Alabama Dem Party Calls for Special Prosecutor & says FCC Should Launch Blackout Inquiry

[mod mom]

Alabama Democratic Party
For Immediate Release: February 25, 2008
Contact: Jim Spearman [phone]
Cell: [phone]


Alabama Democratic Party Calls for Special Prosecutor

Dems Say FCC Should Launch Inquiry into Huntsville CBS Blackout


The Alabama Democratic Party today called on the US Justice Dept. and the US House Judiciary Committee to appoint a special prosecutor into the allegations of the political prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman after the facts and interviews were released by CBS Television Network in their 60 Minutes program this past Sunday night.

Executive Director, Jim Spearman says there is too much smoke and too many facts for DOJ and Congress to ignore. "Abuse of the federal prosecutorial system for partisan political gain must be taken very seriously. The accusations by the 52 former state attorneys general, including the former republican AG from Arizona Grant Woods should be taken into account by the US Attorney General", Spearman says. Congress should not delay in taking the next step to call witnesses and to hold those not answering supeanoes in contempt of Congress.

For the Alabama Republican Party to issue its statement yesterday prior to the airing of the 60 Minutes segment trying to discredit CBS even before the program airs shows that indeed republicans may have something to hide. "How can the ALGOP really try to discredit a former republican AG who is now a co-chair of their US Presidential Nominee's Arizona campaign effort,"Spearman notes.

Also today, Alabama Democratic Chairman Joe Turnham says he will send a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking for a formal inquiry into the CBS Huntsville affiliate black out of the the Siegelman airing. It has come to the attention of many Democrats in North Alabama that the principal owners of WHNT are Bush Pioneers and major republican donors. Many suspect that enormous pressure was put on CBS to not air the Siegelman story. If CBS received political pressure to stifle the first amendment rights of the network or affiliate, the FCC and Congress should take appropriate oversight into the matter.

[suffragette]

1. K&R

[L. Coyote]

11. K & REC. Good news and puts it in the news too!

Researchers:
Political Prisoner Don Siegelman: Will the 60 Minutes Spotlight Make a Difference?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2909551&mesg_id=2909551

[Junkdrawer]

2. Well, that explains why the WHNT-TV station manager is posting here....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2921939&mesg_id=2921939

[Richard Steele]

3. K&R

[electprogdems]

4. YES! Now if our national leaders would only join in

as I feel they must, especially for the, ahem, "technical difficulties resulting in blackout."

If our national party does not speak up now, when? When half the stations in red states have "technical difficulties resulting in blackout" during our nominees speech during the convention? Will they speak up then?

on edit: And if you don't, are you not telling the them that they can get away with it, so why wouldn't they try?

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

5. Recommended. INDEED, political persecution wrapped in the cloak of justice should NEVER,...

,...EVER be ignored. Otherwise, we're just another freakin' tyranny!!

[angrycarpenter]

6. If they had just let it air

none of this would have occurred. For once censorship may have produced favorable results. It all depends on the AG, will he do the right thing? I think the answer is no but I can dream.

[Junkdrawer]

10. This may well be Rove's 18 Minute Gap in the Tape...

[eShirl]

15. priceless!

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. great news but

I hope the national Democratic Party gets behind this too.

nominated.

[malaise]

8. K & R

Justice for Don Siegleman

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. They've also been investigating the Turnham family

They couldn't get anything on Joe, but they got his brother Tim indicted. I'm surprised they haven't gone after Pete for something he did in the 1960s. BTW, there are many people down here who believe the 2002 3d district congressional election was stolen from Joe Turnham. Also, the DNC didn't help with their lack of support. Repuke Mike Rogers won by a razor thin margin, and just a little more campaign money might have made the difference.

[MelissaB]

12. Let's not forget the "recount" done in the middle of the night done

by republicans in which Bob Riley was declared the winner over Siegleman.

[Elwood P Dowd]

13. Oh, I know all about that shit.

KKKarl Rove has taught these crooks well.

[mod mom]

14. any links to recommend? I don't know about the Turnhams.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

16. .

:kick:

[Elwood P Dowd]

17. Joe is chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party.

He lost by a few votes to repuke Mike Rogers in the 2002 congressional race - 3d district in Alabama. There were some strange totals from areas that usually are Democratic. Joe's father is Pete Turnham, a former Democratic state legislator who is now retired. Pete is in is 80s. Joe's brother Tim was involved in the family business that sold products to schools.

[mod mom]

20. Thank you Elwood.

[EFerrari]

18. K&R

[TexasObserver]

19. Rove was 100% behind the hit on Don. CBS has got explaining to do.

And if they don't, there's January 21, 2009 to look forward to.