlbertCat]

20. Well...

....at least Alabama is not...KANSAS! If you really want to find the "dummies"...go west, young man.

[liberalmike27]

12. Inbreds, Hey, I resemble that remark

Just kidding, other than the fact you shouldn't assume we are all dumbasses. My IQ is 140 and I live in Alabama. Anyway, that is what television did for the South. I will admit there are stupid people here, just like anywhere, and certainly the fact one of the poorest states voted for Bush to the tune of 62 percent shows we are almost at the bottom of the education list.

The election; well, Siegelman won, I went to bed and woke up to find that they had brought in a guy in Baldwin County (rich muckety mucks in general) to change the votes on a machine, which put Riley ahead. Then the guy locked up the ballots, and threatened anyone who came near them with jail, not wanting them counted. It was a more obvious steal than Florida for Bush.

I hope he gets off, and Rove gets put under the jail. But my life has told me Rove will get away with the many, many murders he takes so lightly, from soldiers in Iraq, to the careers he' killed. Rove is an evil man who deserves worse than prison.

[robinlynne]

23. Ah, but they didn't. They voted for Siegelman!

[mdmc]

7. keep me posted my friend

thanks for the info

[myrna minx]

8. That's powerful backing. K&R n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. What is heartening--and important--

is that some Republican AGs have signed the letter. This shows that it isn't a partisan campaign to free the Governor.

[mod mom]

11. It sure would be sweet if Gov Siegelman's case was the one that brought down rove!

[varelse]

15. Good news

:kick:

[Phred42]

16. This also means 54 more nails in Rove's Coffin

This also means 54 more nails in Rove's Coffin.

At some point we will be asking: Is Rove the kind of guy that will keep his mouth shut, really take one for the team - and go to jail? Or, will he play Let's make a deal?

[Quantess]

24. Haha!

I love the before & after shots.

[Phred42]

25. tx

:toast:

[jody]

19. “Disgusted with Rove”, related LTTE in Anniston Star, Alabama

Recently, while Karl Rove was being interviewed by George Stephanopoulos on ABC television, I could not believe what I was seeing. Rove was pressed by Stephanopoulos about being subpoenaed by Congress for his part in prosecuting former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman.

He again tried to hide behind executive privilege by doing the classic two-step dodge and spin. When pinned down to a simple "yes or no," he refused to answer, responding over and over, "... the first I knew of it (Siegelman's prosecution) was reading it in the newspaper ..." If he were not involved, why would there be a need for such behavior?

I have served in leadership roles in the Republican Party at the local and state levels. I have also worked alongside Rove in past campaigns in Alabama. But this is just too much. I cannot support Rove and the Bush White House on this matter.

This type of sleaze is one reason it is becoming more difficult to recruit ethical new blood into politics.

James W. Anderson
Talladega

[L. Coyote]

22. It only takes the NY TIMES a year to catch up to DU postings!!

How often must they read their words in blogs a year before they
print them, to understand they are out of sync with reality??

[JohnWxy]

26. THE SIEGLEMAN CASE LAYS TO REST ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT have had about

the limits of Republican Nazism and curruption. They are devoid of any moral sense. They emerge from their crevices and move among us like actual human beings. But they are not. They have no souls, no moral sense. They are moral monsters, capable of doing things that would make a normal person wretch. And they usually commit their worst crimes against our system of justice, democracy and humanity while preaching high moral purpose.

I doubt if it can be done, but I hope they can drag that stinking, abomination of a human being, Carl Rove, to justice. But I doubt if they will be able to hang anything on him. He is way to slippery and crafty to be caught. Too bad.

Recommended.

[jeff30997]

27. So sexist!

:P