EXCLUSIVE: Former Gov. Don Siegelman Brings the Hammer Down on Tom DeLay from Prison

[BradBlog]

Source: BRAD BLOG



EXCLUSIVE: Former Gov. Don Siegelman Brings the Hammer Down on Tom Delay from Prison
Alabama's former Democratic governor issues statement to The BRAD BLOG, slamming the former GOP House Majority Leader for his part in a $20 million 'money laundering' conspiracy to defeat him...

Ever since last week's reversal of former GOP Rep. Tom DeLay's 2010 money laundering convictions by a 2-to-1 partisan decision of a three-judge Texas appeals court panel, we have been contrasting the Texas Republican's treatment in the judicial system with that of Alabama's former Democratic Governor Don Siegelman.

Now, the last Democratic governor to serve Alabama is speaking up for himself, in a statement he's furnished to The BRAD BLOG from federal prison, slamming DeLay for what he describes as his part in a $20 million criminal conspiracy with convicted GOP uber-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Karl Rove, Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist and others to defeat him in his bid for re-election, and to ensure he never took office again.

Siegelman is currently serving a 6.5 year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Oakdale, Louisiana for something that 133 bi-partisan former state attorneys general agree had never been regarded as a crime until Siegelman was convicted for it.

In his statement, the former governor speaks out against "The Hammer" and hammers him hard for what he describes as collusion to "engineer a money laundering scheme to defeat me in my race for re-election as governor and to elect Karl Rove's and Tom DeLay's Republican colleague from the U.S. House, then Congressman Bob Riley."

"I know first-hand, personally --- what I'm about to tell you is not hearsay," Siegelman writes about the alleged scheme to remove him from office through a late night ballot tampering scheme. He explains how the conspiracy resulted in robbing him of his 2002 re-election after it had already been called in his favor by all the networks. Later, before Siegelman --- the only person to hold all four top statewide offices in Alabama history --- could run for Governor again, he says the same cabal worked to have him thrown in jail on what appear to be trumped up charges brought by a Bush Administration prosecutor who also happened to be married to Riley's Chief of Staff…

FULL STORY, SIEGELMAN'S COMPLETE STATEMENT: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10270


Read more: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10270

[Uncle Joe]

1. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, BradBlog.

[Mnemosyne]

2. I met Mr. Siegelman in the mid-90's while working in Montgomery, nice man. Absolutely despicable

what has been done to him in AL.

[DFW]

27. I met him at the 2008 Denver Democratic Convention. Same impression.

What was done to him was worthy of Stalin-era government corruption, and indeed, I have been comparing the Cheney-Bush era Republicans to the Stalin-era Soviets for a long time.

Stalin: "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything"

Rep. Peter King, R-NY, at the Bush White House on election day, 2004: "We won. It's all over but the counting. And we'll take care of the counting."

[SoLeftIAmRight]

36. I also have met Mr. Siegelman and his wife.

They were at a fund raising event for the Bankhead forest and the Sipsey wilderness. Spent 30 minutes with Mrs. Siegelman. Wonderful woman.

[The Wizard]

3. The President has been accused of dithering

It's time to pardon the Governor who crossed Karl Rove.

[Ash_F]

5. That would anger Republicans.

We can't have that.

[rhett o rick]

6. I think the President is waiting until he pardons the Bush War Criminals. He may pardon the

Governor at the same time to try to cut the coming flack from the left.

[Hydra]

7. Oh, that would be a particularly nasty bit of work

But really, it's embarrassing to see our party let the Repubs get away with murder and not help the people they are trying to destroy.

[rhett o rick]

8. It pisses me off that a Democratic President wont take action on this clearly political

mess. There is no excuse.

[Hotler]

21. STOP PICKING ON THIS PRESIDENT! ..........

He's doing the best he can.
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[pacalo]

22. I'm with you. Siegelman's imprisonment is a TRAVESTY.

[juajen]

13. I hope he doesn't do that. It will certainly hurt people running on the dem ticket.

It is a disgrace that Seigleman hasn't been pardoned. Who will ever feel the same way about Alabama or, frankly, Obama? Should have done this as quickly as possible.

[hwmnbn]

4. K&R

[OnyxCollie]

9. K&R. nt

[WillyT]

10. HUGE K & R !!!

[DLevine]

11. K&R. nt

[SleeplessinSoCal]

12. This all makes me nuts.

Maybe I should reply to the first lady's email today that getting Siegelman a pardon is my number one priority.

Did it!

http://www.barackobama.com/?source=action-bar

[silvershadow]

14. k&r.

[randr]

15. There will come a day when this sees the light of day

I do not know how the guilty parties sleep knowing what punishment awaits them.

[mtasselin]

16. justice

Is there anyone in this country that really believes that we have a justice system that is equal for everyone? The republicans always say that we are a country of laws, not true by a long shot, if you have money and connections you can get away with anything, yes anything including murder. So you asshole republicans can shove the law books up your ass, a bunch of hypocrites that is what makes up the republican party.

[gopiscrap]

17. way to go Don!!!

[stonecutter357]

18. K&R

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. If ever the phrase "miscarriage of justice" were appropriate...

Keep speaking up, Governor!

[questionseverything]

20. election stolen

from the article

Tom DeLay was part of the conspiracy to defeat me. The Hammer, in concert with his Republican co-conspirators, began laundering thousands of dollars through his Texas ARMPAC to a front group the Alabama ARMPAC, a political action committee, to funnel illegal contributions to my opponent, Tom DeLay's colleague and Jack Abramoff and Rove's friend, Congressman Bob Riley. Riley had befriended Abramoff by voting in lock step with Abramoff's clients on multiple congressional votes at a time when Mike Scanlon was first working for Riley as a congressional aide before he changed jobs to work for DeLay.

DeLay didn't stop with sending illegal funding to my Republican opponent; he also funneled money to The Alexandria Group, a lobbying firm with Abramoff and DeLay ties. The money coincided with the hiring of a self-described "Ballot Security Expert", a man named Dan Gans. Gans, who had been on Riley' staff, was in a remote South Alabama Republican-controlled county the night of my re-election.

All the votes were in and counted, and all networks had called the election in my favor.

Then after midnight, the poll watchers and media were sent home. In the basement of the courthouse, a couple of people were still at work in the Sheriff's office. A computer glitch was discovered. A private recount took place to "correct" the "computer glitch" giving my opponent just enough votes to be declared the winner. The next morning my margin of victory was erased. I asked for a hand recount of just one voting place. The state attorney general, Karl Rove's client, stepped in and stopped the recount. Then contrary to state law, the secretary of state and the attorney general declared my opponent the winner.

[yurbud]

23. why doesn't Obama pardon him?

[DeeDeeNY]

24. A site to show support

http://www.donsiegelman.org

[malokvale77]

25. Yeah Siegelman

Tom Delay is one of the major reasons Texas is the mess it is. He made sure dumbassery would rule here. Funny thing is, he can't compete with the current dumbassery ( ie: Perry, Abbot, Gohmert, Cruz, etc. too many to name) that has it's clutches on this state.

Tom Delay is a criminal of the worst kind. His actions affect millions.

Siegelman's conviction is a travesty of our justice system. His conviction should be overturned.

[Ellipsis]

26. Thanks Brad.

K&R

[BradBlog]

29. Thank YOU -- Interviewed Joseph Siegelman today...

I'll have that up at BradBlog.com tomorrow (Thursday) morning...

[JoeyT]

28. This should be helpful to those that constantly

wonder why we keep electing Republicans down here. The answer is "We're not", or at least not nearly as often as you think we are. It just doesn't matter who we elect, the Republican is going into office.

[Coyotl]

30. History will never forget the TRUTH of how elections are stolen by Republicans.

This one is just one of many. In due time, the truth will out! They cannot hide from the evidence.

[idwiyo]

31. K&R

[Enthusiast]

32. Kicked and recommended....nt

[KoKo]

33. Thanks Brad! K&R!

[Tippy]

34. K&R

[bvar22]

35. Free Don Siegelman!

[Octafish]

37. Just-Us

Know your BFEE: Siegelman Judge is a big-time War Profiteer