Jailed Ex Gov. To Be Released For Appeal

Court Approves Release Of Don Siegelman While He Appeals Bribery Conviction

(CBS/AP)  A federal appeals court has approved the release of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman on bond while he appeals his bribery conviction.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Siegelman has met the legal standard necessary to allow him to be free from prison while he seeks to show he was wrongly convicted.

The former Democratic governor is serving a sentence of more than seven years for six bribery-related counts and one obstruction count. He began serving the term last June.

Earlier on Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee asked the Justice Department to temporarily release Siegelman from prison in early May to testify before Congress about possible political influence over his prosecution.

A spokeswoman for the committee said Siegelman would travel to Washington under guard of the U.S. Marshals Service. She said Committee Chairman John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, believes Siegelman could provide important information about Justice Department practices under President Bush.

"The chairman has determined it would be appropriate to hear from Mr. Siegelman himself and believes he would have a lot to add to the committee's investigation into selective prosecution," spokeswoman Melanie Roussell said.

The Justice Department had no immediate comment.

Democrats last year began reviewing Siegelman's 2006 corruption conviction as part of a broader investigation into allegations of political meddling in Justice affairs by the Bush administration.

Justice and the federal prosecutors who handled the prosecution have denied any political influence, emphasizing that Siegelman was convicted by a jury. But critics, including about 50 former state attorneys general, have called for a review and said the case raises a number of questions.

The effort gained momentum after a Republican lawyer who had volunteered for Siegelman's re-election opponent - current Republican Gov. Bob Riley - said she overheard conversations suggesting that former White House adviser Karl Rove was talking with Justice officials about Siegelman's prosecution.

Last month, "60 Minutes" reported that a key witness against Siegelman said that prosecutors met with him some 70 times and had him repeatedly write out his testimony because they were frustrated with his recollection of events.

Siegelman was elected governor in 1998 and served one term before narrowly losing re-election to Riley in 2002, as reports of corruption investigations clouded Siegelman's administration.

Siegelman was originally indicted in 2004 on charges of conspiring to rig bids on state Medicaid contracts. Prosecutors dropped the case, however, after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to support key charges.

Siegelman was indicted again a year later in a separate bribery and corruption case.

In June 2006, he was convicted on six bribery-related and one obstruction of justice charge. He began serving his sentence last June.

Siegelman was accused of appointing then-HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy to an important hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in disguised contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a statewide lottery. Siegelman was also convicted of a separate obstruction of justice charge concerning $9,200 he received from a former lobbyist to help with the purchase of a motorcycle.

A member of Siegelman's defense team, which is working on his appeal, said Thursday the former governor already has agreed to testify to Congress.

"They seem to think it's critical to straighten out the Justice Department to have him shed whatever light he can," attorney Vince Kilborn said. "He's delighted to cooperate. There are no restrictions on questions they can ask him."

[ov442]

OOOH the GOP corruption is so high its unbelievable and goes all the way to the top!
Rover and Bushy and his merry band of transexuals have done our country so much harm!!!! aaaggghH!
Set Seiglman free! hes'' innocent. Their star witness confessed the prosecutors basically wrote his testimony for him, and all the prosecution was working with the GOP specifically tied to Rove.

[b-easy63]

HILLARY CAUGHT "EMBELLISHING AGAIN"

"I think for anyone to try to question the Clintons'''''''' huge support (for Ireland) and start trying to nitpick and saying, ''''''''But she wasn''''''''t sitting down at the negotiation table'''''''' _ sure, we know she wasn''''''''t sitting down at the negotiation table," Ahern said.

After suffering criticism from rival Obama''''''''s campaign and Protestant politicians in Northern Ireland, Clinton this month backed off language that suggested she was ever involved in the 22 months of negotiations that preceded the Good Friday pact.

But Clinton still suggests that she wielded a hidden hand over the diplomatic triumph.

"I wasn''''''''t sitting at the negotiating table, but the role I played was instrumental," she said in a March 13 interview with National Public Radio."

We''''re sure it was Hillary, just as sure as we are that you ducked snipers and ran for cover with no greeting ceremony in Bosnia.



catch the full article here:



http://www.cbsnews.com/stor
ies/2
008/03/28/ap/politics/main3976527
.shtml

[mcvet]

Don''''t worry, when McCain wins there will be room for you in the Army. You might actually do some good!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by IKnowBest at 09:16 PM : Mar 27, 2008
+ report abuse

McSame?? This is YOUR hope?? ROFLMAO When you look at how far and how fast this group of Nazi''s have fallen it makes the collapse of McCarthy look like an slow burn! Sparky, regardless of who win''s this election in 4 years you freaks are a JOKE!! Sieg Heil Bush

[alphaa10-2009]

Karl Rove''s fingerprints were all over the campaign to smear Siegelman''s political career, and Siegelman''s prison sentence is one of the most blatant partisan trials, ever.

The presiding judge was an adamant political opponent of Siegelman, and justice was not served-- it was not even on the menu.

Using the machinery of justice for partisan ends was repudiated when Gnnzales found himself in an embarrassing scandal. and Rove was involved in that one, too.

Time for the prosecution to look into Karl Rove''s activities. His career has needed more publicity like this for a long time.

[kansas1946]

The effort gained momentum after a Republican lawyer who had volunteered for Siegelman''s re-election opponent - current Republican Gov. Bob Riley - said she overheard conversations suggesting that former White House adviser Karl Rove was talking with Justice officials about Siegelman''s prosecution.
******************************************

Oh, surely not. Not K..K..K..Karl. He wouldn''t be involved in anything unseemly or illegal, would he. Surely not.

[sgtrds]

This railroaded case has Karl Rove''s cloven hoof prints all over it. Here''s hoping it''s the case that gets that piglet sent to prison like he so richly deserves.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by IKnowBest at 09:01 PM

Just because the Justice Department has been manipulated by your favorite political party does not make it right. You should be ashamed, but you are not.

[iknowbest-2009]

Don''t worry, when McCain wins there will be room for you in the Army. You might actually do some good!

[iknowbest-2009]

Ace, settle down - you''re starting to drool and your Cap Lock is stuck on now. Thanks for losing the debate instantly. Ask your folks for your Ritalin.

[iknowbest-2009]

The only thing ahead for you, ace is four more years of the GOP. Unless, of course you leave if that happens. There is reason to hope.

[iknowbest-2009]

I know that another *** sack democrat got busted, after preaching holier than thou throughout his career. Gee, now how many times has that happened before....

[iknowbest-2009]

I know that another *** sack democrat got busted, after preaching holier than thou throughout his career. Gee, now how many times has that happened before....

[iknowbest-2009]

I know that another *** sack democrat got busted, after preaching holier than thou throughout his career. Gee, now how many times has that happened before....

[bretster7]

gce65 said,
bretster:
I''''ll take a stab at it. Dems don''''t steal elections like the GOP does, they win them by accurate vote counting. It''''s refreshing to see all the big money Republi-cons defeated by simple (small "d") democracy.


So gce65, you either a) did not read the posts (both of them)b) read the posts but are too ignorant to understand what happened. or c) are just so partisan that you can never admit your party ever does anything wrong. Which is it? all three.

[bretster7]

gce65 said,
bretster:
I''''ll take a stab at it. Dems don''''t steal elections like the GOP does, they win them by accurate vote counting. It''''s refreshing to see all the big money Republi-cons defeated by simple (small "d") democracy.


So gce65, you either a) did not read the posts (both of them)b) read the posts but are too ignorant to understand what happened. or c) are just so partisan that you can never admit your party ever does anything wrong. Which is it? all three.

[mcv57]

Who says that this corrupt government gives equal justice. If this governor can get out of jail for an appeal, let them all the convicts out for an appeal. This government must have gotten a good hefty bribe on this joker.

[mcv57]

Who says that this corrupt government gives equal justice. If this governor can get out of jail for an appeal, let them all the convicts out for an appeal. This government must have gotten a good hefty bribe on this joker.

[mcv57]

Who says that this corrupt government gives equal justice. If this governor can get out of jail for an appeal, let them all the convicts out for an appeal. This government must have gotten a good hefty bribe on this joker.

[mcvet]

Great!! At least there is ONE honest Judge left!!

[gce65]

When 50 former state attorneys general--Republican and Democrat--call for a review of any case, that should be a huge red flag that something is not right with the case.