Lame Press-Register opinion of Don Siegelman case 3/30/2008

[Kolesar]

I don't know who owns that rag.

http://www.al.com/press-register/stories/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1206868618229640.xml&coll=3

...
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Mr. Siegelman's favor Thursday, finding that he had raised "substantial questions of fact and law" regarding his conviction. The ruling allowed him to post bond and leave prison while he pursues his appeal.

...

Not surprisingly, the Democratic Party politicians who have taken up their fellow Democrat's cause appear more interested in settling partisan scores than in getting at the facts in the complicated case.

Alabama Democrats see an opportunity to take a pound of flesh from Gov. Bob Riley, who defeated Mr. Siegelman in the hotly contested 2002 gubernatorial race. Gov. Riley's name has come up in conspiracy theories about why career federal prosecutors doggedly pursued corruption charges against Mr. Siegelman.

National Democrats are mesmerized by unsubstantiated allegations that former presidential adviser Karl Rove, the modern focus of evil in the Democrats' world view, engineered the prosecution of the former governor.

The Rove-Riley conspiracy theories have been woven with the thinnest of threads: the evolving recollections of an obscure north Alabama lawyer who testified at length before a congressional committee but saved her most sensational allegations about Mr. Rove for the "60 Minutes" television program.

Now the congressional Democrats who long to bring down their Snidely Whiplash have a star witness in Mr. Siegelman.

[L. Coyote]

1. "the modern focus of evil in the Democrats' world view" in AL is this RAG!

Horton addressess the 'Bama Press issue adroitly.

There’s No News in the B’ham News
by Scott Horton - http://harpers.org/archive/2007/07/hbc-90000630

Two reporters worked from opposite ends of Alabama to whip up stories in a successful effort to take down former Governor Siegelman and to legitimize a highly political prosecution. In fact, they’re good friends and former colleagues, and .........


MORE: Follow http://harpers.org/subjects/NoComment

[Kolesar]

3. Like Cheney and Judith Miller at NY Times echoing each other's lies about Iraq's WMDs.

:despair:

[Kolesar]

4. Esther's letter, April 1, 2008

Letters, faxes, and e-mail
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Backyard political persecution

In 1978, a young Rhodes scholar by the name of Don Siegelman entered the Alabama political scene. The Georgetown University law school graduate, who eventually was elected to four statewide offices, brought a breath of fresh air to Alabama politics.

As governor, Siegelman set out to transform Alabama. He brought in automobile industries, pushed through tough laws, reformed existing laws, advanced education, eliminated all portable classrooms, gave health care to poor children and built roads.

Karl Rove, who wanted a Republican political take-over in Alabama, didn't like the threat the popular New South Democrat presented. The witch hunt began.

With the help of Alabama operatives, charges were drummed up. They picked Mark Fuller as judge, staged a bizarre trial, convicted Siegelman on bogus charges, and sentenced him to over seven years in prison. Not allowed to say goodbye to his family, Siegelman's shoes and belt were removed and he was handcuffed, shackled and whisked away to prison.

He spent nine months in a federal prison in Louisiana until his release last week on an appeal bond. A prison janitor, he saw his family once a month. The eight-hour journey was hard on them.

Years of legal expenses, heartbreak and emotional stress have exacted a toll that cannot be fathomed by the average person. Though the trial ended in 2006, the transcript was not released until last month. The appeals process could not begin without it.

Yet Judge Fuller refused to release him on bail. Finally, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday ordered Siegelman released while his conviction is being appealed.

Political persecution is not limited to North Korea, China or Uzbekistan. It happens right here in Alabama.

?STHER B. DAVIS
http://www.al.com/opinion/press-register/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1207041370290180.xml&coll=3

[MasonJar]

2. Unsubstantiated is hardly the operative word, since there was a

witness on 60 Minutes, etcs.