[This article cross-published by Salon…]
Ironically enough, I had the opportunity to speak for a few minutes with former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman in federal prison over the weekend. Siegelman, a Democrat, has so far served nearly two years for a “crime” that had never before been considered a crime before he was found guilty of it. He is likely to serve many more years in prison for the charges brought by Republicans, including a federal prosecutor whose husband was the Chief of Staff of Siegelman’s gubernatorial rival Bob Riley, a team of folks, including the judge, who are all good friends of Karl Rove and who are said to have “coached, cajoled and threatened” the star witness in the case.
Today, in the meantime, Tom DeLay, the former Republican leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, who was convicted of money-laundering hundreds of thousands of corporate dollars in Texas to give them to candidates — something which has been an actual crime for decades in the state — was acquitted of all charges by a 2 to 1 decision of a Texas appeals court.
DeLay never served a day in prison. Siegelman, on the day he was convicted, before the appeals process could even begin, was literally shackled and carted away. The basis for Siegelman’s conviction has subsequently been challenged in a letter signed by a group of 113 bi-partisan former state attorneys general.
For the record, when I spoke with Siegelman from his federal penitentiary in Oakdale, Louisiana over the weekend, he seemed to be in incredibly good spirits. At least that’s the impression he offered during our very short chat. I can only imagine how dispiriting it must be today, however, for him to read the news about DeLay.
Once again, it seems, IOKIYAR.
• My interview with Siegelman and his daughter Dana, from just over one year ago, after he had finally been released on appeal after serving nine months, and just one week prior to being ordered back to prison, can be heard right here.
• More on the continuing effort to “Free Don Siegelman” here.
• The TX appellate court’s 22-page majority opinion is here [PDF] in the DeLay case. The 8-page dissenting opinion is here [PDF].
UPDATE 9/21/13: DeLay is not entirely out of the woods yet. Here’s a more detailed explanation of the court’s decision in which the two partisan-elected Republican judges reversed the conviction, while the lone Democrat (the Chief Justice of the Third Court of Appeals in Texas) dissented. As I explain in that follow-up, the Travis County D.A. has now vowed to seek a review of the lower court’s ruling at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, though she may run into partisan concerns at that higher court as well.
A true travesty of justice
I remember back when Bush was President an appointing federal judges it was said that those appointments would be felt for years to come. I think this is a classic example of this. Laws should be the same for everyone, but they are not. The scales of justice are broken.
If it can happen to the governor, it can happen to any of us and recent police shootings of innocent people seem to bear this out. I’m at a loss for words beyond this. Incredulous. This is our country, isn’t it?
Shame on US.
A black day for justice.
Shapes of things yet to come.
Technically, DeLay was not “acquitted.” By a 2-1 decision, an intermediate state appellate court overturned his conviction, contending that there was insufficient evidence to support the conviction.
Texas could appeal that decision to the Texas Supreme Court essentially presenting the same arguments made by Judge Priest in his dissenting opinion.
It is unclear whether it will.
Ernie –
FWIW, from the TX Appellate Court ruling:
You are correct that prosecutors may ask for a review of the appellate court’s ruling.
Jesse Jackson Jr went to prison for excepting bribes, which case he should have. Now we will wait to see what happens to a Republican gov. that has taken bribes.
The prosecutor in the case indicated that definitely an appeal would take place:
(KHOU).
@Newman: No he didn’t. He was targeted for just spending his campaign money on himself is all.
He is heading to jail in November for that while Scott Walker uses public employees to run his Governor’s race 25 feet from his Milwaukee County Exec. office annd then denies any knowledge, and is not charged.
Petition by Dana Siegelman:
PETITION OBAMA
Guess who reviews the official request for Executive Clemency – a DOJ BUSHRAT of course, then Obama may see it. The same rats demanded TWENTY years at the resentencing for a ‘crime’ with zero evidence Don profited even one dollar.
Good summary here of the gory details:
Why is Don Siegelman
Don had another visitor – Gregory B. Craig.
Don appealing conviction