Karl Rove Destroyed My Life

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-12-20/karl-rove-destroyed-my-life

Karl Rove Destroyed My Life
By Paul Alexander, The Daily Beast. Posted December 27, 2008.

How a former governor -- and a rising star in the Democratic Party -- ended up mopping floors in prison and how he's fighting to get out.

Last week, Al Gore sent an email message urging supporters to give money to Don Siegelman's legal defense fund. Gore is the latest in a string of high profile supporters to suggest Siegelman, the former Governor of Alabama, was the victim of a Republican plot when he was found guilty of bribery, conspiracy and fraud in 2006, and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Now, in the waning days of the Bush administration, Siegelman is trying to win back his freedom -- not to mention his good name -- in a courtroom in Atlanta. Earlier this year, an appeals court granted his release after he had served nine months, saying the Governor's appeal had raised "substantial questions" about the case against him. Siegelman's cause was helped by a bipartisan group of 54 former state attorneys general from across the country who filed a federal appeals brief supporting his bid to overturn the conviction. Republican insiders have also come forward to say Siegelman was unfairly targeted by Rove and his circle.

Making it in prison depends on one's level of tolerance. I'm used to mopping in my wife's kitchen. It was just a bigger floor.

Siegelman's appeal was heard earlier this month and the verdict will determine whether he returns to prison to finish out his sentence, or goes free.

- snip -

QUESTION: First, was the act for which you and Richard Scrushy convicted actually a crime?

SIEGELMAN: Fifty-four state attorneys general filed a friend of the court brief stating that it has never been a crime in America for a politician or a public official to appoint a contributor to anything, whether it's ambassador or cabinet member or a member of a board or an agency. The only thing that is a crime is if you swap a position for money. And there has got to be an express agreement that's provable. Otherwise, the United States Supreme Court says it's an infringement on a person's first amendment right to freely associate and make contributions.

QUESTION: The case with you and Scrushy seems especially weak.

SIEGELMAN: Scrushy had just recently resigned from the board and the person I had defeated, Job James, had appointed one of Scrushy's vice presidents to the position. When I got elected I called Scrushy and said, "I want you to serve in my administration like you did in three previous administration." And he said, "Oh, Governor, do I have to? I just resigned from that board. Can't I get you the name of somebody?" I said, "Nope, it's either you or nobody." So he went onto the board reluctantly. And this poor guy is still in prison today.

QUESTION: Many observers believe he is because he would not cooperate with the prosecution to convict you.

SIEGELMAN: In an effort to get me, the prosecution went to Scrushy before they indicted him and said, "Just tell us Siegelman extorted the money; just tell us he twisted your arm." He said, "I can't do that because that's not what happened." They went to him after he was indicted and said, "Okay, we will give you another chance. Tell us Siegelman twisted your arm and tried to extort money." He said, "I can't say that because that's not what happened." During the trial, he was sitting at the defense table, and they came and got him again and gave him a third chance to throw me under the bus by lying for the prosecution and he wouldn't do it. This is not the way the justice system in this country is supposed to work.

- snip -

QUESTION: You have claimed Karl Rove was a driving force behind your prosecution.

SIEGELMAN: We know from documentary evidence and from testimony that Rove was involved in the firing of the US attorneys and he's been identified at the scene of the crime in my case. We know that others worked with Rove to carry out his conspiracies to subvert our system of justice and to abuse the power of his office and to misuse the power of the Department of Justice for political purposes.

QUESTION: Some people believe Rove wanted your political career damaged because of your standing in the Democratic Party.

SIEGELMAN: I had endorsed Al Gore in 2000 -- the first governor to do so -- and it wasn't long after that that they started the investigation. I had made plans after my 2002 re-election -- which I ultimately lost because of the bad press generated by these investigations -- to hit the primary states. I had been secretary of state for eight years, attorney general for four years, lieutenant governor for four years, and governor for four years -- I had all these friends around the country -- so I thought I could gin up a campaign not for me but against George W. Bush, against his war, against his economic policies, and against his education policies.

- snip -

QUESTION: Tell me about the charge of obstruction of justice for which you were convicted.

SIEGELMAN: The obstruction of justice charge is ludicrous. Honda Motor Company offered to give me a motorcycle. Now if I had taken it, they may have had a case—Siegelman took a motorcycle, an unpaid gift—but I said no to Honda and bought the motorcycle. The prosecution in my case ended up convicting me for accepting a campaign contribution to a lottery and paying for a free motorcycle.

QUESTION: What are your feelings about your appeal?

SIEGELMAN: I am not worried one way or the other. I hope and believe that the Eleventh Circuit will see through this and reverse and rescind, which means they’ll acquit me of the charges. If not, it’s another fight the Good Lord has put me into and there’s a reason for it. There are enough people in America made aware of Rove’s shenanigans in this case, we’d have a good fight on our hands.

MORE

A president can pardon anyone at anytime correct?

Can Obama pardon these two from day one?

Pardons are for guilty people.

This conviction needs to be overturned. Vacated. The slate wiped clean.

And then that sumbitch needs to sue, sue, sue and be heavily, indeed onerously, compensated for his pain and suffering.

restitution.

These criminals need to be exposed and their money taken away from them for there to be justice.

he should be exonerated BOTH NOW AND THEN!

AND brought into the Dem fold with accolades. (And a job at DOJ???)

Overturning his conviction would be the same as saying it never happened. It would be a "both now and then" situation.

He's not a good fit at DOJ. They'll find something for him, I'm sure.

Why NOT a 'good fit' at DOJ? Lots of work to be done there, corruption-wise.

AND Dems only helped get him out after the PUBLIC raised a big stink.

And he's not a good fit at DOJ. He just isn't.

Obama's already put two GOP personnel on his cabinet. He's doing the "inclusive" thing. A DOJ appointment will be seen as confrontational, divisive, and "in your face," and his enemies will say "Where there was smoke, there was fire" regardless of the evidence, or lack thereof, against him.

He's a symbol. He'd be better off doing policy work or think tank stuff. It's a fine living but not "too close."

Unless, of course, he wanted to start building a nest egg and organization to make a senate run in future...he may decide that's where his interests lie.

I meant that it was NOT the DEM party that helped get him out, UNTIL the Dem Public make a stink.

'He just isn't' suited for DOJ doesn't do it for me.

I'd like him to be 'out there' somewhere, so he COULD make a run for the Senate in the future, but as he's been a successful governor, maybe something else making use of his known skills.

He's been subjected to the worst of the system's punishments for being successful in the 'enemy's' territory, and we really should do something for and with him.

And that said, Obama won't touch this guy with a ten foot pole. Disabuse yourself of the notion. He's still under a legal cloud, no matter how unjust it is. He is a symbol, as well as a victim, of extreme partisanship.

Obama wants to be the Reacher-Across-The-Aisle. Hiring this guy ain't the way to do that.

If you want this guy in elected public life, work on his Senate Exploratory Committee.

Forego the trial, deport the entire maladministration to the Hague for proper war crime tribunal.

Hawkeye-X

He's not a KING.

We didn't hire him to be King. And we don't need to subordinate ourselves to international authorities, who make plenty of mistakes and do illegal and stupid things, themselves.

We've had ENOUGH excesses and abuses of power during the Bush years.

How about we actually let our SYSTEM work, for a change? That, to me, would be .... refreshing.

Are you saying that a pardon is not appropriate for someone who was incorrectly convicted of a crime? That doesn't seem to make any sense.

How old are you? Don't you remember NIXON? The slip of paper that Ford carried around? The ad-infinitum discussion of "What does a pardon entail?"

In order to accept a pardon, a person must also accept the concept of THEIR GUILT.

You don't pardon innocent people. You get them another day in court, you get their convictions overturned and their sentences vacated, and you get them their good name back. You get a higher court to say "This person was WRONGFULLY CONVICTED." See?

It makes TOTAL SENSE--unless you want the gentleman in question to confess to his "crime" and repent of it, or merit forgiveness as a result of his good works.

Justice for Don Siegelman.

Seigelman is just the most visual - there are others serving time because they were too liberal ... because they supported the democratic party

Happy Holidays :hi:

:hug:

some more than others. The country will pay for decades for Rove's unscrupulous, callous political machinations. For decades.

Obama needs to overide this if possible.

The President intends to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts:
–Condoleezza Rice, of California, for the remainder of a six-year term expiring 09/01/14;

Karl's Florida beachhouse will be owned by Don S.

of prisons.

Besides Rove has 24/7 security and needs to live behind walls.

My dream is that he is arrested live on Fox news and dragged off
to jail .... that son of a bitch has hurt so many.

The man is the Antichrist. I despise him.

He has had to fight this battle pretty much on his own. Glad Gore spoke up, wish others would.

Recommended this earlier.

the list is long

thank you for keeping the light shined on these injustices

peace~

a hot lead enema.

Read Bush's Brain?

he could have abused, attempted to abuse or rape children and gotten off with probation.

Thanks for the thread, Hissyspit.

ya know, I think most of the country sees this double standard bullying crap the rw does, but the people that don't...like my bro-in-law....phew, I just don't get where their heads are at...

well, hold on a sec, I do....heh heh....
I mean I don't get how....
oh you know what I mean....


hello Uncle Joe
:hi:

Happy New Years to you.:hi:

pattern where exit polls put Siegelman ahead in the early evening only to have the small lead turn to a narrow loss to Riley by the next AM.

Lots of Bush and Iran-Contra gang ties to AL. Lots of ties to stuff that does not make sense based upon what is known.

Natalee Holloway is high weirdness too.

Fuck you, Bush.

Fuck you, Bush.

...and Republicans who weren't crooked.

From the OP:

QUESTION: Many observers believe he is because he would not cooperate with the prosecution to convict you.

SIEGELMAN: In an effort to get me, the prosecution went to Scrushy before they indicted him and said, "Just tell us Siegelman extorted the money; just tell us he twisted your arm." He said, "I can't do that because that's not what happened." They went to him after he was indicted and said, "Okay, we will give you another chance. Tell us Siegelman twisted your arm and tried to extort money." He said, "I can't say that because that's not what happened." During the trial, he was sitting at the defense table, and they came and got him again and gave him a third chance to throw me under the bus by lying for the prosecution and he wouldn't do it. This is not the way the justice system in this country is supposed to work.

Thank you, Hissyspit! K&R51

Scare. E. Not You. Them.

It is not just important in my eyes because I am a resident of Alabama. It is important because allowing these convictions to stand would be setting a bar for what an administration can get away with that is too high for a democracy to withstand. Fascism is the next notch.

Like it not, Siegelman is a crook.

You don't know what you're talking about.

Know your BFEE

The Bush Justice Department sent an innocent man to jail for political reasons. That's TREASON.

PS: Welcome to DU, littlecryinggirl. Nice handle.

:rofl: NOT ONLY WRONG -- BUT HYSTERICAL!

Could you provide us with some evidence beyond the half-arsed bullshit introduced at his trial?

:rofl:

So, tell us what you think about Bush and his crooked ways.

We're all ears.

Did it mean anything?

Did it get you anything other than a string of people disagreeing with you?

Rove was in my Dream the other night:puke:

In my dream I was sitting at a table with Rove and he asked he why I didn't like him. I told him he was an EVIL bastard. And that he personally destroys peoples lives for political ambitions.

I left the table while yelling at him "FUCK YOU KARL ROVE, FUCK YOU!

Apparently, my outburst spread around the world and whenever anyone saw Karl they would shout at him "FUCK YOU KARL ROVE, FUCK YOU!


I believe to this day my family member was threatened by Rove. He still won't disclose everything about his involvement, although he told us at the time what he did for Karl and that he was contacted by someone who threatened his life.

All these creeps ARE COWARDS!


edit: typo

FUCK YOU KARL ROVE, FUCK YOU!

I've had the same dream.



They don't call him "Bush's Brain" for nothing. The entire body is treasonous.

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"for a politician or a public official to appoint a contributor to anything, whether it's ambassador or cabinet member or a member of a board or an agency. The only thing that is a crime is if you swap a position for money."

Those are the same thing in my book. They paid you money, you appointed them. The only difference is the level of plausible deniability on what the money was "contributed" for.

A lot more politicians would be in jail if it were enforced so, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

The Rethuglicans must have something on Pelosi. Why else wouldn't she have held a vote to hold Rove in contempt?

Figuratively, not anatomically. I say this because the Democratic House and Senate have been full of talk but little real action when it comes to fighting Bush. The Democrats who do have balls (both figuratively and anatomically), like Kucinich, get ignored.