Obama administration opposes Siegelman's appeal

[kpete]

Source: Legal Newsline

Obama administration opposes Siegelman's appeal
BY CHRIS RIZO
Don Siegelman (D)
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Disagreeing with 91 former state attorneys general, the Obama administration says former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court should be rejected.

The Obama administration says federal prosecutors have proven their bribery case against Siegelman, a Democrat. The Justice Department filed papers Friday outlining their objections to the appeal.

"Under a standard that requires not just a quid pro quo, but one that is verbally spelled out with all 'i's dotted and 't's crossed, all but the most careless public officials will be able to avoid criminal liability for exchanging official action for campaign contributions," Court papers said.

In a friend-of-the-court brief, the bipartisan group of former attorneys general said the case raises important free speech issues.

Read more: http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/224073-obama-administration-opposes-siegelmans-appeal

[fascisthunter]

1. disgusting

[mopinko]

2. so, these federal prosecutors are all new guys, not burrowed bushies?

c'mon now. let's be honest here.

[TheWraith]

11. Nope, most are still the same old guys.

Not to mention all the Bush lawyers in the DOJ, and all the Bush political appointees that were then magicked into being civil service jobs.

But hey, it's more fun to blame Obama for everything. :eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

3. What else can we expect from the same Administration that defends DOMA in the courts?

You heteros are finding out what we LGBTs learned earlier this year: Obama Administration says one thing while doing the opposite. We can't trust these guys anymore than we did Bush.

[Hawkeye-X]

4. Uh, Leura Canary is still USA there.

Still needs to be fired.

Hawkeye-X

[L. Coyote]

23. It is still the BUSH DoJ, by all appearances, esecially how Stevens was let off.

No sign of change at DoJ, that's for sure.

[rudy23]

5. Is protecting Rove part of some deal?

I hate to sound tin-foily, but I can't think of one logical reason why Obama doesn't go after an open and shut case that would put the GOP's #1 nasty henchman behind bars and send a message to the rest of them.

Seriously, something's got to be off if we're not going after Rove. Maybe the whole nature of R vs. D politics is not what we think it is. Something is up.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Republican and Democratic parties represent the ruling class

The ruling class may be divided into factions, depending as to where their own interests lie, but there is no doubt that neither of the two major parties will ever challenge the ruling class.

[Festivito]

6. Are they reading from a separate set of documents?

Or, is the appeal somehow too limited in scope?

There is something wrong here, very wrong.

[tavalon]

7. Oh, hell, what is wrong with this administration?

[IndianaGreen]

9. The ruling class decided that no Bush regime official will be prosecuted

and since both major parties represent different elements of the ruling class, perhaps a deal was struck.

[bdamomma]

22. a deal was struck??? you never know what kind of conversation

took place between Obama and Bush when the change over was taking place. Maybe the Bush administration threatened Obama. maybe I have this on :tinfoilhat:

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Of course it does. How often does any administration oppose itself?

If the Obama Administration had wanted to drop the charges, it would have done so.

[mopinko]

12. cuz king barack can do what he wants?

:eyes:

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Holder decided to drop charges against Ted Stevens:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102589818

[mopinko]

14. not because he felt like it. because

there was prosecutorial misconduct. besides, holder is not obama's "boy". his office is independent, like it is supposed to be.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. Siegelman is claiming that there was prosecutorial misconduct in his case

[Blackhatjack]

15. DISAPPOINTING. period. n/t

[SnoopDog]

16. Why? Because it could prove election fraud...

Both parties are complicit in the fraud...

[glitch]

17. They may not be ready for that can of worms.

If you are correct they will never be ready for it...

[Octafish]

29. They're also not ready to end two illegal and immoral and unnecessary wars.

You said it, glitch. It looks like they'll never be ready.

[glitch]

30. It might be easier to list the advances they are ready for.

1. ...

Pass, your turn!

[Octafish]

31. Wall Street's OK.

"Here we have the haves and the have-mores. Some call you 'the elite.' I call you, 'my base.'" — George W. Bush



Thank goodness the Elite isn't suffering.

[glitch]

32. Yet.

These extremes tend not to end well for anybody. :(

[Junkdrawer]

27. Bingo!

:(

[debbierlus]

18. Disgusting is right.

[Kingofalldems]

20. A jury convicted him says Rove's pal

He seems quite concerned about putting Gov. Siegelman back behind bars, totally disregarding the bipartisan AGs. Freepers feel the same way.

[JoeyT]

21. If you're wondering why.

It's all about precedent. No one wants to establish a system where the current rulers expose the sins of the past ones. It could turn on them far too easily. Never mind that that's *exactly* what the Republicans did to Clinton. To the point of inventing most of the sins and making mountains out of molehills with the real ones. Forget that stuff, we're going to play nice with the Republicans. After all, they've demonstrated how willing they are to act in good faith.

[bvar22]

24. !

Chump Change.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

25. More change we can believe in!

Keep it up guys.

[cascadiance]

26. So Obama why do you like CRIMINALS like Ted Stevens more than Don Siegelman?

Are you a Karl Rove and George Bush apologist/protector? Is THAT why you aren't prosecuting those bums also and avoiding investigating the mess that threw folks like Siegelman in prison?

What deals are you cutting, or who do you really represent?

To say that Ted Stevens who IS guilty of corruption should be let off the hook and keep Siegelman and those working with him in prison is what WILL lose you your constituency next election who voted you in to office to do precisely the opposite!

You owe us an explanation!

DISGUSTING!

[Octafish]

28. Karl Rove still outranks the Attorney General

Nice.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Octafish]

34. Kick because this should be important to Democrats and DUers...

And all people who give a damn about Justice.