BREAKING: Larisa Alexandrovna - Alabama Dems Call For Special Prosecutor

[Hissyspit]

Breaking: Alabama Dems call for special prosecutor...
From a presser I just got:

Alabama Democratic Party
For Immediate Release:
February 25, 2008
Contact: Jim Spearman [phone] Cell: [phone]
http://www.atlargely.com/2008/02/breaking-alabam.html

Alabama Democratic Party Calls for Special Prosecutor

Dems Say FCC Should Launch Inquiry into Huntsville CBS Blackout

The Alabama Democratic Party today called on the US Justice Dept. and the US House Judiciary Committee to appoint a special prosecutor into the allegations of the political prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman after the facts and interviews were released by CBS Television Network in their 60 Minutes program this past Sunday night.

Executive Director, Jim Spearman says there is too much smoke and too many facts for DOJ and Congress to ignore. "Abuse of the federal prosecutorial system for partisan political gain must be taken very seriously. The accusations by the 52 former state attorneys general, including the former republican AG from Arizona Grant Woods should be taken into account by the US Attorney General", Spearman says. Congress should not delay in taking the next step to call witnesses and to hold those not answering supeanoes in contempt of Congress.

For the Alabama Republican Party to issue its statement yesterday prior to the airing of the 60 Minutes segment trying to discredit CBS even before the program airs shows that indeed republicans may have something to hide. "How can the ALGOP really try to discredit a former republican AG who is now a co-chair of their US Presidential Nominee's campaign effort,"Spearman notes.

Also today, Alabama Democratic Chairman Joe Turnham says he will send a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking for a formal inquiry into the CBS Huntsville affiliate black out of the the Siegelman airing. It has come to the attention of many Democrats in North Alabama that the principal owners of WHNT are Bush Pioneers and major republican donors. Many suspect that enormous pressure was put on CBS to not air the Siegelman story. If CBS received political pressure to stifle the first amendment rights of the network or affiliate, the FCC and Congress should take appropriate oversight into the matter.

Sounds to me like they are pissed and are not going to take it anymore. Can we move these folks into replace our current Congressional Democrats?

[beezlebum]

1. kick!

[Hissyspit]

2. Please DIGG Larisa's post here:

http://digg.com/politics/Alabama_Dem_Party_Calls_For_Siegelman_Special_Prosecutor

[annabanana]

11. Digg keeps logging me OUT?. . .n/t

[bonito]

3. Kick

[Hepburn]

4. Yes!!!

That whole mess smells to high heaven and back!

[midnight]

5. Help bring Ron Singleman freedom.

"Abuse of the federal prosecutorial system for partisan political gain must be taken very seriously.

[StClone]

39. This is not about Revenge!

It is about correcting a blatant partisan miscarriage of Justice.

These are wrongs against Democracy. It eats like maggots on a festering sore caused by the disease called Bushocracy. We need to excise the wound and treat with an antidote that is not partisant, but called for by the very fiber the fading Constitution of Alabama is printed on.

[elleng]

45. That's

Governor Don Siegelman.

[chknltl]

6. kicked

[Coexist]

7. kick! and how exactly, does one Digg?

[marmar]

8. K&R for an end to poltical persecution and encroaching fascism.....

:kick:

[seafan]

9. Siegelman attorney, family, AL Democratic Party, Scrushy attorney calling for special prosecutor

...to investigate this case. It is about time these criminals, directed by Karl Rove, pay for what they have done.



(Thanks to Larisa Alexandrovna for the heads up.)


Breaking: Alabama Dems call for special prosecutor..., February 25, 2008

Alabama Democratic Party Calls for Special Prosecutor

Dems Say FCC Should Launch Inquiry into Huntsville CBS Blackout

The Alabama Democratic Party today called on the US Justice Dept. and the US House Judiciary Committee to appoint a special prosecutor into the allegations of the political prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman after the facts and interviews were released by CBS Television Network in their 60 Minutes program this past Sunday night.

Executive Director, Jim Spearman says there is too much smoke and too many facts for DOJ and Congress to ignore. "Abuse of the federal prosecutorial system for partisan political gain must be taken very seriously. The accusations by the 52 former state attorneys general, including the former republican AG from Arizona Grant Woods should be taken into account by the US Attorney General", Spearman says. Congress should not delay in taking the next step to call witnesses and to hold those not answering supeanoes (sic) in contempt of Congress.

For the Alabama Republican Party to issue its statement yesterday prior to the airing of the 60 Minutes segment trying to discredit CBS even before the program airs shows that indeed republicans may have something to hide. "How can the ALGOP really try to discredit a former republican AG who is now a co-chair of their US Presidential Nominee's campaign effort,"Spearman notes.

Also today, Alabama Democratic Chairman Joe Turnham says he will send a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking for a formal inquiry into the CBS Huntsville affiliate black out of the the Siegelman airing. It has come to the attention of many Democrats in North Alabama that the principal owners of WHNT are Bush Pioneers and major republican donors. Many suspect that enormous pressure was put on CBS to not air the Siegelman story. If CBS received political pressure to stifle the first amendment rights of the network or affiliate, the FCC and Congress should take appropriate oversight into the matter.

Also, Siegelman's family and Scrushy attorney Art Leach have joined in the demand for a special prosecutor to examine this case.



http://www.al.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news-34/120397105970350.xml&storylist=alabamanews">Siegelman attorney calls for special prosecutor

2/25/2008, 6:56 p.m. ET
By BEN EVANS
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorneys for imprisoned former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman called Monday for the Justice Department to bring in a special prosecutor after a key government witness was quoted as saying that prosecutors made him write out his testimony to get his story straight.

Vince Kilborn, an attorney for the former Democratic governor who contends Republican politics was behind his prosecution, said the defense was never told of any written notes by Nick Bailey, a former Siegelman aide whose testimony was crucial to the government.
In CBS's "60 Minutes" program Sunday, Bailey was quoted as saying prosecutors met with him some 70 times and had him repeatedly write out his testimony because they were frustrated with his recollection of events.

The written notes, if they existed, could have damaged the credibility of Bailey's story, but no such notes were turned over to the defense, as would have been required by law, Kilborn told The Associated Press.

Bailey, who pleaded guilty in the corruption case and served as a cooperating witness, was interviewed off-camera in prison by CBS, which said in the Sunday segment: "He told us the prosecutors were so frustrated they made him write his proposed testimony over and over to get his story straight."

.....

Siegelman was convicted on six bribery-related and one obstruction of justice charge in 2006 and began serving a sentence of more than seven years last June. Bailey was the key witness who claimed Siegelman appointed then-HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy to a hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging $500,000 in contributions to a campaign for a state lottery spearheaded by Siegelman.

"We got certain interviews that showed Bailey was changing his testimony ... but 70 meetings is not close to what's reflected in those documents," Kilborn said. "If it takes 70 meetings to get a key witness' testimony straight, that seems outrageous to me."

.....

The Alabama Democratic Party, Siegelman's family and Scrushy attorney Art Leach joined the call for an outside investigator to look into the case.
"My family's question to the Congress is 'how much evidence will be enough?'" Siegelman's daughter, Dana, said in a written statement. "The U.S. Attorney apparatus in Alabama is corrupted and only an outside, independent investigation will right this grievous wrong."
The Justice Department declined to comment on their requests and said it would "respond appropriately" to concerns about Bailey's testimony if they are raised in court.

The American people are demanding a special prosecutor as well.

If a political persecution and imprisonment can happen to a Governor, it can happen to any American.

[EFerrari]

16. It might be helpful to write to Judiciary Chairman Conyers

to ask him to take up this case at this link:

http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx

[seafan]

19. Thanks, sfexpat2000. This case infuriates me. This man sits in prison while Rove still skates.

I hope we all live long enough to see justice in this country.

[EFerrari]

26. My hope, too. n/t

[SusanaMontana41]

41. Justice for Rove

would be to have him live a long life and die in jail. I nominate Abu Ghraib, with Iraqi guards.

[defendandprotect]

29. What's so amazing is that the Democratic Party itself didn't

react to this ---

This kind of corruption is a threat to all of us --
but especially to any honest Democrat ---

This Republican Era has been even more CRIMINAL than the Nixon era --- !!!

[EFerrari]

31. I don't see how they can react to it. They take contributions from

all the same folks and our miserable system forces our congress critters to spend so much time running for re-election.

If you go to the Open Secrets website, you'll notice that corporate donors hedge their bets by giving 2/3s to the party in power and 1/3 to the party out of power. :shrug:

[defendandprotect]

33. True . . . and the circle you're describing is finally a danger to anyone

who doesn't want to become as corrupt as they are ---

It's kind of like joining the Mafia -
you can't be part way into the system --

In the end, it destroys you.

[caligirl]

10. In a conversation I had with the FCC political office in DC

today the station broke no laws. They don't have to air any show if they choose not to. They are restricted on nudity and certain other things but not airing that was not breaking any laws. I don't see what the FCC can or will do. But a certain dem looks good for demanding it, and he probably knows no laws were broken. Worry about that later. Just get Seigelman out.

[guitar man]

22. that is correct

but, lying about why it didn't air is against the law. If the station personnel falsify documentation, ie the program log and discrepancy reports, that is a felony. If they chose not to run the segment, they owe the public the truth about why they didn't.

[defendandprotect]

30. Basically, you're saying that they could fail to carry a presidential address

-- let's say of a Democratic president --- and would break no law?

Evidently, they were quite concerned with NOT having the people of Alabama see this program!!!

Meanwhile, we need a widescale look at the DOJ --- and those 92 AGs who Bush/Cheney/Rove didn't think needed firing!!!

Additionally, this is probably also going on statewide ---

[caligirl]

34. Thats correct. The guy I spoke to is a lawyer at the office I called and he

said its all within the rights of the station to air it or not. So looks like its up to consumers to let the owners know what they want or don't want, ad time prices they can charge( funding for the station's local needs) would be a biggy for them if they screw up like this.
I lived in the Fl. panhandle and in Alabama briefly and grew up hearing stories from my mother about the politics there. Its always been this way. Probably worse.

[defendandprotect]

46. Interesting . . .

Amazed that CBS hasn't blasted them --- or did they?
Must have cost something in ads to give up that play in Alabama . . . I'd guess?

IMO, the systems of corruption in the South, including Florida -- which kept Segregation in place ---
also helped to keep corrupt government in place --- government run by goons --- ????

Something like what we have in DC now . . .!!!

[ClayZ]

12. Yay! K and R

[HCE SuiGeneris]

13. Excellent. I want the end results of this to be...

AND THIS!



AND THIS!

[barbtries]

15. great work

that is what really has to happen. save the country, now...

[barbtries]

14. okay where do i go

for my "free don siegelman" bumpersticker?

[rambler_american]

24. Don Siegelman stuff

Couldn't find bumper stickers but...
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/Don+Siegelman/-/source_searchBox/x_11/y_12

[rambler_american]

25. Here ya go

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/don+siegelman/-/pv_design_prod/p_1242572.232749319/pNo_232749319/id_26252629/fpt_/opt_/c_666/pg_1

[barbtries]

44. that's cool

thank you

[ProfessorPlum]

17. Just crickets, of course, from our national Democratic leaders

despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that it could be them next.

[mwb970]

18. We need to start fighting back.

Better late than never.

[cyberpj]

20. kick nt

[EFerrari]

21. Kick

[Dollface]

23. "Abuse of the federal prosecutorial system for partisan political gain must be taken seriously."

Do you think?!!!

[OnyxCollie]

27. Baby steps.

Lean. Totter. Fall.

[badgerpup]

28. My gods. They actually ARE alive.

Poke them with a sharp enough stick and they DO respond!

About damn time...

[happygoluckytoyou]

32. IN A RELATED STORY, DEMOCRATS SHOP AT BIG 5 TO GET SOME BALLS

[mzmolly]

35. BRA

VO! :toast:

[delt664]

36. I hope the DOJ decides to investigate

But im not holding my breath. From what I can tell, the DOJ is just a branch of the GOP these days.

[mikelewis]

37. There's really never enough smoke or facts for the DOJ and Congress to ignore...

They are so adept at ignoring what they are told to ignore we could have had a gay male prostitute operating under a false pseudonym in the White House Press Corp and they'd never have noticed... Fortunately, we've never had anything like that happen...

[kentj44]

38. how can i start a

free don seigleman site and return democracy to the state of alabama?

[kentj44]

40. interesting note about jeff sessions

his full name name is jefferson beauregard sessions the 3rd and the reason why he left the kkk was he didn't agree with their pot smoking.

[progressoid]

42. I'm not holding my breath

Why should they play by the rules now?

[radhika]

43. Why not Independent Prosecutor

Seems I heard that an Independent Prosecutor is not forced to work within the DoJ. Has lots more freedom to investigate....