Larisa Alexandrovna Blogs Today's Nat'l Press Club DOJ/Rove Corruption Conference

[Hissyspit]

http://www.atlargely.com/atlargely/2009/06/national-press-club-doj-misconduct-presser.

UPDATES BELOW

I am not sure if C-Span will carry it, but this morning at the National Press Club in DC there will be a presser about domestic political prosecutions under the Bush administration. Scheduled to speak are Columbia prof Scott Horton, former Mississippi supreme court justice Oliver Diaz, journalist Andrew Kreig, and whistle-blower Dana Jill Simpson and others.

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman was also scheduled to speak and was in DC already when he found out that he had an emergency legal filing back in Alabama.

If none of these names are familiar to you, read my series on DOJ misconduct:

Part 1: Political Prisoner
Part 2: Siegelman's Daughter Speaks Out
Part 3: Running Elections from the White House
Part 4: Mississippi Prosecutions
Part 5: Interview with Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver E. Diaz, Jr.
Part 6: Break-Ins Plague Targets of Political Prosecutions
Part 7: Justice for Sale

Judge who denied Paul Minor's release protoge of Karl Rove
DOJ Investigating 2 US Attorneys in alleged political prosecutions
60 Minutes signal dropped in Alabama only during Siegelman portion
Interview with Dana Jill Simpson on Karl Rove's alleged smears
Karl Rove's next move: A Million Dollar House in Florida
Abramoff said he had agreement with White House aid regarding communications
Treasury Department investigating US Attorney for sharing private income tax returns of a case target.

UPDATE
C-Span 3 is carrying it

UPDATE II
Scott Horton is up now speaking about the systematic use of prosecutorial powers for partisan (rather than legal) reasons during the Bush years. 

UPDATE III

House Judiciary Committee councel Elliot Mincberg is speaking now. Says the HJC has gotten Bush admin WH documents relating to the firing of US attorneys, but that those documents won't be released until after all the interviews are over - Harriet Miers, Karl Rove, et al.  He is also getting into various other DOJ scandals, including torture and such.

He was asked about inherent contempt charges against those who refuse to appear and testify before Congress. He is not really answering the question, but the bottom line is that it appears that Conyers is not willing to use the inherent contempt option.

UPDATE IV

Judge U.W. Clemen, Alabama's first African American judge with 30 years on the bench, is now speaking. He is speaking about US Attorney Alice Martin. See Part I link above for the summary. He is explaining how Alice Martin (with the help of the Birmingham News) shopped for the "right" judge to take the Siegelman case to. Astonishing stuff.

UPDATE V

Charles Walker Jr., the son of former Georgia state Senate majority leader who is in prison because of alleged political prosecutions is speaking now.  I have not covered this case, so I cannot say one way or another as I can with Don Siegelman's case or Paul Minor's case.

UPDATE VI

Reagan Assistant Attorney General, Bruce Fein, is now speaking.

UPDATE VII

Former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz is now up talking about his case and that of Paul Minor, et al. This is very moving. Paul Minor's daughter is there in the audience. Oh, I just got a shout out. Thank you.

[madfloridian]

1. Recommended. Will help keep this kicked.

I had no idea this was going on. Thanks for posting.

[Hissyspit]

10. VIDEO HERE:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5935972&mesg_id=5935972

[babylonsister]

2. Rec'd. Maybe C-Span will show it this weekend. nt

[annabanana]

7. Let me know if you catch their schedule... I've been in and out all day

and I missed it.

[Hissyspit]

11. Coming on in about 15 minutes, I think:

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=schedule

[WhiteTara]

3. kicking for justice

:kick:

[Senator]

4. K&R

[pacalo]

5. Alabama DOJ manuevered an "emergency legal filing" for Siegelman today, eh?

Why are those corrupt, manipulating people still in charge???

:banghead:

[Hissyspit]

6. Intersting, isn't it?

I wish this were getting more attention.

[merh]

8. It did air live on CSpan3 this morning

and the recorded video can be viewed at Cspan3 now.

McClendon Group Forum on Dept. of Justice Misconduct
Today

The Sarah McClendon Group holds a forum on alleged-selective prosecutions by the Justice Department during the Bush administration. Speakers include Judiciary Cmte. Counsel Elliot Mincberg, who substituted for Chairman Conyers and fmr. Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz, who was twice acquitted on tax and corruption charges.
Washington, DC : 3 hr. 15 min.

[merh]

9. Seigleman's co-defendant, Scrushy asks judge for new trial in bribery case

Scrushy asks judge for new trial in bribery case

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy says he was a victim of selective prosecution when he was convicted of bribery in 2006 and has asked a Montgomery federal judge to grant him a new trial.

Scrushy filed the motion Friday claiming that he and former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman were convicted in the federal government corruption case because the U.S. Justice Department was trying to prevent Siegelman, a Democrat, from defeating Republican Gov. Bob Riley in the 2006 election.

The motion cites numerous allegations that have surfaced since the trial and that led to a House committee investigation and Justice Department review of possible political interference.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8579419