Political Imprisonment In America In The Age Of Rove

Is there anything you grew up believing about this country that this venal, vicious, amoral cluster of bleached, hair-club-for-men victims known as "neoconservatives" and "GOP operatives" haven't destroyed?

Seriously, whether it's preemptive war, illegal wiretapping, torture, destruction of an independent press, politicization of the military and bureaucracy of government, etc., they have successfully eradicated so much of what makes this republic great, that God only knows how we will recover.

But this story is particularly sickening. It is something you might expect in the old Soviet Union, China (the GOP's favorite trading partner) or a variety of other totalitarian nations, but I never thought would happen here. I guess this cynic is still a bit naive at times (let me be clear, I know this behavior opccurred in the past--particularly in the Jim Crow South--but thought, however, we were maybe headed toward a brighter future pre-2000 election).

The gist is this: The Republicans couldn't beat Governor Don Siegelman, a Democrat in blood-red Alabama. So they imprisoned him. And a GOP operative who knows the story is coming to DC this coming week to tell all:

Alberto Gonzales is out as attorney general, but there is still a lot of questionable Justice Department activity for Congress to sort through. The imprisonment of Don Siegelman, a former Democratic governor of Alabama, should be at the top of the list. Jill Simpson, an Alabama lawyer and Republican operative, is heading to Washington this week to tell Congressional investigators that she heard prominent Republicans plotting to use the United States attorneys' offices to remove Mr. Siegelman as a political threat. The case should be the focus of a probing Congressional hearing this fall.

If this doesn't make you sick to your stomach, you're either a Maoist or a Republican (same difference these days). There are other suspicious cases as well, like at least one jailing of a high-ranking Democrat in Wisconsin, for example. In other states, these anti-democratic antics are what the fired attorneys refused to engage in, i.e. trumping up case after case against Democrats because that's how Karl Rove likes to win his elections.

What, no grandfather clause reinstatement Karl?

Now, where does that bloated slug of a corpus, Mr. Rove, come up in this matter, you may ask? Well, right here:

If Ms. Simpson is telling the truth, she provides important support for Mr. Siegelman's claim that his prosecution was political. In a sworn affidavit, she says she was on a phone call in November 2002 with Governor Riley's son, Rob Riley, and Bill Canary, a Republican political operative whose wife, Leura Canary, is the United States attorney for Montgomery. According to Ms. Simpson, they were discussing the political threat Mr. Siegelman posed, and Mr. Canary said his "girls" - his wife and Alice Martin, the United States Attorney in Birmingham - would take care of Mr. Siegelman. Ms. Simpson said Mr. Canary also said the case had been discussed with Karl Rove.

The person who needs to be in prison is Rove. If we are to have any healing and move our system back to resembling one of equality under the law and due process--you know those oh-so-unimportant aspects of the democratic process.

To quote former Ambassador Joe Wilson, a "frog-walk" for Karl Rove is would be a start. Not to mention clearing the name of Siegelman, and others like him. Hopefully, that's why Rove and Gonzales scurried out of town, because we're getting just a wee bit closer to that frog march (maybe once again, I am being naive).

Comments

[Aunt Shecky]

It is frightening to think that those in power would use Gulag-like tactics to intimidate opponents. This was a duly-elected governor, so his prominent position made him especially vulnerable.
I wonder if garden-variety private citizens or even nobodies such as I may be in danger merely for voicing an opinion. I don't want to sound paranoid, but maybe no one is safe! Intimidation again, not unlike the strategy of "evil-doers," you know who I mean-- the "T" word, and the A-Q word.
Such a Stalinesque atmosphere also will discourage qualified people from seeking elective office. Few us have immaculate pasts. I'm willing to wager that few successful men got that way without bending a couple of ethical strings. And those who succeed in politics undoubtedly have more skeletons in their closets than a fashion modeling agency. (Don't read anything into that use of the word "closet." We're done with
Larry Craig jokes for now. At least I hope so.)

[AlabamaDAVs]

"What William Canary couldn't control at the elections Leura Canary took care of in U.S. court"
U.S. Attorney Leura Canary brought the charges against Siegelman; she is married to Willian J. Canary (R) who was president and chief executive officer of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) in Washington, D.C., which represented more than 37,000 motor carriers before all branches of government. He has been a GOP operative at the highest levels since the late 80's, a key Lieutenant to Karl Rove in Alabama court races in 1994, former Chief of Staff to the Republican National Committee, and National Field Director for the Bush/Quayle Campaign.
For Bill Canary taking care of Siegelman so Bob Riley could get elected governor in 2002 and 2006, Riley appointed him to the following positions which allowed him to give up him Washington job and gives him a very comfortable yearly income:
-Boards of the Alabama Civil Justice Reform Committee
-Business Associations' Tax Coalition,
-Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama
-Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama
-Alabama Association of Automobile Manufacturers
-Alabama Technology Network
-Alabama Aerospace Industry Association.
-Governor's Commission on Efficiency
-One of three lobbyists for Gov. Bob Riley to serve on a special task force for health insurance for public employees.
-Unemployment Compensation Reform Committee,

[AlabamaDAVs]

"Top Alabama Politician Was Profiled for Almost A Decade Just Because He Was A Democrat".
Texas was controlled by the Democrat majority until the 90"s when Karl Rove ran the dirtiest smear campaigns know to the political world. The ads were so ruthless and vulgar that young children where asked to cover their eyes and ears when his ads ran. In 1994 and 1998 he was asked by Alabama Republican party"s William Canary to come to Alabama. In 1994 he ran smear campaigns against the four the Democrat AL. Supreme Court Judges. He defeated three and the fourth said that he would never run again. In 1998 William Canary asked Rove back to AL. to assist in producing more smear campaigns. Incumbent William Pryor (R ) had paid Canary $40,000 to run his campaign for AL. AG. Siegelman was the very popular Democratic who was running for governor who was promoting an education lottery as part of his campaign. Siegelman won the election for governor; however, Rove had orchestrated a plan that was executed by his Lobbyist friend Jack Abramoff in 1999 to use Choctaw Indian money to lame Siegelman and later to get Bob Riley elected governor.
The office of the AL. Attorney General has profiled Siegelman since 1998. -Bill Pryor (R) Pryor was appointed to back fill Jeff Session when he was elect to the US Senate and then he was elected to the job of Al. attorney general in 1998 (William Canary was Pryor"s campaign manager).
-Troy King (R) followed when Pryor was appointed as a Federal Judge . King was appointed to back fill Bill Pryor in 2004 when he left. King was elected to a full term in 2006.
-Both of them kept state attorneys, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and the state's Ethics Commission investigating him for years only because he was the most popular highest ranking Democratic in the state.
-Leura Canary worked for Bill Pryor from 99-01. She became US Attorney in 01.
After Leura Canary was appointed US Attorney in 2001 she continued profiling Don Siegelman.

[B8ovin]

Man I hate Republicans. I hate them so much. And I like our judicial system the way it is SUPPOSED to work. I would hate it if I ever got so cynical or obsessed about politics that I forgot the Constitution or the rule of law, like the republicans do all the time. What if I were to assume someone was guilty of a crime for political reasons rather than because I had all the facts? That would be shameful and downright neo-connish. Even if I knew a persons past behavior demonstrated political expediency above fairness, morality or even the law, I would be glad I didn't act like the people I hate and convict them before they even had a trial.

Thank god we progressives don't act like the people we know are killing this country and what it stands for.

[connski]

The Seligman setup must be thoroughly investigated. It's an egregious case of the Republicans using the neutral justice system for political ends. Their attitude is less like China, than like Pakistan, where political opponents are imprisoned and exiled.

In the same vein, Ted Olsen's participation in the vendetta against the Clintons is a good reason not to confirm him as AG. Furthermore, the very sad personal loss to Mr. Olsen of his wife on Flight 77 in the 911 attacks cannot deter Senators from tough questioning on the detention of terrorist suspects and domestic surveillance.

[drblack]

This is complete truth. The NeoCONS have destroyed American Freedom and prosperity and anyone who supported Bush or the GOP or stood by and let their DEm reps sit idly by is guilty of tearing up the Constitution and the values this country is based on.

[Thorn]

Since, as you point out, we have no freedom of speech anymore, you're pretty much screwed now for posting that.

[Thorn]

Wow. Republicans are the same as Maoists? Everything good about the country has been destroyed?

Like hyperbole much?

[BBackSoon]

You know the Vast Right Wing conspiracy is not just for breakfast anymore. It is there and it is working well. If you aren't scared you are either ignoring it or not paying attention.

As a former middle class person with a college education let me be the first to tell you that this is not hyperbole.

My raise last year was just eaten up by my health care increase. Not to mention that my electricity went up $200 a month. Now lets talk about gas, groceries and every other thing that we need to be 'Americans'. My company has near record profits and I get a 3% raise. Our CEO made out like a bandit.

I don't expect to ever be rich but I would like things to get better as I go along.

And now it turns out my government might well be watching me or want to imprison me for saying that they system is broken, or that we need a change. You call that hyperbole?

Go ahead and sit by and watch each of or liberties be taken away from us. Drive your SUV to Starbucks and watch American Idol on your plasma TV. All they need to give us is Wine and Circus and we will let them turn us into slaves if they haven't already.

When they come for you will there be anyone left to speak up?

[Thorn]

"When they come for you"? Do you seriously sit shivering in your home, terrified that the government intends to imprison you because you're critical? Jesus. I can't tell if you're unbalanced or just bizarrely self-important.

That said, you're right. Life is hell because you didn't get a big enough RAISE this year.

[BBackSoon]

Wow I have been framed as either unbalanced or self-important. Do I sit and shiver? Not just yet but if things don't change, I will.

Your arguments are decidedly offensive. You simply dismiss inconvenient facts along with these comments as anti-government propaganda and attack anyone that has a different opinion than yourself.

It appears you have heartily drank of the Kool-aid.

Mind if I ask why you are on a "Liberal" website? I mean if you so venomously disagree then why are you here except to disrupt conversations with Right Wing Talking Points?

[dexxjones]

if you dont understand the damage that has been done to dozens of government agencies, including and especially the justice department, then you need to stop ghosting liberal blogs and read more.

if you think its ok for jesus freaks and 23 yearolds to be in charge of whether people go to prison, then you really are in the wrong country. this is not a right or left issue. its an american one.

[dexxjones]

what's most frightening about this is that it happened to a former GOVERNOR. If they could so effectively, and so sloppily convict and imprisson somebody that prominent and that public, what might they do to an ordinary citizen? jose padilla comes to mind (yes i know he wasnt ordinary, but he might well as been)

the people who acted against the common good. these people who tried to ruin our country MUST be brought to justice.

if the next batch of democrats (elected in 2008 no matter what the goperverts try) do not investigate and proscecute these monsters, we must purge them as well and continue to purge until the same level of incarceration which the wingnuts are so happy to bring against pot smokers is brought to their own front door.

all their changes must be invalidated. all the crony contracts must be rescinded. all of the injuries made to the constitution repaired.

anyhing less is unacceptible.

and i am not going to want to hear about cheney's health problems (see how predictable they are?) haul his sickly ass in first and throw away the fucking key.

[BadChristian]

"Anyone can grow up to be President."

You forgot that one.

People keep saying that this isn't conservatism or Republicanism... But it is.

First you destroy the America, then you rebuild. GW just never got to the rebuilding part, or he would have had to do like his daddy, and raise taxes. Which DEFINITELY isn't Republican or Conservative... Paying for what you need is NEVER the Conservative way. You have to slick through it, or plaster over it, or ignore it and pretend there is nothing to worry about. But paying for it is the last resort. After you ask your contractor buddies for a favor in return for a deal or grease a few palms.
"No new taxes. No matter how many soldiers need medical coverage for the wars I wage, or how many bridges fall, or how many cities flood, or how many Towers fall, all on my watch. I am a conservative, and I will sign over future generations of America to the devil of debt before I spend my money for my country."

[PadrePio]

Let's hope your not being naive about getting closer to the truth but you are naive about Bushco destroying a free press. The "free press: hasn't been free since Ronnie Raygun. Look at the coverage of Monica Gate, or Al Gore sighing and wearing brown clothes, or John Kerry flip flopping and you'll see that the corporate media has been doing the bidding of the Rethugs for over a decade .

[anon004]

It says something very sad about our country that you have to even consider you might be "naive" to think that these horrendous abuses of the justice system would be prosecuted or even cause outrage. There was a time when just reporting things like this would cause someone to do something. Of course, unless you're a missing upper-class white woman, or a celebrity who died under suspicious circumstances, you can't even get covered by the MSN any more.

[BillZBubb]

Sadly, even if the Democrats prove the the RepubliCONs used the Justice Department illegally, they won't do a thing about the perpe-traitors. Gonzo and Rove et al. will get a pass, as usual.

Heck, even if the Democrats miraculously grew a pair, Bush would pardon all of the RepubliSCUM.