Jailed governor Siegelman says Rove subpoena 'restores people's faith in democracy'

John Byrne and Larisa Alexandrovna

Published: Tuesday January 27, 2009





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Alabama Governor Don Siegelman had it all -- popularity, a governor's chair and a seemingly normal politician's life -- until he found himself on the other end of a US Attorney appointed by President George W. Bush.



Siegelman, who was convicted of corruption charges in 2006, was released on bail last April pending appeal after media reports -- including those of Raw Story -- revealed myriad irregularities surrounding his prosecution.



Among the relevations: the husband of the US Attorney who prosecuted Siegelman was a close associate of former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove and worked as campaign manager for one of Siegelman's gubernatorial opponents. An Alabama Republican whistleblower said that Siegelman was deliberately targeted and fingered Rove, asserting that he'd said he'd push the Justice Department to end Siegelman's political career.



In a statement to Raw Story Monday night, Siegelman expressed hope that Rove's alleged role in his prosecution might be uncovered.



"Chairman Conyers and the House Judiciary Committee's subpoena of Karl Rove

gives hope to those who want to know the extent of Karl Rove's abuse of

power and his misuse of the Department of Justice as a way to win elections," Siegelman said. "Chairman Conyers' action gives meaning to the change that has been ushered in by the election of President Obama."



"I am sure that I speak for millions of U.S. citizens when I say that I am

grateful for Mr. Conyers' determination to seek the truth," he added. "Those who abused their power must be held accountable otherwise their misuse of power will be more likely to happen again.



"Our democracy has been threatened by the use of the Department of Justice as a political weapon," he continued. "Chairman Conyers' action will serve to protect our democracy and restore people's faith that no man is above the law."



Raw Story's Larisa Alexandrovna was nominated for best investigative reporting in the small site category for the Online News Association's journalism award in 2008 for her work on Siegelman's case. Links to several stories in her 2007-2008 series, "The Permanent Republican Majority," follow.



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