Rove is a 'two-headed rattlesnake' says former Ala. Gov. Siegelman David Edwards and Rachel Oswald

Published: Friday March 6, 2009





Print This Email This Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, himself a purported victim of the machinations of Karl Rove, urged Congressional patience when it comes time to interview the former top Bush strategist of his alleged role in the politicalization of the Justice Department.



But his calls to the House Judiciary Committee to take its time in building its case against Rove didn't stop him from calling Rove a "double-headed rattlesnake" in a Thursday phone interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow.



"Karl Rove is like a double-headed rattlesnake," said Siegelman, a Democrat. "You have to back him into the corner before you get anything out of him."



For this reason Siegelman urged that Congress not rush to interrogate Rove now that he has finally agreed to answer questions reports The Washington Post about his role in the 2006 bribery conviction of Siegelman.



"I think that rushing through this is not going to instill faith in the American people that we've done a good job. I would encourage Congress to take their time and to look at other people who also can lay the foundation to put Karl Rove in check," said the former governor, noting that Rove "didn't fire these U.S. attorneys on his own. He didn't plot the prosecution of Democrats by himself."



After serving as governor from 1999 to 2003, Siegelman was found guilty of seven counts of bribery and related charges in 2006. He was sentenced to more than seven years in prison but he only served nine months after an appellate judge cited "substantial questions" in his case, reported The Post.



Siegelman urged Congress to subpoena the telephone records and e-mails between Karl Rove and the A.G. of Alabama who launched the bribery investigation. He also suggested that the e-mails and phone records of Bill Canary, husband of U.S. Attorney Leura Canary, the prosecutor in his case also be subpoenaed. Siegelman said Canary was Rove's closest friend in Alabama.



"There are other people in Alabama who have knowledge of this prosecution," Siegelman said. "Those people should be brought before the committee and should be asked to tell the truth under oath and under penalty of perjury. "



Raw Story's own Larisa Alexandrovna's has closely followed the Siegelman case. Her investigative stories on it can be read here.



This video is from MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show, broadcast Mar. 5, 2009.









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