Did Ex-Alabama Governor Get A Raw Deal?

60 Minutes Reports On Bribery Conviction Of Don Siegelman In A Case Criticized by Democrats And Republicans

(CBS)  Is Don Siegelman in prison because he’s a criminal or because he belonged to the wrong political party in Alabama? Siegelman is the former governor of Alabama, and he was the most successful Democrat in that Republican state. But while he was governor, the U.S. Justice Department launched multiple investigations that went on year after year until, finally, a jury convicted Siegelman of bribery.

Now, many Democrats and Republicans have become suspicious of the Justice Department’s motivations. As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, 52 former state attorneys-general have asked Congress to investigate whether the prosecution of Siegelman was pursued not because of a crime but because of politics.

---

Ten years ago life was good for Don Siegelman. After he became governor, many believed he was headed to a career in national politics. In 1999, Siegelman’s pet project was raising money to improve education, so he started a campaign to ask voters to approve a state lottery. He challenged Republicans to come up with a better idea.

“You tell us how you’re going to pay for college scholarships. You tell us how you’re going to put state of the art computers inside every school in this state,” he said.

But now the applause has long faded. Today, Siegelman is at a federal prison camp in Louisiana. He’s doing seven years. The main charge against him was that he took a bribe, giving a position on a state board to businessman Richard Scrushy, who had made a big donation to that lottery campaign. There was a star witness, Nick Bailey, a Siegelman aide who had a vivid story to tell.

“Mr. Bailey had indicated that there had been a meeting with Governor Siegelman and Mr. Scrushy, a private meeting in the Governor's office, just the two of them,” says Doug Jones, who was one of Siegelman’s lawyers. “And then, as soon as Mr. Scrushy left, the governor walked out with a $250,000 check that he said Scrushy have given him for the lottery foundation.”

“Had the check in his hand right then and there? “ Pelley asks.

“Had the check in his hand right then,” Jones says.

“That Scrushy had just handed to him, according to Bailey's testimony?” Pelley asks.

“That's right, showed it to Mr. Bailey. And Nick asked him, ‘Well, what does he want for it?’ And Governor Siegelman allegedly said, ‘A seat on the CON Board.’ Nick asked him, ‘Can we do that?’ And he said, ‘I think so,’” Jones says.

The CON board regulates hospital construction, and Scrushy ran a healthcare company. Both Siegelman and Scrushy were convicted in federal court.

But, as 60 Minutes found out, the imprisonment of Don Siegelman is not nearly as simple as that.

“I haven't seen a case with this many red flags on it that pointed towards a real injustice being done,” says Grant Woods, the former Republican attorney general of Arizona.

Woods is one of the 52 former state attorneys-general, of both parties, who’ve asked Congress to investigate the Siegelman case.

“I personally believe that what happened here is that they targeted Don Siegelman because they could not beat him fair and square. This was a Republican state and he was the one Democrat they could never get rid of,” Woods says.

[lfitts1]

Karl Rove---A great american--NOT

[notopennshut]

Current administration - one of dirtiest in this nations''s history! Just look at their cast of characters, from the president down.

[pilgrimsway-2009]

If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE? Would He CHANGE the way to make it easy for terrorists to get into this country to over through this country? Would He CHANGE the laws for any of His kind? Would He hang out with those who supported tyranny? Would He impose martial law? Could He start unjust wars for His hidden ideology? Could His decisions CHANGE the course for America? Would He change your civil liberties? Last of all would He change your right to vote? Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?

[fbrodya]

Richard Nixon pales in comparison to Karl Rove. Politics above all, even the constitution.

[Keypinitreel1]

It is time for Mr Rove to disappear...Permanently

[taddles-2009]

"Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?

Posted by pilgrimsway at 06:02 PM : Feb 21, 2008"

The only thing I "believe" is that you are a useless f**king moron. The only thing that needs changing is your depends.

[smashwl7]

Karl Rove is proud to be an American, I will take Obama''s wife any day of the week then this nast, ugly scum sucking trash.

[truthspeake2]

The Teflon Don is at it again...

[jackbrandon4]

Oh and the Dems have never smeared a Republican?
Yea right!! Don''t be throwing stones unless it richochets right back to you and shatters your own glass house!!

[citizenusa-2009]

Karl Rove has been a fat little crook for decades. He and the Neocons were responsible taking Clinton''s infidelity and blowing it so out of proportion that even other countries were laughing at us. The American people were so duped that they actually bought in to that soap opera b.u.l.l.s.h.i.t and, as a result, the Republican''s invaded the Whitehouse and turned this country UPSIDE DOWN. Recession, Record Foreclosures, Fuel at $3.00 a barrel and the most Obscene thing is that we are losing our young men and women FOR NOTHING!! THREE MORE TROOPS DIED THIS WEEK

[rowdytexan2]

Oh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! The worms just keep coming out of the woodwork...starting out with the little worms, but soon the big worms will start squirming too, there are going to be LOTS of them wanting immunity from prosecution for the deeds of this administration. Investigators must have been getting close to this one!

Even as a kid, Karl Rove was a nasty little booger. He laughs and takes pride at one of his very first smear campaigns where he snuck into an apponents office and got sheets of stationary and printed out invitations to a naughty shenanigan on it and handing it out as social get togethers. He speaks proudly of it...like it was a stroke of genius or something.

Nail him to the WALL!

[truthspeake2]

If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE? Would He CHANGE the way to make it easy for terrorists to get into this country to over through this country? Would He CHANGE the laws for any of His kind? Would He hang out with those who supported tyranny? Would He impose martial law? Could He start unjust wars for His hidden ideology? Could His decisions CHANGE the course for America? Would He change your civil liberties? Last of all would He change your right to vote? Believe me when I say there are no one with hidden agenda%u2019s in this world! If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president what would He CHANGE?

Posted by pilgrimsway at 06:02 PM : Feb 21, 2008


LOL....I''ll wait for the movie! Sounds like you''ve already written the screenplay for GW''s autobiography.

[j-whitman]

pilgrimsway,,,,, Think about it,, If there was a secret radical Muslim in the white house as president --- He would be disguised as a conservative radical

[irliberal]

Karl''s just a tubby has-been with a partisan grudge. If he committed crimes, lock him up and throw away the key otherwise don''t bother giving him the time of day.

[jntlw-2009]

Rove should be imprisioned for this and it is plain to see that the federal AG scandal was also Rovian in design and why it too must be investigated who lie, slander, and invent evil to ensure their evil agenda. All the right wing Republicans who espoused these men their doings are scum of the earth.

[singingrick]

Another example of the Bu$h administration using federal attorneys as henchmen for the Republicon party.

[excoachken]

So this is news? This scummy administration has more of this type of person at every level than any organization in the world, including the Mafia!

[nearl4511]

Rove is the genuine item.

He is the face of the politicization of Justice and everything else in this administration.

[liberalme]

Nothing new to American! We all know the influence Rove has had in the destruction of this country!

This kind of crapola has been going on in the Repug party for year:

http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Examples_of_Republican_hypocrisy_on_moral_values

[inventagod]

A...
Dishonest...
Republicon????

Karl Rove???
Dirty tricks???

Shirley you jest...

ConservPutz wrote:

"I''''m confused. Arent you that Christian guy? I though you liked Rove.....You PUTZ....."

There''s singinrick, and then there''s singingrick.

Note the difference (and it''s not just in the spelling - one is a christian nazi fundamentalist and the other is able to reason).

[pilgrimsway-2009]

There is someone bigger than Obama and Hillary? For information to be released on John Mcain and not Obama, on both of their affairs, it goes to prove there is a whole slanting being guided. I hope I am allowed to post this!

[arthurcl1]

Yes Smear Man Rove smeared McCain so he would lose to Emperor George 8 years ago, now he will probably put out smear campaigns for Obama showing him with a White Blond in his Lap! Would not surprise anyone these days! But Americans are not fooled anymore with the Brain Behind George who had to teach George how to be the Worst President in our History!!

[the74blaster]

This is typical behavior for Karl Rove and his GOP gang. I would say they should waterboard him, but sending this guy to Tehran and forcing him to open a bagle stand wearing his support Bush Teeshirt might be a better use of tax payer dollars.

[the74blaster]

There is someone bigger than Obama and Hillary? For information to be released on John Mcain and not Obama, on both of their affairs, it goes to prove there is a whole slanting being guided. I hope I am allowed to post this!

Posted by pilgrimsway,

You are allowed....Its a free country.

[hissteps4u]

Pilgrimsway your a legend in your own mind. Keep smoking that crack. the rest of your brain cells will fade quickly away.

[boatdocster]

And this comes as a surprise to anyone???

[pdennany]

Now lets talk about what really happened on Sept 11, 2001.

[DixieLatino]

MC-Rove and his homeboys are no different than the mafia.They used there office to manipulated justice in there favor,Free Siegleman now.

[estabwary]

oh gee golly wiz, you''re really giving Rove hell.
Thanks media, for being so brave when it''s 7 years too late, a trillion dollars short and how many dead? I''m sure he''s losing sleep tonite.

[terrapin78]

Is Rove looking over his shoulder yet?

If I were him I''d be worried a PO''ed citizen would use him for target practice.

[tejasdemo]

Lol. What a pathetic guy Rove is. Hey, Fox just hired him ! Like the world needed another reason to dismiss Fox as anything but a cartoon network.

[bobnjersey]

wait till his friends are no longer in power ... then all the real dirt will surface ... including the true breadth of the domestic spying and data mining of 300 million american''s personal information ... and his role in the white house consipiracy to discredit joe wilson.

[jwind11]

Now lets talk about what really happened on Sept 11, 2001.

Posted by pdennany

ok......post what really happened..... make sure they are factual and not pulled out of your behind

[rudy654-2009]

So what we have here is a bonafide conspiracy. A little investigation and one finds that Karl Rove manipulated quite a few things against this Siegelman, including the very judge who sentenced him. And yet we have heard so little regarding these shenanigans.

[jwind11]

Lol. What a pathetic guy Rove is. Hey, Fox just hired him ! Like the world needed another reason to dismiss Fox as anything but a cartoon network.

Posted by tejasdemo

Do you know him?

[jwind11]

So what we have here is a bonafide conspiracy. A little investigation and one finds that Karl Rove manipulated quite a few things against this Siegelman, including the very judge who sentenced him. And yet we have heard so little regarding these shenanigans.

Posted by rudy654

must not be true then

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by estabwary at 06:56 PM

It''s never too late.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by jwind11 at 07:16 PM

God forbid!

[lawyertom1]

This operation has been rumored for some time. Nice that it is seeing the light of day. Carl, kiss your sweetie boopie goodbye.

[jwind11]

Rove is the consummate Satan Worshiper.

Posted by FloydZepp

You have facts to back this up? or just lame attempt at being funny?

[DixieLatino]

How about 60 minutes run a story on the "The Clinton Chronicles" before the november elections.

[ioweign]

You are just angry about things from your past, has nothing to do with republicans.

Posted by jwind11 at 07:18 PM : Feb 21, 2008

But it looks like he has your number...

[DixieLatino]

Tired of the drama vote for OBAMA

[jwind11]

Tired of the drama vote for OBAMA

Posted by dixielatino

Yea, thats a good reason

[actornaught]

Rove is the consummate Satan Worshiper.
Posted by FloydZepp at 07:18 PM : Feb 21, 2008

If he''s not a satanist in fact, he is one in deed. He''s a slimy little liar that has used whatever IQ he has purely for gain.

And this is this turdblossom most credited for polishing the turninchief.

everybody that voted for w should feel deep shame.

[actornaught]

correction, TURDINCHIEF

[jowand]

How was Simpson going to get the Governor in a compromising situation???????

[eddcurran]

Can''t wait to see Sunday''s piece. Alabama''s very own Zelig -- so-called pejoritive operative Dana Jill Simpson -- has sold -- and this is just unbelievable, inconceivable, and what the heck, hilarious -- a complete fantasy to the nework of Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow. Karl Rove may have been the wizard of Oz, but there were some things even the Wizard didn''t do. The poor producers of this show...they want it to be true so so so bad. hook line sinker and sayonara guys.

[jwind11]

cornbumpkin 500? turninchief? and you are how old?