A 'person of interest,' I think:
Free Don Siegelman
18 hrs ·
From Oakdale Federal Prison, Governor Siegelman pays tribute to his friend, Redding Pitt, who has past away:
Redding Pitt and I met fifty years ago this month. He was struggling with a question of whether to run for SGA president at the University of Alabama. He did not. I ran the next year, and Redding's only wish was that I appoint him as Co-Chair of the Emphasis Program and to introduce Robert Kennedy when he came to campus. After RFK's address Redding and I shared the back seat, RFK between us, with Astronaut John Glenn riding shotgun, on the way back to the airport.
Redding worked for RFK's presidential campaign, did his stint in Army Intelligence and then finished law school at Boston College, marrying a beautiful young lady and having one super kid, William.
Down on his luck Redding worked for a while bartending until Edgar Weldon, former Alabama Republican Party Chair and I talked him into coming back to Alabama and working as my lawyer in the Secretary of State's Office. Redding's son, Willie would come and visit us at the capitol. Redding's genius was recognized and was hired then by Fob James' Finance Director. When I became Attorney General, I asked Redding to be my Chief Deputy. He stayed on with the AG's office until Bill Clinton appointed Redding as U.S. Attorney. Then after I was elected Governor, Redding accepted the position of State Democratic Party Chair, after I convinced him that his leadership was needed.
Redding stayed with my legal team through the prosecutorial targeting of 2004 and became a part of my trial team when I faced more politically motivated charges brought by three friends of his: Leura Canary, Steve Feaga and Louis Franklin. Redding was with me on the law but it took nearly the entire trial for him to be convinced that my charges were fabricated by people he had so trusted.
After the 2008 Presidential race, Redding and I were with President Clinton on Mobile Bay at a fund raiser to pay off the debt of Hillary's Campaign. Redding pitched Bill to go to work for the Clinton Foundation or Museum in Littlerock. Personally, I hoped Redding would find his place teaching at the college level. He had a mind for political history and was always reading more. He could and did talk for hours on end about it and I always suspected that was the key to Bill Clinton's fondness for Redding.
Redding will be missed by those who knew and cared for him. I'll be one.
Don E. Siegelman
Governor of Alabama 1999-2003, Lt. Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State, 1979-1999
http://www.wsfa.com/…/former-us-attorney-for-alabama-reddin…
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