Former Gov. Don Siegelman sentenced to 78 months in prison

[trof]

Source: Birmingham News

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- A federal judge this afternoon sentenced former Gov. Don Siegelman to 78 months in prison.

U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller handed down the sentence -- 10 months less than the 88 months he originally gave Siegelman -- after a day of emotional testimony during the former governor's resentencing hearing. He also sentenced Siegelman to serve three years on supervised release and to pay a $50,000 fine.

As Fuller pronounced sentence on Siegelman, his children, Dana and Joseph, broke into tears. As they put their faces in their hands and wept, their mother put her arms around them. Siegelman embraced each of his attorneys and thanked them for their help. He went to try to comfort his family, then shook hands and hugged supporters, some of whom offered words of encouragement, some of sorrow.


Read more: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/08/don_siegelman_sentenced_to_78.html

---

Ain't this a wonderful country?

[Archae]

1. Meanwhile Tom DeLay is STILL running around free.

As is war criminals Dubya and Darth Cheney.

[midnight]

4. I forgot about Tom Delay... How in the world does Delay serve no jail time?

[ailsagirl]

9. That creep Delay was sentenced to three years in prison

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/10/AR2011011000557.html

[freshwest]

13. Sentenced, but is not serving time. This was discussed on a few threads. First DU google:

Tom Delay is still not in jail. I repeat, Tom Delay is still not in jail.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027532

Tom Delay was sentenced to 3 years in jail over a year ago. Why is he not in jail yet?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002292102

There was another one that Tx4Obama and I both posted on, but it's not showing up. I believe the thread was about Siegelman then, also. Tx4Obama had the latest details that he is not in prison serving his sentence.

[ailsagirl]

33. "sigh" I just assumed he went to prison

How naive of me

[midnight]

28. Great article... If they can give this man community service why can't they give Sigeleman the same.

[Octafish]

38. The Honorable Bugman shopped for a judge.

Gov. Siegelman was judged by a man his administration suspected of corruption. And they were correct.

[rurallib]

2. an innocent man goes to jail while Bush, Cheney and Rummy walks free.

[Coyotl]

26. A former governor who had an election stolen from him is jailed by opponents

on very spurious grounds with weak evidence before a biased court for something not a crime. Go figure what really goes on down there in Alabama.

[graham4anything]

3. The apology is very important if wanting Presidential Pardon or Commute sentence

By his apologizing, (and in fed court), it is now possible (this Christmas after election) for Obama to either commute the sentence or issue a full pardon.

One of the requirements(though a president has the option for any) is to apologize and Siegelman now has

So after reelection victory, when Obama don't need to play politics, he can either commute or pardon and he should do the same with Rodney B.

(IMHO he should after reelection victory pardon NOW anyone he thinks should get one,
therefore it will all be forgotten at end of 8 years politically).People only remember the Rich pardon because it was done at the very end of Clinton's time.

[Cryptoad]

5. you gotta love Alabama,,,,

This is the kinda chit that happens when a State goes Super Red. Hopefully he will be pardoned!

[bayareaboy]

15. I tend to think that Alabama ...

Has always been this way, and probably always will. Is there something in the water that does this to people?

Did you see the message board in the postscript?

[bayareaboy]

16. Thanks for telling ...

This whole thing has gone on too long and it totally reeks. Mr Obama should commute his sentence as soon as possible.

[deathrind]

6. How

... is Fuller still the presiding judge in this case... amazing.

http://www.justice-integrity.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=607:alabama-judicial-scandal-could-taint-many-cases&catid=44:myblog

[SoapBox]

7. A little reminder...

First:

"A federal jury in 2006 convicted Siegelman of federal funds bribery on allegations that he sold a seat on a hospital regulatory board to former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy in exchange for $500,000 in donations to Siegelman's 1999 referendum campaign to establish a state lottery."

Second:

"I'm a father. My heart breaks for you," Fuller said.

What a load of bullshit on both counts. Lock this dirt bag away.

[Merlot]

8. I'm really hoping you ment that fuller was the dirtbag.

If you think Siegelman is a dirt bag who should be locked away you have not been following this story for years.

[trof]

35. I've served on juries in Alabama.

Believe me, you wouldn't want your fate in the hands of the average jury here.

[SILVER__FOX52]

10. This is a national Disgrace !

[patrice]

11. Shame on U.S. "Justice"!

[The Wizard]

12. Another Rove victim

The treasonous Rove is the most dangerous and vile scum this nation has produced since Benedict Arnold. Somewhere out there is a rope waiting for Rove's neck.

[Doremus]

19. +1000. nt

[Archae]

14. I was thinking that Obama should commute his sentence...

The way Bush commuted Libby's sentence for perjury.

BUT...

If he did, the right-wing would have a royal hissyfit!

"Obama is soft on crime! Wahhh!!!"

[lonestarnot]

23. Day after he is re-elected then.

[xxqqqzme]

17. One monumental

miscarriage of justice from beginning to the end. I hope I live to see the day saurove is destroyed. The evil that hideous piece of flesh has inflicted on people should not go unanswered.

[Judi Lynn]

18. Former Governor Siegelman has been wildly sinned against by the worst part of our country.

If we're stunned, horrified, and sickened by this, it must be hell being Don Siegelman or a member of his family.

Every effort should be made, somehow, to reverse this crime against the man. Hope he won't give up.

[gmpierce]

20. don't count on a happy ending

Part of the disgrace is that Obama did not resolve this years ago when a large number of independent prosecutors and attorneys general came out with solid statements that there was no crime here.

He could have done something. He should have done something . He did nothing - which tells you who Obama really is.

[Octafish]

37. Justice Kagan handled the ''review''...

...as Solicitor General...

http://legalschnauzer.blogspot.com/2010/06/inaction-on-siegelman-case-helps-earn.html?m=1

Justice?

[Smilo]

21. Amazing how bloody self righteous these

judges are when it comes to a democrat who is seen to be in the wrong.

Don and family - you still have my support and we will fight on you.

[Overseas]

22. K&R. I hope they appeal.

[craigmatic]

24. It seems that being a democrat is a crime in Alabama now. This is all politically motivated.

[Jessy169]

25. The ultimate wrong

would be if some Republican-owned private prison company ends up making money off of Siegelman being locked up in their joint.

I just can't understand why Obama didn't step in when he had a chance, as another poster above so correctly explained. I'm guessing it was a political calculation on Obama's part. I hope he'll write about that decision in his memoirs someday, because whatever his reason for not insuring justice for Siegelman was, I want to know.

[jody]

27. Sad "If I had known I was coming close to the line where a campaign contribution becomes a bribe and

a crime, I would have stopped," Siegelman said.

If Obama pardons Siegelman should he also pardon Scrushy?

[MotherPetrie]

29. And he was thrown to the wolves by his very own party

[d_r]

30. so wrong

[just1voice]

32. The entire U.S. should look into this health care bribery fraud:

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=F09

[avaistheone1]

34. This is sickening. I hope Rove and his criminal buddies receive their karmic desserts for this

gross injustice.

[Justitia]

36. This case still blows my mind - I cannot believe this sentence! I am just gob-smacked.

Good Lord, poor Gov Siegelman.

This is one hell of a miscarriage of justice.

This man is in prison over his politics.