K
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names
Guest
Won't be long now -- Rove, Gonzales, and the federal attorneys who
framed Alabama governor Don Seigelman will be issued orange jump
suits.
This is what will happen:
-- Rove denies having anything to do with it.
-- Seigelman's testimony before Congress, and testimony by others who
know of Rove's involvement will trigger federal investigation.
-- Low-level folks will be prosecuted and they will cut deals to
testify against Rove.
-- And it's all over for Rove. Will take some time but, damn, it'll
be fun.
---------------------------------
Freed Alabama Ex-Governor Sees Politics in His Case
By ADAM NOSSITER
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Former Governor Don Siegelman of Alabama, released
from prison today on bond in a bribery case, said he was as convinced
as ever that politics played a leading role in his prosecution.
In a telephone interview shortly after he walked out of a federal
prison in Oakdale, La., Mr. Siegelman said there had been "abuse of
power" in his case, and repeatedly cited the influence of Karl Rove,
the former White House political director.
"His fingerprints are smeared all over the case," Mr. Siegelman said,
a day after a federal appeals court ordered him released on bond and
said there were legitimate questions about his case.
Mr. Rove has strenuously denied any involvement in the conviction of
the former governor, who was sentenced to serve seven years last June
after being convicted in 2006. He could not immediately be reached for
comment today.
Mr. Siegelman served nine months while his lawyers appealed a federal
judge's refusal to release him on bond, pending the ex-governor's
appeal of his conviction. That refusal was overturned by the United
States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on Thursday.
The former governor, a Democrat, said he would "press" to have Mr.
Rove answer questions about his possible involvement in the case
before Congress, which has already held a hearing on Mr. Siegelman. On
Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee signaled its intention to have
Mr. Siegelman testify about the nature of his prosecution.
In June of 2006 he was convicted by a federal jury here of taking
$500,000 from Richard M. Scrushy, the former chief executive of the
HealthSouth corporation, in exchange for an appointment to the state
hospital licensing board. The money was to retire a debt from Mr.
Siegelman's campaign for a state lottery to pay for schools, and the
ex-governor's lawyers have insisted that it was no more than a routine
political contribution.
On the telephone outside the prison today, Mr. Siegelman said he had
confidence that the federal appeals court, which will now consider his
larger appeal, would agree with his view of the case -- that he was
convicted for a transaction that regularly takes place in American
politics.
Otherwise, Mr. Siegelman said, "every governor and every president and
every contributor might as well turn themselves in, because it's going
to be open season on them."
His case has become a flash point for Democratic contentions that
politics influenced decisions by the Justice Department, fueled by
testimony from an Alabama campaign operative that suggested Mr. Rove
may have had some involvement.
In Alabama, the Siegelman case has inflamed partisan passions, with
Republicans insisting that Mr. Siegelman's term from 1998 to 2002 was
deeply corrupted, and Democrats furious over what they depict as a
years-long political witch-hunt.
Before his release earlier in the day, the ex-governor completed his
prison chores for the day -- mopping a barracks area -- and waited for
his wife and son to pick him up for the eight-hour drive to his home
in Birmingham, Ala.
"It feels great to be out," Mr. Siegelman said. "I wish I could say it
was over. But we're a long way from the end of this."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/w...73049-SeYoSyAWnDYYBAx9WUK/Lw&pagewanted=print
framed Alabama governor Don Seigelman will be issued orange jump
suits.
This is what will happen:
-- Rove denies having anything to do with it.
-- Seigelman's testimony before Congress, and testimony by others who
know of Rove's involvement will trigger federal investigation.
-- Low-level folks will be prosecuted and they will cut deals to
testify against Rove.
-- And it's all over for Rove. Will take some time but, damn, it'll
be fun.
---------------------------------
Freed Alabama Ex-Governor Sees Politics in His Case
By ADAM NOSSITER
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Former Governor Don Siegelman of Alabama, released
from prison today on bond in a bribery case, said he was as convinced
as ever that politics played a leading role in his prosecution.
In a telephone interview shortly after he walked out of a federal
prison in Oakdale, La., Mr. Siegelman said there had been "abuse of
power" in his case, and repeatedly cited the influence of Karl Rove,
the former White House political director.
"His fingerprints are smeared all over the case," Mr. Siegelman said,
a day after a federal appeals court ordered him released on bond and
said there were legitimate questions about his case.
Mr. Rove has strenuously denied any involvement in the conviction of
the former governor, who was sentenced to serve seven years last June
after being convicted in 2006. He could not immediately be reached for
comment today.
Mr. Siegelman served nine months while his lawyers appealed a federal
judge's refusal to release him on bond, pending the ex-governor's
appeal of his conviction. That refusal was overturned by the United
States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on Thursday.
The former governor, a Democrat, said he would "press" to have Mr.
Rove answer questions about his possible involvement in the case
before Congress, which has already held a hearing on Mr. Siegelman. On
Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee signaled its intention to have
Mr. Siegelman testify about the nature of his prosecution.
In June of 2006 he was convicted by a federal jury here of taking
$500,000 from Richard M. Scrushy, the former chief executive of the
HealthSouth corporation, in exchange for an appointment to the state
hospital licensing board. The money was to retire a debt from Mr.
Siegelman's campaign for a state lottery to pay for schools, and the
ex-governor's lawyers have insisted that it was no more than a routine
political contribution.
On the telephone outside the prison today, Mr. Siegelman said he had
confidence that the federal appeals court, which will now consider his
larger appeal, would agree with his view of the case -- that he was
convicted for a transaction that regularly takes place in American
politics.
Otherwise, Mr. Siegelman said, "every governor and every president and
every contributor might as well turn themselves in, because it's going
to be open season on them."
His case has become a flash point for Democratic contentions that
politics influenced decisions by the Justice Department, fueled by
testimony from an Alabama campaign operative that suggested Mr. Rove
may have had some involvement.
In Alabama, the Siegelman case has inflamed partisan passions, with
Republicans insisting that Mr. Siegelman's term from 1998 to 2002 was
deeply corrupted, and Democrats furious over what they depict as a
years-long political witch-hunt.
Before his release earlier in the day, the ex-governor completed his
prison chores for the day -- mopping a barracks area -- and waited for
his wife and son to pick him up for the eight-hour drive to his home
in Birmingham, Ala.
"It feels great to be out," Mr. Siegelman said. "I wish I could say it
was over. But we're a long way from the end of this."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/w...73049-SeYoSyAWnDYYBAx9WUK/Lw&pagewanted=print