Court Decision Seen as Good Sign for Siegelman

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Court decision seen as good sign for Siegelman

Associated Press - October 14, 2009 5:24 PM ET

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Attorneys for former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy see a positive sign in the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear the appeal of former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling.

Like Skilling, some of the charges against Siegelman and Scrushy involved "honest services" counts, which make it a crime to deprive the public of "the intangible right to honest services."

Siegelman attorney Sam Heldman said the fact that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear three different cases involving "honest services" charges is a sign that the law is "broad and confusing."

Siegelman and Scrushy are waiting to hear if the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the appeals of their convictions in a government corruption case.

Read more: http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11315551

[sabrina 1]

1. I still don't understand what Holder is waiting for regarding this case.

He was certainly able to look at the Stevens case, a case where there certainly was fraud, but the case was tainted so the decision was correct.

In Siegelman's case, there is no question about the corruption and yet, this DOJ has completely ignored it.

A political prosecution with even Republicans agreeing, right after Siegelman spoke out against election fraud. But to Holder the case of a corrupt Republican Senator is more important than a case like this which typifies the corruption of the entire system of justice under Bush. Is there some logical explanation for his unwillingness to deal with this gross injustice?

[RandomThoughts]

2. Have you ever peeled a golf ball.

Then broke one of the rubber strands around it and then seen what happens.

The economic political system of the last decades is so horribly created as a pump for the top 5%, there are some that think we need to fix it a bit at a time, because what was done is pure dictatorship and despotism or oligarchy, and many in the current government do not want that cascade reaction to start, or at least postpone it.

However allowing innocent people to be harmed for that reason just wraps more elastic around the peeled golf ball.


The worst part is even good people in government could be shown bad because of the way things can be shown in the media, and what was required to hold office. Many people looked the other way to try to do some good. So if smear machines and slanted perception broadcast methods are used, they worry that everyone would look bad. And everyone at one time or another is good and bad, so many of them have trapped themselves.

[sabrina 1]

6. Lol, yes I have peeled a golf ball when I was little and was

fascinated by what I found inside.

But, even if what you say is true, why wasn't Holder worried about being smeared when he interfered in the Stevens case? Are they afraid of Republicans? Because if that is the reason for allowing this injustice to stand, we are really in a lot of trouble. If they are willing to allow the smear machine to destroy one man, that will only encourage more of the same. And when will be the right time to begin the process of fixing the system, if not with this case?

[Mithreal]

3. It only looks weak to the liberal wing of our party. nt

[pundaint]

4. What has blinded the others?

[Mithreal]

7. Maybe worse injustices that touch us closer to home?

The Siegelman story is so outrageous I can only guess it may sound false, is a "not my problem" situation to some, and may even increase despair or distrust in our government to such an extent that it just shuts people down.

I have called Holder's office many times and emailed as well. I have emailed Obama and called the WH and contacted my legislators. They haven't heard enough from us. We aren't doing enough to be heard, those of us who care anyway.

[sabrina 1]

5. I'm not sure what you mean ~

I don't know if it's weakness or blindness or something else. All I know is there is enough evidence that the Siegelman prosecution was a political prosecution, to warrant an investigation. I don't think that's a liberal or conservative pov. I think it's simply the right thing to do.

[Mithreal]

8. Looks weak to those who place principles, like justice, before politics.

[sabrina 1]

9. Oh, okay ~ sorry for being so slow

Has the DOJ ever even commented on the case?

[ro1942]

10. Looks like they are protecting Carl Rove and co.

this is so blatant and telling. Don't forget they kept the same prosecutors

[sabrina 1]

12. It does look like that, but why would Democrats want

to protect Karl Rove? That's really a rhetorical question because this whole administration seems to want to protect the entire previous administration no matter how serious their crimes. Maybe it's the system they are protecting and maybe you cannot get to be president unless you can be relied upon to do that.

And if that is the case, we can hardly call this country democratic anymore.

[Mithreal]

11. You're not slow, it was me. Don't know the answer to that.

If they have I would like to know.