Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, An Innocent Democrat, Is Still in Prison

[red dog 1]

On August 28, 2013, former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman asked for a new trial on his
2006 bribery conviction, arguing that the case was tainted by the involvement of a prosecutor with ties to GOP politics.

Lawyers for Siegelman, a Democrat, filed the brief with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
asking for a new trial, or, at a minimum, additional discovery about the role of former U.S. Attorney Laura Canary after she announced she was stepping asside from the case in 2002.

"First, U.S. Attorney Laura canary's failure to honor her disqualification violated Gov. Siegelman's right to a disinterested prosecutor," Siegelman's lawyers wrote,
"While Siegelman was being criminally investigated by the U.S. Attorney's office, Canary's husband was a hired consultant for Siegelman's opponent....Canary had a direct financial interest in the success of her husband's client and in Siegelman's defeat."

Canary, a Bush appointee, was the sitting U.S. Attorney in the early days of the investigation.
She is the wife of Billy Canary, who was a political ally of former Gov. Bill Riley, who defeated Siegelman in 2002, and did some consulting work for 2002 GOP candidate Steve Windom.

More about the Siegelman case:
http://www.pdamerica.org/news/item/723-the-curious-case-of-don-siegelman/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014484905/

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Cannot believe that nothing has changed yet...

[okaawhatever]

2. If they can get Canary maybe she'll flip on Rove and whoever set the house fire of the

Republican woman who broke ranks and testified to what she heard.

[red dog 1]

3. Obama & Holder asked for a longer sentence for Siegelman,

"In 2009, the Obama Justice Department requested that Judge Fuller sentence Siegelman to 20 more years in prison when his appeals were concluded."

GOV. SIEGELMAN FACING 20 YEARS, OBAMA PUSHES FOR LONG SENTENCE
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/06/05/1097552/-Gov-Don-Siegelman-Facing-20-Years-Obama-Pushes-For-Long-Sentence/

[okaawhatever]

4. That story is a bunch of crap. First, they are attempting to say it was the Obama administration's

Justice Department that asked for the 20 yr. sentence. In reality it was the federal prosecutor(s) who asked for it. That was Laura Canary and Alice Martin. That hearing also took place shortly after Obama took office and before Rove testified. Eric Holder did not intercede, but the AG's Office of Professional Responsibility was already reviewing the case. I imagine many at that time were waiting for Rove's testimony. Also, in Seigelman's latest appeal, one of the points they are questioning is if the longer sentence wasn't wrong to begin with. From the appeal: “Second, in calculating Siegelman’s sentence under the Guidelines, Judge Fuller dramatically increased his offense level by relying on conduct unrelated to the offenses for which Siegelman was convicted," lawyer wrote. One of Siegelman's attorneys for that appeal is former Obama White House counsel Gregory Craig.

Obama has been trying to replace Laura Canary as Federal Prosecutor:

Moreover, Laura Canary, the U.S. attorney in Montgomery, remains in office after Alabama Republican senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby derailed the Obama administration’s efforts to put a successor in place by lodging objections. While Sessions and Shelby both deny they’re trying to keep Canary in office, the consequence of their serial objections, for which they offer no public explanation, is just that. Both show remarkable concern about the prospect of Canary’s removal and replacement by a new prosecutor unconnected to them

Federal Prosecutors are calling for a 20 year sentence for former Alabama Gov Don Siegelman according to this letter obtained by the AP.
http://www.mainjustice.com/2009/05/12/prosecutors-push-for-longer-sentence-for-siegelman/

The article you cited is hardly a reliable account of the information.

[Coyotl]

5. K&R