DKos Poster: Gov. Siegelman Beaten In Prison

[Hissyspit]

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/03/15/don-siegelman-...

Don Siegelman: “All Roads Lead To Rove”
By: Nicole Belle on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 at 1:00 PM - PDT

DailyKos Poster One Pissed Off Liberal (Cross-Posted At Docudharma):

All roads lead to Rove. That was the message scrawled as an afterthought in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope I received in yesterday’s mail. It contained a letter from an old and dear friend of mine. His name is Don Siegelman. He is the former governor of Alabama and he is being held as a political prisoner of the Bush administration in a Federal prison in Louisiana.

They don’t allow Don the luxury of stationary so he must write his letters on whatever he can find. He wrote me on a xeroxed article he wanted me to see.

- snip -

When I first heard of Don being prosecuted for corruption my heart sank. I didn’t know what to think. It had been years since we’d spoken and the press made it sound awful for Don (what else?). Of course I had no idea what was really going on. Now that I do I am horrified…and furious.

Don is a formidable force in Alabama politics. His friends are loyal and his supporters enthusiastic. They re-elected him Governor in the midst of a bogus corruption trial engineered by the Bush Justice Department at the behest of Karl Rove who takes orders from you-know-who. Don campaigned for re-election throughout the early phases of the trial. On election night he was declared the winner, but Karl Rove’s minions stole the election overnight by manipulating the ballots in Baldwin County. It was classic Rovian/Republican election theft. They did it with computers and electronic voting machines. Don went to bed the re-elected Governor of Alabama, and woke up an unemployed defendant.

- snip -

Something that has not been reported is that they have been physically beating Don. I don’t know the extent of his injuries or exactly how many times it has happened – but it has been multiple times.

There are no words for the fury I feel. This is an outrage. And it is the most un-American thing I have ever heard. I cry bitter tears of frustration and rage.

Please everyone. We have to help Don, and we have to crush these thugs and put them out of the business of perverting our democracy. We must investigate and prosecute the responsible parties, not for political reasons, but to actually serve the interest of justice. The cause of justice calls upon us to hold these criminals accountable. We must bring them to justice and stop such travesties from ever again happening in our United States of America.

A new review of evidence suggests that an aligned group of Republican interests were pressing for — and seeking to profit financially from — the trial of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman on charges of bribery, according to Sam Stein of HuffPo.

Please contact Rep. John Conyers and Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairmen of their respective Judiciary committees and ask them to appoint an Independent Investigator. You can also donate to Siegelman’s Defense Fund.

E-mail Congress

Ask for a full investigation by a Special Prosecutor.

Hon. John Conyers,
Chairman,
House Judiciary Comm.
[e-mail]

Senator Patrick Leahy,
Chairman,
Senate Judiciary Comm.
[e-mail]

CLICK THE DAILY KOS LINK ABOVE FOR MUCH MORE

[midnight]

1. I thought beating prisoners was illigal.....

[MaryCeleste]

28. It is

prison is a nasty place. In many ways the inmates run their own areas. Presuming he was beaten, it may well have been a prisoner thing. Without more details its hard to say.

[Hissyspit]

29. In the comments section, the author says it is federal agents of some kind. n/t

[MaryCeleste]

30. Then I missed that...where is it specifically

[Hissyspit]

31. See my post #20 below.

It was buried in the several hundred comments of the DKos diary - about 2/3 way down the page.

[cornermouse]

62. It could have been the guards.

One of my friends knows some federal prison guards (not from the prisoner point of view) and she says you wouldn't believe some of the things they do to some of the prisoners. Sorry I can't be more specific than that, but I was shocked at what she told me.

[defendandprotect]

49. I think stealing elections is, too .. . . !!! ???

[dixiegrrrrl]

69. lots of illegal things happening nowasays

occupations, renditions, torture, using radioactive materials for weapons which are fired onto civilians and handled by unknowing service people,
stealing elections, destroying the Constitution...
being illegal don't make it stop.

[Echo In Light]

117. The marked difference is the degree, revealing a last days' free for all among elites/authority

[Hand]

82. Clarence (Yes, Massa) Thomas doesn't think so.

In his minority opinion, Thomas argued that the beating by three prison guards was not cruel and unusual punishment although the beating left Hudson with loosened teeth, facial bruises, and a cracked dental plate. ''A use of force that causes only insignificant harm to a prisoner may be immoral, it may be torturous, it may be criminal ... but it is not 'cruel and unusual punishment,''' Thomas wrote.

[roguevalley]

88. done. sent.

[grasswire]

119. That's a naive statement, unfortunately.

Prisoners are beaten every day in America. They endure sexual humiliation, sensory deprivation tanks, physical and mental abuse, hunger, extremes of hot and cold, racial discrimination, and pure terror. Inform yourself. If it could happen to Siegelman, it can happen to anyone.

[jimshoes]

2. Mind if I use that in my sig line pic, Hissyspit

"All Roads Lead To Rove"

[Hissyspit]

4. It's a quote from Gov. Siegelman.

As quoted by the DKos poster.

[malaise]

8. Bushco is torturing former Governors now

Who is safe?

[Sequoia]

109. Well, Ahnold is still here!

Put him in with his prison buddies---the ones he pays overtime to while nixing our school money and the state parks.

This news about Siegelman is terrible though.

[Hissyspit]

13. Looks good. n/t

[mod mom]

3. OMG! HOW HORRIBLE. I just emailed this info to attys on the House Judiciary, Chairman Conyers

and my senator (as well as folks in the media!)

[midnight]

6. What a wonderful person you are....

[angrycarpenter]

5. YES keep this story out there

The whole prostitute scandal wiped it from every ones minds. We had real movement and then boom, everyone runs off to New York to dig up dirty laundry.

There needs to be at least one post on the greatest page dealing with this problem until he is released.

[LaStrega]

7. write to 'em ...

Krove ... adding injury to insult.

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[JI7]

9. this shouldn't be happening in our country

i hate this administration

[annabanana]

10. What a disturbing report.

I had not heard this before. You'd think that a high profile prisoner like the Gov. would not be subject to that kind of abuse.

[defendandprotect]

45. In retaliation for his trying to get attention for his case . .. and I think he's succeeding .. .

A warning to stop, most likely?

[KingFlorez]

11. That is horrible

This sounds like something that would happen in some country under a dictator. I never thought I'd ever read about something like this going on here.

[defendandprotect]

46. We're living under a dictator, aren't we????

[Speciesamused]

118. WOW!

Sorry but this has been going for as far back as I can remember.
I am 39. This is the American way. I am glad you are here. Peace

[varelse]

12. Ah I finally donated to the defense fund

as I promised in the birthday note I wrote to him. Don apparently replies personally to each letter or card sent to him. When I write to him again (hopefully soon, but I'm a horrible procrastinator) I'll be sure to include some blank pages he can use for stationery. News of the beatings is horrifying but he doesn't seem to be letting them scare him into silence. If our home-grown fascists aren't careful, they'll soon be well on the way to creating a "made in the USA" version of Nelson Mandela!

[Kolesar]

14. I am trying to figure out how Nicole at Crooks and Liars knows he was beaten

As she noted in bold faced type. She must have had other correspondence.
www.donsiegelman.org

[Hissyspit]

16. Nicole is posting the DKos diary. The person at DKos says that he was beaten.

Everything in the block quote box is from the DKos poster 'One Pissed Off Liberal' (his/her name is Randy). I don't know how she/he knows. I don't think he/she says. It's a fair question. That's why I attributed the claim to her/him in the Subject Line.

[Kolesar]

18. Thanks. I just checked the diary at DKos

389 comments!

[Hissyspit]

20. I emailed the poster. Here, from the comments section:

Beatings? (35+ / 0-)

Thank you for writing this. It's a very important issue that can't be forgotten. But this part of the diary:

Something that has not been reported is that they have been physically beating Don. I don’t know the extent of his injuries or exactly how many times it has happened – but it has been multiple times.

is pretty disturbing. Who is beating him? How do you know this? That seems like something his lawyers should be addressing immediately with a judge isn't it?


by emmanuel on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 05:28:56 PM PDT


They are Federal agents... (18+ / 0-)

I'm not going to say how I know it but I know it. My source in unimpeachable.

Iraq Moratorium

by One Pissed Off Liberal on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 06:24:57 PM PDT



What agency? And why?
(nt) (3+ / 0-)

by KateCrashes on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 08:53:54 PM PDT


I don't know. (3+ / 0-)

My guess is to intimidate him and rob him of the will to fight back. It ain't working.


by One Pissed Off Liberal on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 09:19:51 PM PDT


asdf (1+ / 0-)
Recommended by:wargolem

Please provide more information on your source of information.

by decon on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 10:39:03 PM PDT


This is what I will say... (3+ / 0-)

my source is solid enough for me to believe it is true. I'm not going beyond that.

by One Pissed Off Liberal on Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 10:45:28 PM PDT

[Kolesar]

23. A peculiarity of the DKos board is that one cannot search the comments using Ctrl-F

Thanks for working on this. I'm off to bed soon.

[midnight]

15. Took this from Wisconsin lobby....I would like to

thank Bushfire for posting this...http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...


Dear Constituent,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I apologize
for the delay in my response and I would like to take this
opportunity to address your concerns regarding the prosecution of
former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.
On October 26, 2005, Mr. Siegelman was indicted on
charges of bribery and mail fraud. Mr. Siegelman was accused of
trading government favors for campaign donations. He was
ultimately found guilty by a federal jury and sentenced to seven
years in prison.
Some members of Congress have expressed concern that
the charges against Mr. Siegelman had political motivations,
questioning the fairness of his prosecution. On July 17, 2007,
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers and other
Committee members sent a letter to Attorney General Gonzales
requesting documents and information about Mr. Siegelman's case.
These documents were not produced by the Department of Justice.
In September 2007, the House Judiciary Committee initiated an
investigation into possible political motivations behind Mr.
Siegelman's prosecution. Jill Simpson, an attorney who worked on
several Republican campaigns in Alabama, testified that former
Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bush, Karl Rove, had pushed
DOJ to bring these corruption charges against Mr. Siegelman.
On February 26, 2007, the CBS program "60 Minutes"
aired a report on the Siegelman case. A local Huntsville, Alabama
station blacked out for 12 minutes during the airing of this
segment. This interruption raised suspicions and concerns among
certain viewers. The station subsequently reported that the break
was due to equipment failure, stating that a similar reception error
had occurred the previous day during a basketball game.
Should this issue come before the Senate, you can be sure
I will keep your views in mind. Thank you again for contacting me.




Sincerely,


Herb Kohl
U.S. Senator

Have you contacted your elected representatives yet? I believe both Kohl, and Feingold sit on the Senate Judiciary committee which would look into abuse of power out of Gonzales' office.

[Hissyspit]

17. Digg It here:

http://digg.com/politics/All_Roads_Lead_to_Rove

[Kolesar]

19. This reminds me of the GOP's bogus "voter fraud" stories that all fell apart in an instant

Their right wing funders and degenerate associates in the media like the Wall Street Journal pulled down those websites and the stories ended immediately when someone pulled a leg out from under their stool. Only in Don's case, it was an electoral sham where they conspired to abuse the justice system to stop a Democratic governor. Don's team is close to proving that they conducted a kangaroo court.

The only thing the GOPs have going for them is the Bush imperial presidency and that is looking pretty damn weak right now.

[Hissyspit]

21. DKos Diarist: "my source is solid enough for me to believe it is true. I'm not going beyond that."

[Octafish]

22. Bush, Rove, Cheney and their cronies are nothing more than NAZI gangsters.

Thanks, Hissyspit for the heads-up.

From OP:

Ask for a full investigation by a Special Prosecutor.

Hon. John Conyers,
Chairman,
House Judiciary Comm.
[e-mail]

Senator Patrick Leahy,
Chairman,
Senate Judiciary Comm.
[e-mail]

WAKE UP, AMERICA! YOUR GOOD DEMOCRATS ARE BEING ABUSED IN PRISON
JUST BECAUSE KARL ROVE AND GEORGE BUSH WANT TO.

THAT'S NAZI.

[lonestarnot]

24. No one seemed to believe me but for a few when I on numerous occasions stated

that torture is taking place here in our own private/industiral prison complex. This is getting worse every day.

[defendandprotect]

48. Yes . . . prisoners have managed to tell us that we were naive about torture of Iraqis . . .

and that this was happening in our own prisons --- !!!

[digidigido]

79. Doccumentary

Many years ago, when Bush I was in power, there was a doccumentary shown
on POV, on Public Television. It was frightening, and it was powerful. It was
about 3 women political prisoners who were being help at a womans prison
in Kansas. One was from FALN, I think the other was an ex weatherperson
who had ben involved in a Brinks robbery and the guard was killed, and the 3rd
was italian american, and I reall don't remember her crime. They were held
in a Maximum sercurity, in a basement witout natural light. They were given 1
hour of daylight per day. They were searched constantly, their sleep was
interrupted every few hours. I don't remember all the details but it amounted to
pushing the envelope on what is torture, and these were women who were
just serving time, there was no secret they were keeping.
A doccumentary crew came in somehow and interviewed the women and filmed
this. Shortly thereafter the women were moved to a larger much more isolated
facility in the swamps of Florida. Where the docc crew went back, they were
denied access.
An appeal was filed and the women were sent to general prison population. One of
the women developed cancer. The Bush administration challenged the appeal, and
won, the women were returned to isolation, which had no medical care, effectvely
amounting to a death sentence for one of the women. After that the program went
from 3 to 24 beds, and that was over 20 years ago

[Echotrail]

80. and more brazen by the day, too

This man is a former governor! And he's no spring chicken either.

I see the media is still obediantly following Rove's order for a news blackout.

[Pastiche423]

25. Is anyone receiving responses

from their representatives or the members of the Judiciary Committee? I've sent two batches w/no response.

And for the next two weeks, all of Congress are on recess.

We need to make a lot more NOISE!

[mod mom]

34. I received one after my 1st correspondence with Sherrod Brown but I received a

similiar letter written on the same article with a notation asking me to contact Brown again,-that they were old friends. I wrote Brown the day I received the letter but have not heard bakc from him. I will call first thing on Monday and raise holy hell.

[Pastiche423]

52. You know where Brown will be on Monday?

Aren't all representatives in recess for the next two weeks?

[L. Coyote]

26. K & R #30

[Hissyspit]

27. To Do List:

E-mail Congress and ask for an immediate and full
investigation by a Special Prosecutor. We cannot let the U.S
Department of Justice be used for political purposes.

Hon. John Conyers, Chairman, House Judiciary Comm.
[e-mail]

Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate Judiciary
Comm. [e-mail]

2. Don faces mammoth legal fees. If you could help with any
amount -- $25 to $100 -- this will help immensely.

Please make your check out to:
Don Siegelman Legal Defense Fund
P. O. Box 430116
Birmingham, Alabama 35243

1. E-mail 60 Minutes congratulate them, and ask them to run a
follow-up show. There is much more to tell ...and they already
have the material on video. [e-mail]

Or you may call or write them as well:
ADDRESS:
60 Minutes
524 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019
PHONE: [phone]

.................................................................................................... ................................................
Here are 5 other things that you can do! Choose
one or all these actions to help!
.................................................................................................... ................................................

Contact Congress Today!
Contact your Member of Congress and ask them to move forward on
the Don Siegelman Investigation. It's easy. Click here to find out how!

.................................................................................................... ...............................................

Write a letter to each member of the Judiciary
Committee Today!

Thank them for their work so far and encourage them to press on!
Click on the link to the Judiciary Committee membership list.

On Oct. 23, 2007 a hearing was held to review the Siegelman case and
other cases of selective Prosecution. Please take time to write a letter and
fax the Congressmen on the Judiciary Committee again to thank them;ask
them to keep the pressure on until a resolution is found.

.................................................................................................... ...............................................

Thank these former Attorneys General by email
Forty-four former state Attorneys General from 40 of the 50 states,
both Democrats and Republicans, submitted a petition urging the
United States Congress to investigate the circumstances surrounding
the investigation, prosecution, sentencing and detention of Don
Siegelman, the former Governor of Alabama. It's simple! Click here to
find out how. http://www.donsiegelman.org /
.................................................................................................... .......................................

Contact Don Siegelman in Prison:
Don Siegelman
#24775-0001
Satellite Prison Camp
Post Office Box 5010
Oakdale, LA 71463-5019

Click here to find out more ways to help Don!

.................................................................................................... ....................................

And Last but not least,
Contribute to the Legal Defense Fund!

Send Contributions to
Siegelman Legal Defense Fund
P. O. Box 430116
Birmingham, Alabama 35243

When your contribution is received you will receive a thank-you note.

If you do not receive a timely thank-you note please call 205 216-3211.

[The Wizard]

61. Message to 60 Minutes

Don Siegelman's case is at the core of what is driving this country over the cliff. It would be a great service to America and, in a larger sense, democracy itself if you do a follow-up to uncover those behind this travesty. Or do we have to wait until Bush is out of office as he has pardon power. He can pardon anyone convicted and suspend any investigation by using the same privilege. In essence, he can and will use whatever means necessary to avoid criminal exposure for his cartel.
It is therefor incumbent upon one of the last bastions of the free press, 60 Minutes, to shine the light of day on the machinations of the current Administration. Will they rig another election to ensure their continuing criminal enterprise?
Their record of ruthless measures for self preservation is known by the majority of Americans. All roads lead to Karl Rove and whoever gives Rove marching orders.
Stand up for morals an ethics. Stand up for Democracy, and stand up for the Constitution.
Dan Rather would do no less.

[annabanana]

65. They need an online donate option.

Can his family be notified about this?

[Pastiche423]

104. There is a way to donate online w/PayPal

http://www.donsiegelman.org/pages/topics/take_action_DS...

[annabanana]

108. Thank you for that link!. . . .n/t

[mod mom]

32. IDEA: WHAT IF WE GO TO THE FOREIGN PRESS & HAVE THEM PUT PRESSURE TO GAIN HIS RELEASE.

[Divine Discontent]

33. The Times

[e-mail]

[e-mail]

[mod mom]

35. Anyone with any contacts to the German Press? Some German just took out a 3 page ad

in the NYT about the war. Siegelman sounds like a German surname.

[Divine Discontent]

40. Spiegel Online

http://www.spiegel.de/politik / http://www.spiegel.de/international / might be something there. I wrote the London Times.

[lonestarnot]

36. Dan Abrams will publicize this won't he?

[Hissyspit]

37. I emailed the program using the contact info on the MSNBC page.

Don't know who'll get it, but I did send it.

[lonestarnot]

38. Thank you Hissyspit!

[AzDar]

39. Let's ALL do that.

[Hissyspit]

44. Good idea. n/t

[lonestarnot]

87. Done!

[Hissyspit]

41. The problem, of course, is that there is no first-hand source, just hearsay.

See my posts above. The DKos poster says he will not reveal his source, which is understandable, but also makes the claim uncorroboratory, so I don't know what Abrams would do with it.

[Hissyspit]

43. Makes you wonder just why they wouldn't let the 60 Minutes crew film Siegelman. n/t

[progressoid]

42. They don't allow stationary?

Is that normal?

Sweet Jesus our system is corrupt.

[Ghost Dog]

63. Sationery. Careful with exaggeration and/or mis-reporting here:

He apparently has access to a photocopier and the paper that goes with it, and to envelopes, postage, pen, etc... And to newspapers...

[milord]

107. be careful yourself.

You corrected progressoid's spelling of stationary, by suggesting the word should be "sationery." Close, but no cigar...try "stationery".


(edit: added poster's name, and the following comment.)

Of course, this is just chickenshit quibbling over a relatively unimportant point, compared to the rampant destruction of the constitution and law taking place here. This whole episode sounds like something that would have occurred in Papa Doc's Haiti. The judge who's holding up the release of the transcript, thus preventing Seigelman's appeal, should be disbarred, and then imprisoned.

[lisainmilo]

47. Already done....Thank you for posting

Justice MUST prevail! We need to do everything we can to get this man free. Please contact you officials, you can do it on line as well as writing a letter.


https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

[LaStrega]

50. kicking again ...

Wish I could rec again, too.

[rudy23]

51. Look how fast the NY GOP was ready to impeach Spitzer, and look at how our Dems defend Siegelman

They let Rove go on FOX News as a guest analyst.

No wonder people don't trust us to defend anything.

[fascisthunter]

53. It Amazes Me That This Democrat is Still a Political Prisoner

May the GOP get what they deserve!

[McCamy Taylor]

54. Tactic to force him to confess to cop a plea to a reduced sentence so that

the federal prosecutors and judge can not be indicted on charges related to his illegal prosecution. This is a classic. Tell him to hold firm. This means that they are desperate.

[OKthatsIT]

55. These gangsters could kill him...and walk.

That seems to be okay dokey in the USA.

[bagrman]

77. True , Life is cheap in prison, but that would be to obvious.

[Mithreal]

56. Did Congress deal to not investigate Rove if he stepped down?

"All roads lead to Rove." Apart from his bosses, worst un-indicted criminal of the 21st century?

[digidigido]

86. thought

Is it not possible that there is some intelligent thought going on here?
Look at it this way. If Rove is investigated under Bush's watch is he, or
is he not, going to get a presidential pardon? I think we all know the
answer to that one. Robert McFarlane who got pardoned for Iran Contra
by GHWB now has a company doing security in Iraq, with a $300 billion deal
Also pardoned b Bush I Elliott Abrams our Deputy National Security Advisor
for Global Democracy Strategy. In his new position, of overseeing the
National Security Council's directorate of Democracy, Human Rights, and
International Organization Affairs and its directorate of Near East and
North African Affairs.
Perhaps the democrats have learned that convicting anyone while Bush is
in power will not result in justice being served

[magellan]

57. This is horrible!

I want to ask "why is it happening?" and "why is it being allowed to continue?" but I fear I know the answers already. Are the Dems happy to let BushCo turn Siegelman into some kind of martyr? There's no excuse for their not investigating this. There's no excuse for their not investigating MANY things!!

Beatings! Corporate media silenced and silent!!

This poor man!!

WTF has this country become? (That's another rhetorical question.) The Repubs got us here, but not without the help of the Dems which often comes in the form of resounding inaction!

OUTRAGED.

[quiet.american]

58. For the life of me, I can't figure out how that greased pig Rove remains free. nt

[davidthegnome]

59. How?

How are we going to set him free? The places where the authority seems to come from are... not exactly warm, to such a cause. Innocent, imprisoned, beaten... I know he's a Governor, but this is happening to thousands of muslims in and out of our Country in the name of war on terror. Innocent people there, too, most of them.

I have no faith in the American justice system. Yes, I can write to congress, make phone calls... send emails.... and get a nice political handshake. I'm fed up, frustrated, and have no faith at all in our legal system. When I read stuff like this I want to rip my hair out. The Nazis of the modern age... fascism on the march in the name of freedom. Corruption, outrageous abuse of human rights...

Why the fuck aren't Clinton and Obama shouting about this when they get the chance to speak? Why isn't anyone who's supposedly on our side in the political realm? I'm beyond faithless, I'm disgusted, and I doubt I'm the only one.

[Jim Sagle]

60. And now we know why our DC Democrats don't fight back.

Because they'll be framed or selectively prosecuted, jailed, and beaten if they do.

And they know it.

Siegelman was the first (that we know of) and Spitzer will be the second. If I were him I'd gather up my family and flee the country. He'll save himself a lot of pain.

[Divine Discontent]

89. wow.. good point.

they will beat Spitzer if he goes to prison. They willllllllllllll. He has hurt their interests many times.

[Tarheel_Dem]

64. This is an outrage, thanks for posting HP....(eom)

[Hissyspit]

66. kick n/t

[OPOL]

67. Thank you so much Hissyspit!

I have been posting at dkos for 2 years but this diary is by far the most important I have ever posted. Don needs everyone's help. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you've done to spread the word.

And thank you to everyone who helps. None of us can afford to let this happen without setting it right.

Thank you everyone.

OPOL/One Pissed Off Liberal

[classof56]

71. Welcome to DU!

You are one of many OPOLs--let us band together to make a difference, free Don and take our country back!

Tired Old Cynic

[OPOL]

72. Thank you very much...

I am with you all the way...from one tired old cynic to another.

[Hissyspit]

103. Good to hear from you, One Pisses Off Liberal, and thank you for your original diary.

Many here have been keeping with Gov. Siegelman's case since the beginning and will not let him be forgotten . Welcome to DU!

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

68. "All Roads Lead to Rove" K&R

[newburgh]

70. I thought such "white collar" "criminals" served time in low security...

golf course facilities. What happened here?

[OPOL]

75. Forget everything you ever heard about justice in America.

It no longer exists and won't until we re-implement it, and I hope we will. In the mean time the gloves are off. They are acting more-or-less openly as criminals, and daring us to do anything about it. I hope we can muster the will to call their bluff - and since our representatives in Congress are obviously NOT going to do that, it falls to us to do it. So let's just do it.

Thank you to everyone who helps.

[KamaAina]

106. He had a (D) after his name instead of an (R)

worse still, he dared to call out Rove by name. That's what happened.

[ajamo]

73. Criminals in White House

Bush and company have their own laws, and if they want to take someone down they will do so. Same as China no damn difference.
Sad that we see this in our country, or should I say our used to be our country. It has been taken away from us the last 7 years 2 1/2 months.

[cascadiance]

74. Looking back in time, one has to wonder now what was really behind Kevin Shelley's outing...

... here in California as Secretary of State that put in Republican shill Bruce McPherson in place for two elections who helped get in their "voter verification" software here that threw out newer voting registrations when the info on voter registration forms didn't match exactly what was in the DMV database for their driver's licenses, which according to statistics threw out something like a quarter of newer registrants, and far more in areas in Los Angeles, where coincidentally there was some fraudulent voter registration activities where some paid henchmen were reregistering Democrats, sometimes unbeknownst to them as Republicans.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

The Democratic Party certainly was also weak kneed in putting up any kind of defense for Shelley then for his allegations of "wrongdoing" that allowed Arnold to make this "coup" happen to replace Shelley shortly after he was elected as Secretary of State earlier. I wonder if Shelley sensed that the machinery behind the scenes were aligned much like what was pressuring Siegelman, and therefore he felt that he needed to step down for his own good too. Part of me thinks we should investigate that situation too.

At least we now have Debra Bowen in place to have replaced that prick!

What's happened to Siegelman is so egregious. Now if we impeach AND imprison, Bush, Cheney, Rove, and the rest of Bushco, can they really complain about how we are treating "government officials" after this sort of thing has happened to this former governor? And also watching the movie "Hunting of a President", how it illustrates how shamefully they went after Susan McDougal as well.

[TacticalPeek]

76. And Scooter walks.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

78. Few stories illustrate how completely and utterly...

...corrupt/compromised our country's judicial and political systems have become. This is BushCo, yet again, pissing in our face, laughing, and then just daring us to try and do something about it.

What they've done to Siegelman is meant to serve as a message to other state government officials, and political dissenters in general as well, that challenging their totalitarian rule can/will have serious consequences. They will not set him free unless they're forced to -- we MUST somehow force them to.

What has happened to Don Siegelman could, and may soon, be any one or all of us. To let such an egregious and criminal misuse of our judicial system stand is to all but seal our own fate.

WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT LET THIS STAND.

[EFerrari]

81. I just figured out another strange aspect of this prosecution.

Siegelman was prosecuted for the very crimes his colleague in Florida actually committed. Jeb Bush actually did the things that Siegelman was charged with in both cases.

/oops

[Raster]

83. How fucking typical of the BFEE and the bush* bastards....

the country will long rue the day we allowed the bush* scourge to infiltrate American government.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

84. Good observation...

...and dare I ask, to whom does this telltale signature/style/modus operandi belong?

[EFerrari]

85. Rove, Abramoff, Bush. The Bermuda Triangle.

Karl Rove better stop asking why he should be interested in that AL election because we know the answer is Abramoff.

[orleans]

90. ...god...k&r n/t

[Uncle Joe]

91. It seems to me, this is would one reason why "Justice" wouldn't allow 60 minutes to interview him.

Kicked and recommended.

[elizfeelinggreat]

92. horrible!

I do believe this is sending a message to others who do/want to speak out.


This immediately brought to mind the talk by Naomi Wolf on The End of America.

A link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjALf12PAWc

Someone posted an interview with her on another thread that was shorter and more to the point about the steps we were going through now. (I'm sorry I lost that link)

[Dinger]

93. Done. K & R

My God, we have to do something.

[Dinger]

94. Something From The Wisconsin Forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[HowHasItComeToThis]

95. SPITZER WAS FRAMED, TOO

I WOULD BET ON IT.

[L. Coyote]

116. More likely, every major Dem is being spied on, to find one rule broken somewhere!

Then, you have a real case, if you find one. They found one, it seems.

A frame-up is what happened to Don Siegelman.
In this case, apparently, a "valid" indictable offense may exist (transporting a white slave across a state line?)!

[MissWaverly]

96. Just sent 25 bucks to the free don fund

I am going to keep the e-mail from them in my in-box so I remember to send.
First they try and convict him on nothing,
then they lead him away in shackles,
then they send him out of state to serve a harsh sentence
then they want allow him no paper to write on
now they are beating him.

[FourScore]

97. We've got to get him out of there before they kill him. n/t

[OPOL]

98. Yes! We need to free him ASAP!

Thank you again to everyone who helps.

[classykaren]

101. Yes He seems to old to survive much of that n/t

[Kurovski]

99. Disturbing on its face, and at the very least.

K&R.

[yardwork]

100. It's just incredible. They will stop at nothing.

[lovuian]

102. these are ruthless men

I would not put it past them at all

[Pastiche423]

105. Just listened to Dana Siegelman on Democracy Interactive Radio

She said the 60 Minutes segment on her father encouraged and outraged many people to write to her dad. She also said the letters are a big part of keeping him sane.

Even if it's only a line or two, it will make a big difference to Don.

On a different note - would a online petition addressed to Congress and the Judiciary Committee help?

[KamaAina]

110. Time for some serious regime change

torturing political prisoners is very definitely something the bad guys do.

This makes us the bad guys.

[better tomorrow]

111. write to Dan Abrams about this.....

he was following up on this guy. Don't know if he knows it but if all of you write to him and put some pressure on him to follow up, it might get noticed again.

His new email address is: [e-mail]

[better tomorrow]

112. write to Dan Abrams about this....

he was following up on this guy. Don't know if he knows it but if all of you write to him and put some pressure on him to follow up, it might get noticed again.

His new email address is: [e-mail]

[Rhiannon12866]

113. Yikes! This is unconscionable!

[Perry Logan]

114. This is why the left and right are going to fight.

We've got to get these degenerates out of our country.

[peacebuzzard]

115. Kick

this is unthinkable and incredible.

How low are the politics going with the general public in sleeper mode?

[metrodorus]

120. Is this for real?

I'm a supporter of Siegelman, but what's the hard evidence for this? I see nothing at Siegleman's official website.