Siegelman Prosecution Questions Answered on '60 Minutes'
February 24th, 2008The CBS magazine show “60 Minutes” showed that the Siegelman prosecutors suppressed exculpatory evidence and lied about it to a federal judge, according to a key lawyer who reviewed the evidence in advance.
“This is devastating,” he said. “For the DOJ to fail to deny accusations of serious prosecutorial misconduct is a BIG DEAL. This is beyond smoke, it’s a raging five-alarm fire.”
Certain sources are urging people to send mails to CBS news congratulating them on running this piece and asking for more from the extensive outtakes. They can send notes to CBS using the “Contact Us” comment function at the bottom of this CBS Web page.
The transcript can be found in the comments section on the previous post.
If you have comments about the show, the blackout of the show in North Alabama or questions for Glynn Wilson, fire away…
Since Scott Horton at Harpers.org does not take comments, if you want to comment or ask about his piece:
CBS Alleges More Misconduct in Siegelman Case
Or, if you have comments or questions on Jill Simpson’s appearance on Dan Abrams’ legal show on MSNBC, post them here and help us set the record for blog comments in Alabama…
Or Scott Horton’s latest piece here:
The Great Tennessee Valley Blackout
Feel . . . free . . . to . . . comment . . . here . . .
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February 24th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I have now about 30 e-mails from people in North Alabama who are fit to be tied since CBS was blacked out on the local affiliate stations across the entire region and could not see the show.
This blurb has now been sent out…
60 Minutes Programming Note
February 24, 2008
We apologize that you missed the first segment of 60 Minutes tonight featuring “The Prosecution of Don Siegelman.”
It was a techincal problem with CBS out of New York. We are working with them right now to see if we can re-broadcast the segment.
Please be patient with us during this time. We are doing our best to correct the problem.
February 24th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
It went out fine in East Birmingham, and we’ve got it saved on the Charter DVR box…
February 24th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Glynn, we also have it saved! Wonderful, wonderful.
February 24th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
So many people didn’t get to see it, it should raise eyebrows. Will the local press cover it as well as the GOP position?
February 24th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
The spin has already begun…
Alabama GOP disputes former campaign worker’s claims on CBS show
February 24th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
WHNT in Huntsville is owned by Oak Hill Capital aka Robert M. Bass, personal friend of George W. Bush.
Of course, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you folks about the Bass Brothers.
This was no accident.
If I were in the Huntsville area, I’d be filing complaints with the FCC.
February 24th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Maybe this will make people finally wake up and realize our democracy has been hijacked. Perhaps the Bass brothers … made a bigger mistake than they think…
February 24th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Here’s a link to pass on to those affected by the blackout. I don’t trust them (channel 19) to replay the entire segment.
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml
February 24th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I’m being told they are going to re-air it on 19.
February 24th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
The sheer number of GOP factions that refused to make comments, or denied off camera any culpability in the prosecution speaks volumes. While 60 Minutes did a competent enough job in the basic reporting they left open the proper suspicions of much that is wrong in politics. Everyone from a convicted felon who lied about the check from Scrushy to Karl Rove’s denials.
Well, Karl is not the most reliable person to believe on much of anything and now he is a FOXNews contributer, so figure that out for yourself. There is plenty more to come out if Simpson and others stay the course. The first part of the battle is over; getting a network audience but the blackouts – at least not in South Carolina – are too convenient to be anything other than a media outlet’s censorship of what it wants, or does not want, seen by its audience.
February 24th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Glynn, Just curious if Jill Simpson told you about the allegations of Karl Rove asking her to investigate Siegelman’s sex life as heard on the 60 Minutes segment. If so, why was it not reported in your original series?
February 24th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Good question Henry.
Yes, I’ve heard all the gory details about that all the way back to June, when I first made the trip to Rainsville and did the first in-person, on-the-record interview with Ms. Simpson. But the fact of the matter is, as she said, she was not able to dig up any proof of the scurrilous charges, and the sex angle, to me, was not at the top of the list of things to report when the story first came to light about her affidavit and the phone call.
The producers at 60 Minutes used it to show Karl Rove for the sleaze ball political dirty trickster that he is, which he learned right here in Alabama. And in spite of his denials, Ms. Simpson can prove phone contact with him and Rob Riley with phone records, which have been in the hands of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington since she went there last fall to testify and turn over documents related to her sworn affidavit.
I saw the proof before I wrote the original five part series for The Locust Fork Journal and the stories for The Progressive Populist newspaper and The Nation magazine still linked here in the archives and from the news page.
In fact, I heard all the rumors about this in 2004, when I was in Montgomery researching the Bush AWOL story.
Funny that the Bush Justice Department, even under AG Mukasey, still refuses to turn over all its documents related to the investigation to Congress. And isn’t it interesting about the missing e-mails?
Funny also that the right-wing nut job bloggers seem to be in hiding tonight, or they all may be down there at Rosemary Beach in Florida at Karl’s place getting coked up and briefed and ready for Monday’s onslaught of bullshit spin.
Maybe the Take Back the Highways state troopers need to put them under surveillance and cut off their source : )
If Newsweek and Fox keep Rove on after this, and if he’s not indicted for failing to cooperate with Congress, now there will be a miscarriage of justice.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
WHNT-TV President and General Manager replies to blackout letters…
Dear Christopher and Pam,
I can certainly understand your reason for being upset with us. Tonight at approximately 6 pm, WHNT lost the network feed of 60 Minutes for twelve minutes at the beginning of a segment on former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman. Upon investigation, WHNT learned that the CBS receiver that allows us to receive programming from the CBS Network’s New York feed failed. WHNT engineers responded as quickly as possible to diagnose the problem and were able to restore the feed at 6:12 pm. I would like to personally extend my sincere apologies to you both and all of our viewers across the Tennessee Valley. Therefore, we will air the segment in its entirety tonight during the 10 pm news.
Again, I hope you’ll accept my apology for the unfortunate timing of our technical problems tonight. If you can’t catch our 10 pm News tonight, simply go to http://www.whnt.com and towards the bottom, click “Watch CBS Shows” then News, then 60 Minutes.
Sincerely,
Stan Pylant
President, General Manager
WHNT-TV
Huntsville, AL
February 24th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Could not agree more and the missing emails only support again how selective evidence collection and storage can be; if it helps the cause it is kept otherwise. You know that stuff is out there in a mis-assigned evidence box somewhere waiting to be eaten by a litter of rat babies. The sex angle proves something else; slimers like Rove always go for the salacious aspect because the average schmuck cares more about whether someone is having an affair than the corrupt system of justice that is targeting anyone and everyone that is in their high powered sight.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Right…
February 24th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Statement of Dana Siegelman, Daughter of Governor Don Siegelman
February 24, 2008
Our family grows more and more outraged with each revelation showing that – for 8 years – my father has been targeted for political reasons -. America should never lose sight of the tragic fact that while the world is just now discovering the corrupt tactics used by the Justice Department in their pursuit of Don Siegelman, our Dad is in a Federal Prison where he has been for eight months. He has not been allowed to be free while he appeals his case and he remains unable to appeal his conviction because there is no trial transcript – even though his trial ended over 600 days ago.
The new revelations by “60 minutes” sit on top of the mountain of evidence already in existence that shows the Justice Department illegally targeted my father. Testimony before the House Judiciary Committee showed that the prosecutors in Alabama were not going to prosecute my father but were told by the Justice Department to do whatever it took to bring Dad down. Adam Zagorin at TIME Magazine reported that during the investigation, prosecutors discovered – and ignored – evidence against a Republican US Senator and Alabama’s Republican Attorney General. Most egregious in this episode is the fact that the Justice Department officials and investigators involved in that investigation continued to pursue Dad in the face of their blatant conflicts of interest that should have removed them from the case. In the Siegelman case and in other Alabama cases, affidavits and information has come to light showing that investigators threatened, intimidated, and coached witnesses to incriminate Don Siegelman. The revelations in the “60 Minutes” report cries out for an independent investigation of this case and the immediate release of my Dad.
My family’s question to the Congress is “how much evidence will be enough?”. The US Attorney apparatus in Alabama is corrupted and only an outside, independent investigation will right this grievous wrong.
Had the US Attorneys in this case followed the rule of law and the code of conduct for US Attorneys, there is no reason to believe that my Father would have ever ended up in a federal courtroom – much less in a prison cell. The question that needs to be answered is did the prosecutors and the Department of Justice violate the law in pursuit of my Dad, and if so why is my father still in prison?
Our family implores the Congress to initiate an independent investigation to once and for all expose the crimes of the Justice Department personnel in Alabama and Washington who had a hand in this grave injustice.
February 24th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Monday Night: Dan Abrams on MSNBC 8 pm CST
Guests: Siegelman Attorney and Former US Attorney Doug Jones and Jill Simpson
February 24th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Problem is, the unconvinced and unknowing needed to see the first 12 minutes. We the convinced can find the feed elsewhere on line, but the audience that should have seen it will not search for it.
Deirdra Fleming
February 25th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Mr. Pylant,
While I appreciate your emailing an explanation to Mrs. Miles and Mr. Mosley about Channel 19′s failure to broadcast the majority of the “60 Minutes” story on Governor Siegelman, I am very disappointed in Channel 19′s having technical difficulties at exactly 6 P.M. on this particular story.
I also appreciate your decision to air the segment at 10 P.M.; however, the majority of viewers on your top-rated station turn off their televisions at or before the conclusion of the 10 P.M. News. Since you are the most viewed station in the Tennessee Valley, which is also the region with a large number of Democratic Party voters in Alabama, it is most unfortunate that thousands of interested citizens were denied the opportunity to see this program during prime-time viewing.
Showing the Alabama-related part of “60 Minutes” at the regularly scheduled broadcast time next week or in the immediate future would be an appropriate response by Channel 19.
Nancy Worley
Vice Chair
Alabama Democratic Party
AND North Alabama Native/Resident
February 25th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I have a question. What is going to happen to the DOJ attorneys in Alabama and their cases if a Democratic administration takes over? Shouldn’t they be concerned about this? Any thoughts on this subject are greatly appreciated?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:15 am
The political appointees, like Alice Martin and L. Canary, will be shown the door. Some political prosecutors, like Feaga, might stay on, or take early retirement.
Obviously, the priorities of cases will change, just like federal policies at all levels will change once we get rid of king wannabe George W. I doubt we will see another administration in our lifetimes as hell bent on political loyalty as the chief policy concern and willing to skirt the law at every level to achieve political ends.
For a good book on this, look up David Burnham’s “Above The Law.” It details the case of the Reagan appointed U.S. attorney in Birmingham who went after Birmingham Mayor Richard Arrington in the 1980s, and never got a thing on him, and former Alabama Governor Guy Hunt, who should have been indicted instead of elected the first time.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Mr. Wilson, I understand that political appointees leave on changes in administrations. Perhaps I wasn’t clear. Scott Horton at Harpers has been detailing for months the extent of political prosecution (as he sees it) in Alabama. These prosecutions (according to Mr. Horton) continue (Sue Schmitz, etc.). If this misconduct is as great as is being implied, how can the attorneys who caused this just walk away? What about the documents? What about the people already in jail? All this will just go away when administrations change?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Well, there should be investigations by the DOJ, the Congressional oversight committees, maybe even a special prosecutor. But if you had been following all the public appearances of Bush’s new attorney general, Michael Mukasey (which we have covered here) so far he has refused to investigate anything that happened before he was appointed by Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. We don’t know the extent to which the new Democrat president or Congress will be willing to go back and investigate.
If you are asking about what happens to Don Siegelman, that will be up to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta now. Thanks to judge Fuller and the death of a court reporter in Montgomery, it will still be the end of March before the appeals court has a chance to see the two-year old trial transcript and then fully rule on the appeal. But the three judge panel could decide to release Siegelman on appeal bond based on the latest motion to do so by his attorneys.
The CBS show “60 Minutes” does not have the moral authority and power it had in the past, but you can bet the judges are aware of the show and also the mood in Congress and the country. If they don’t do the right thing, it will be up to the U.S. Supreme Court. If, due to Bush’s new nominees on the high court, that body doesn’t do the right thing, then there’s always the option of a presidential pardon.
As for the documents, either they will be preserved as they should be for a future investigation, or they will be destroyed, like the missing e-mails. There is one set of records in Montgomery that could shed light on this case, but so far, none of the investigative bodies or lawyers have listened to my request that they be subpoenaed and protected.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:49 am
The Birmingham News speaks…
Republican Questions Case Against Siegelman
Note that Louis Franklin will not speak with CBS on the record, will not submit to a taped interview, will not speak to national media – but he gets quoted continuously in the Birmingham News. Strike you as a bit odd? It well reflects the open working relationship between Leura Canary’s office and two newspapers – the Birmingham News and Mobile Press-Register, each of which continuously reported confidential grand jury materials which could only have been secured from Franklin or those working with him. And note that Franklin’s statements here are all either hyperbole or falsehood. In particular, his statement about the Nick Bailey notes – which CBS, I and others have investigated in detail – are falsehoods. But this is par for the course.
S. Horton
February 25th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Question:
What is Jill Simpson’s background, and motivation? Why is she so willing to testify against Rove, given that she seems to have been eager to be on the payroll? I read somewhere that her house burned down after she started talking. Is this true?
Scott Horton: thanks so much for your courageous reporting. Why are so few journalists covering this story? Do you think this will change?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Another thing that can be done is to flood U.S. Attorney General Mukasey with demands that Don’s case be re-opened and the exculapatory evidence brought forward.
His address is as follows: Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001.
Mukasey, unlike his unlamented predecessor, is actually a former federal judge and might sit up and take notice if a lot of people write, especially if there just happens to be strong evidence of prosecutorial misconduct. Let’s also direct him to the CBS website video of the 60 Minutes report on Don just in case he missed the program.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Alex:
It is so interesting to finally see so many people getting interested in this story we’ve been covering here on this site since last June. We explained the motivation in the very first five part series we did on this story, and in other publications. For all the newcomers here, we’ve linked to these archives many times before, but here they are again.
For anyone who wants to see the definitive work on this story, we invite you into the archives here. And maybe this will help those other bloggers who can’t seem to nail down the timeline of events in this story.
Jill Simpson’s Affidavit May Help Justice Prevail in the Siegelman, Scrushy Case
Scott Horton: Justice in Alabama
Justice Off the Tracks in Alabama
The Nation: A Whistleblower’s Tale
If you just can’t get enough of the story, here’s the link to our entire archives on the case going all the way back to the Scrushy trial in Birmingham, which I covered for the New York Times.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Also for Alex:
I’m sure Scott Horton appreciates the kind words. I will pass them along. It is doubtful 60 Minutes would have taken on this story without his involvement.
February 25th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Let your local newspaper know how you feel as well, if you subscribe to one. And don’t forget AP and the TV news stations. We have documented over and over again the local corporate media’s role in driving this story away from the truth.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
If you have high speed internet service, you can view the entire 60 Minutes story on Don Siegelman at the following web site:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/21/60minutes/main3859830.shtml
I think that Channel 19 out of Huntsville had a “political” problem rather than a “technical” problem. I still have my antenna working and quickly switched channels to Channel 12 out of Chattanooga. They had no “technical” problem.
David E. Smith
February 25th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
I got to tell you folks, but what goes on in Alabama is downright creepy. Keep telling your story, it is resonating. Many folks in Boston talking about Don today.
Jim Gilbert
Tinti, Quinn, Grover & Frey, P.C.
27 Congress Street, Suite 414
Salem, MA 01970
February 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I will be on Huntsville’s ABC affiliate, Channel 31 WAAY, this evening at 6 pm, interviewed by Violet Parker.
Pam Miles
February 25th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
This just in from the top and official communications spokesman at CBS News, 60 Minutes.
I asked: People in North Alabama are pretty pissed off about the blackout of the CBS Siegelman segment. Are y’all issuing a formal statement on this?
He said: The comment is from the station. You know who to call or email?
It’s this man:
Stan.Pylant@whnt.com
February 25th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
This just in from AP:
Siegelman attorney calls for special prosecutor
WASHINGTON (AP) – Attorneys for imprisoned former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman are calling for the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor to the case. They said a key government witness apparently was told to write out his allegations “to get his story straight.”
Vince Kilborn, an attorney for the former Democratic governor, said any evidence that the key witness had practiced writing out his testimony before the trial should have been turned over to the defense team before trial. Kilborn said the notes of witness Nick Bailey would have raised serious questions about the credibility of his testimony.
The lead prosecutor in the case denied that the witness wrote out his testimony for prosecutors, as described in a Sunday broadcast of CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-34/120397105970350.xml&storylist=alabamanews
February 25th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Owners of Ala. station where Siegelman report blacked out have close Bush ties
Facing South – Durham,NC,USA
WHNT — the CBS affiliate for northern Alabama where the “60 Minutes” report on former Gov. Don Siegelman’s controversial prosecution was blacked out last night – is owned by Oak Hill Capital Partners. The investment firm was founded by billionaire Texan Robert Bass, the son of oilman Perry Richardson Bass. Robert’s brother Ed was a Yale classmate and personal friend of George W. Bush, and along with brother Lee they put up $25 million to finance Harken Oil in the late 1980s while George W. Bush was serving on the board of directors.
The Bass brothers’ political action committees donated more than $200,000 to Bush’s gubernatorial campaigns, while their personal donations topped $270,000, according to UTWatch.org. Lee Bass was also among the Bush Pioneers in 2000 and 2004, raising at least $100,000 for the presidential campaign in each election cycle, according to Texans for Public Justice.
Meanwhile, Harper’s Scott Horton — who has been following the Siegelman story closely — reports that the station’s general manager initially gave an incorrect explanation for the broadcast failure, blaming it on “network problems.” He also notes that the station “was noteworthy for its hostility to Siegelman and support for his Republican adversary.”
http://southernstudies.org/facingsouth/2008/02/owners-of-ala-station-where-siegelman.asp
February 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
The black out of 60 minutes last night was Channel 19’s doings. The other affiliates were not blacked out. If New York had a problem then all the affiliates that re-broad cast their programs would have been blacked out at the same time. That would be believable. Only WHNT-19 in Huntsville which covers most of North Alabama and Southern Tennessee had a black out problem. That is a dead give away. A New York black out would have affected “lots of people” in the country. Not just us North Alabamians and Southern Tennesseans. I’m no pro at t.v. but I am certainly no fool either.
Tommy
February 25th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
diane says
I am not trying to get conspiracy theory on you, but it is possible to have a device that will interfere with transmission signals either outgoing or incoming to the t.v. station. One has to know the frequency and whether it’s analogue or digital, and after that it’s not that difficult. WiFi signals for Internet access unused spectrum for frequencies in between the television stations 5 and 51 below 700mhz, so it’s entirely possible to adjust the frequency. These bandwidths were released by 2004 legislation. Someone with the proper equipment and know-how & evil intentions could possibly do this and not get caught. The link below will explain similar concepts on LAN.
http://www.answers.com/topic/interference?cat=technology
February 25th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Kieth Olberman names WHNT as “Worse Person In The World” for last night’s blackout!
Don Siegelman needs to be released from prison immediately.
February 25th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Dan Abrams will be up soon. Can’t wait to see TV round II.
It should be taped right now. I almost went to Rainsville, and now wish I had, but on the other hand, better to cover it from here. No Takeback the Highway troopers to worry about, just Alice Martin breaking into The Bunker : )
And, with three computers going and the TV, it’s much easier to blog than it would be on the road.
There’s an interesting party planned in DC in a couple of weeks. We’re hoping to make the trip : )
Stay tuned for more details on that…
February 25th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Hi- Great blog.
Can anyone explain how it is that Fuller can drag his feet on the transcript for such an outrageously long time? What exactly is the tie-up? I saw on another blog that the court reporter had died, but is there no other competent transcriptionist in the state of Alabama? I have no legal expertise- is this sort of delay not that uncommon? And if the delay it is out of line, isn’t there a mechanism available to force the judge to act? Can an emergency appeal be made to force Fuller’s hand? Thanks for any info.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
He is the Chief U.S. District Judge, in charge of the entire operation at the federal courthouse in Montgomery, including assignment of court reporters, setting deadlines, the final say in who gets which cases.
And he has a lifetime appointment from President George W. Bush from 2002.
As Bush likes to say of late, “In other words (add Texas accent) … he can do whatever (the fuck) he wants (pardon my French).”
The only way to override him is through the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.
Or impeach him…
February 25th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I think the Repug cabal thought they’d get by with their dirty trick of blacking out Don’s segment. Were they in for a shock, or what?!? They never dreamed they run up against abunch of fighting hell cats like we are.
And, they ain’t seen nuttin’ yet.
Esther
February 25th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Alright Dan Abrams! After interviewing Don Jones and Jill Simpson, he asked, on air, that AG Mukasey check into this, and that they will follow up on his actions.
Jill Simpson ask that rove swear under oath that what he is saying, that he’s never even met her, is true!
I hope this will bring the speedy release of Don Siegelman and that investigations and hearings will begin to bring down the wall of corruption that has imprisoned our democracy.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Abrams did a better job than usual on this one. Nice job. Clean, to the point…
February 25th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Karl Rove is one of the most despicable human beings in the U.S. today. After what he did to members of his own political party (John McCain) does anyone really doubt that this creepy little man would do something as benign as asking someone to spy on Seigelman or to black out a TV show?
Might I suggest the someone forward this story to Patrick Fitzgerald. He may still be interested in prosecuting that little worm.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Just got off the phone will Jill. TV is stressful…
Meanwhile, this just in from Stan Pylant…
Glynn,
Yes, my engineer would be glad to talk to you to cover the technical aspects of what happened. You may reach Steve King at 256-535-9260.
Thanks,
Stan Pylant
President, General Manager
WHNT-TV
Huntsville, AL
Funny,
No answer. But, I left a message … we’ll see if he calls back.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Mr. Pylant and WHNT Staff,
Thank you for responding to my email, and most of all, thank you for airing the “60 Minutes” segment about Governor Siegelman during your 6 P.M. newscast tonight. By responding in this manner, you gave the story the largest possible audience. THANK YOU for your quick and appropriate response.
There were thousands of Democrats, as well as many Independents and Republicans, who were able to see the spot tonight during the newscast and I know that they, too, appreciate your actions. While many of us call, write, and email when we are upset, we do not always stop to say “Thank You,” when a “wrong has been righted.” Therefore, I thank you and your staff on behalf of all those who will forget to be as outspoken about your good works tonight as they were to criticize your “blackout” last night and today.
Thank you.
Nancy Worley
Vice Chair
Alabama Democratic Party
February 25th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Dan Abrams was magnificent in his interviewing of Doug Jones and Jill Simpson (at times, he was incredulous as well). At the end, he looked straight into the camera and directly asked Attorney General Mukasey to investigate. This whole sordid mess is a shameful example of how flat this country and this state have been stomped under the ‘bush league,’ to use part of Mr. Abrams’ title for the piece. I would question the mental capacity of any person who still refuses to acknowledge the pure evil of the repugnants–and not just in Governor Siegelman’s case–they make filthy anything they touch. If you are part of this pack of trash, get out while you can still call yourself a human being.
Hopefully Governor Siegelman will be released from prison soon–his cell needs to be vacated for immediate occupancy by any one of the crooks involved in this case. The thought that we pay their salaries makes me so angry my blood boils and I feel like I might puke.
As for the claim that the trial transcript is not ready–almost 20 years ago I worked in the legal profession and even back then court reporters had new technology capable of turning out daily transcripts almost without human contact. Technology has only improved over the intervening years. There’s an old saying that goes “Something’s rotten in the State of Denmark.”
February 25th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
The Great Tennessee Valley Blackout of 2008
This was symptomatic of what I’ve discovered in eight months of burrowing into the intersection of law and politics in Alabama. It always reminds me of that powerful opener in David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet.” We see a bucolic scene in small town America – everything is happy and wonderful. Then the camera burrows into the grass and zooms in and we see that it’s filled with menacing, frightening wicked things.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
And, leave it to the Huntsville Times bloggers for this funny:
Siegelman bribed inmates with mackerel to see TV show
The Huntsville Times – al.com – Huntsville,AL,USA
(Read corporate, chain press):
Don Siegelman bribed his cell mates to let him watch the “60 Minutes” broadcast chronicling what he sees as his unfair prosecution for bribery and …
February 26th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Let me see…
Scooter Libby takes the fall for an act of treason and is instantly pardoned by King George who as we all know is ABOVE THE LAW.
Another traitor, Oliver North is a major fund raiser for republican candidates.
Does it seem that The Constitution of The United States just doesn’t matter to the Republican party and this administration in particular.
Anyone near the Oval Office seems to be able to claim “Executive Privilage”(whatever that is) and just thumb their noses at Congress and the Laws of The United States and the rights of citizens of this country. Let’s bring these crooks to justice!
February 26th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Yes, let’s do…
February 26th, 2008 at 11:35 am
The article, “Siegelman bribes inmates……….. was not that bad. What was bad was the headline/title.
The Huntsville Times should be put out of business. Like Faux Spews it’s a joke as a news source.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I wonder how many pardons pRes Cheney has ready for king george’s signature before he leaves office.
I’m betting that there are stacks of them.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Well, Magginkat, we’re working on it. We’ve got a business model that could seriously challenge their crappy Web site for traffic – if we could get certain people in New York, Washington and Montgomery to come onboard. Stay tuned…
And they make fun of us over at that anonymous political parlor blog – run by the preacher who doesn’t know what journalism is – where all the right-wing nutjob hacks hang out. We’ll see who gets the last laugh … and who is still in business this time next year.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Siegelman’s Grassroots Supporters Question Conviction Online
Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman was convicted nine months ago of bribery and racketeering and sent off to prison. Siegelman’s supporters are determined to get his name cleared, and their using Internet postings to do it.
http://www.waaytv.com/
February 26th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Hey Political Parlor hacks? Want to help us set the record?
Nah, guess not. You are not getting many comments these days.
What’s the matter? Did the 60 Minutes story scare you into your hole in the ground? Or is your Alabama Power “Always On” not quite working properly?
February 26th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Super job…
You folks have done something amazing. You have taken what was a buried professional political hit concocted at the highest levels of the federal government and you have exposed it for what it is on a national level. If you succeed in getting Don’s release, and I believe you will, it will restore my faith in the system.
I remain impressed.
You are living proof that one should “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead.
Best,
Jim
salemlawyer.com
February 26th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Indeed, where are the “it’s going to be fun to point out all the inaccuracies” posters? Please point them out if you can. The TRUTH is that Don Siegleman is as much a political prisoner as Nelson Mandela was. It’s a shame and disgrace when an administration in THIS COUNTRY can put a man in jail for their own reasons and deny the CONGRESS access to trial papers that could and would probably free him.
Look at the economy ,the price of fuel and the Bush cronies reaping billions of dollars in profits while the working people of this country lose their homes and can’t even afford to feed their families. These thugs should be in jail for what they have done to this country and the American people.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
And, Guv’nah Bob Riley wants to raise $7 million to take over the Alabama Legislature by 2010?
So where are the Alabama Democratic Party blog ads? We can raise that right here from this site and stop them. Remember, Ron Paul raised $4 million in one day just a couple of months back, without a prayer of winning the Republican nomination for president.
Now that people from all over the country are watching this Siegelman story, finally, now is the chance to strike and raise the money to stop Riley.
I mean, people from Boston and Oregon are sending me small donations for the work I have done covering this story. I even got one from China, believe it or not, from an Alabama native traveling over there and keeping up in Internet cafe’s.
You would think the Democrats in Alabama would get going in this online advertising world with this story taking off like it is. I’m sure there are Democrats, independents and pissed off Republicans all over the country who would support this effort – if simply given the chance!
February 26th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
We have to give Pam Miles a great big Thank You for the work she has done with her email list. Keep that young lady inspired and we just might get a chance to prosecute some of those criminals.
My fondest wishes go like this…. Impeach and Remove George Bush & Dick Cheney from office. Prosecute them for war crimes & other high crimes and misdemeanors. Give them a life in prison sentence without possibility of parole. And the part that would really make them cry like babies….seize all their ill gotten assets & war profits to offset some of the damage they have done.
Then we could go after the crooked lawyers in the Justice Dept including the new AG who claims that he cannot determine if waterboarding is torture.
Send him to Gitmo & practice a little waterboarding on him & I’m betting he can give a more definitive answer!
Now to get Don Siegelman and other political prisoners out of prison and to prosecute those responsible for these quack prosecutions.
February 26th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
You are right about Pam Miles. A true Patriot.
And so is former Secretary of State Nancy Worley, who is still at risk under a cloud of misdemeanors down in Montgomery. Thanks to a certain lawyer we won’t mention by name, she no longer faces felony charges.
No matter what they say about her, I have known her personally for many years and there is no way she is a crook. She is by far one of the smartest and nicest people on the planet in public service.
I’ve known a few decent Republicans in my time, including John Buchanan, who was the Representative in Congress from Jefferson County for many years – until the Moral Majority came after him in 1980. What ever happened to old Albert Lee Smith? I believe he was a one-termer.
Now we have Artur Davis representing us, who seems to be doing a good job for the most part – even if his press secretary won’t return his e-mail or phone calls. I guess they are still scared of the repercussions of the Siegelman story among the business crowd for his chances at the governor’s mansion in 2010. And maybe they just don’t get this blogland business yet.
As I wrote in the old progressive Southerner magazine a number of years ago, the South and Alabama will get online, in time.
And now we have little Jeffrey B. Sessions in the U.S. Senate. There’s not a worse Bush boot-licker in Congress. As for Dick Shelby, he’s as invisible as ever.
Maybe we should start a campaign to “find Dick Shelby.”
What was that cartoon a few years back where you had to find the character in the picture?
February 26th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
John McCain is breaking the law
Dear Joe,
There was a lot of talk last week about John McCain’s blatant hypocrisy on ethics and integrity in Washington.
Here we go again.
McCain is now breaking the law by ignoring the campaign spending restrictions for the Republican primary that came when he asked for federal matching funds — funds he used as collateral on a loan that helped keep his campaign going.
But now that the lobbyist and special interest money has started pouring into his campaign, he’s trying to back out of the promise he made just a few months ago. They’re feeding so much cash into his bank account, this “reformer” wants nothing to do with federal campaign finance laws anymore.
That’s why today, we’re filing a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission demanding that John McCain be held to the campaign finance laws. Trying to back out shows a total lack of integrity and honesty — he made a deal with the American people to to abide by the law, and in return, he was guaranteed taxpayer money that he used to back a loan.
Joe, I’d like you to add your name in support of our complaint, and ask as many people as you can to sign on. American taxpayers made a deal with John McCain — now that he’s flush with lobbyist cash, he wants to pretend that it never happened.
Sign on right now:
http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
Here’s the background on the situation.
A few months ago, John McCain applied for and was approved to receive federal matching funds. Because he couldn’t find enough people to fund his campaign, he was also forced to apply for a $4 million line of credit, which he secured by using the federal matching funds as collateral.
By taking the federal funding, he agreed to spend no more than $57 million until the Republican convention. But so far, his campaign has spent at least $49 million — leaving him with less than $10 million to campaign with through September.
Now that he’s won the nomination and has the support of the Republican lobbyist and special interest machine, he’s trying to ignore that the whole thing ever happened. He recently wrote a letter to the FEC telling them that he was backing out, even though the FEC is very clear that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be approved; you can’t just change your mind and take it back — legally, you have to be given permission.
McCain isn’t asking because he knows he’ll never be granted permission, and he doesn’t want to have to accept the funding restrictions he agreed to when he used the money as collateral for a loan. He’s ripping a page right from George Bush’s playbook: ignoring the laws when they aren’t convenient and hoping no one will notice.
Stand up and show him that hundreds of thousands of people have noticed — he can’t change the rules in the middle of the game because he doesn’t like how things are going for him:
http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
Using government programs when it’s politically convenient and breaking the rules when it’s not … remind you of anyone?
Just like George Bush, John McCain thinks he’s above the law. McCain poses as a reformer, but seems to think reforms apply to everyone but him.
Time to send him a message.
Howard Dean
February 26th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
From: Joe Sandler
I’m Joe Sandler, General Counsel for the DNC. Yesterday we filed a complaint with the FEC after John McCain decided to break the law by ignoring the rules laid out as part of the federal matching funds program.
I don’t know if you saw the news, but the press covered the complaint all day. John McCain himself directly responded to Governor Dean at a press conference, saying “We’re doing exactly what Howard Dean did in a previous election and what the FEC ruled in the case of Congressman Gephardt.”
But that’s a lie – John McCain isn’t doing what Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt did at all.
Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt followed the law and were granted written permission by the FEC to withdraw from the federal matching funds program.
To prove it, we have a copy of the letter Governor Dean received from the FEC in 2003 granting him permission to drop out. If McCain is doing “exactly what Howard Dean did,” he’ll have no trouble producing a letter of his own.
But you and I know McCain’s lying – he doesn’t have a letter like that from the FEC. Not only has he refused to get permission, he’s been warned by FEC Chairman David Mason that he can’t unilaterally drop out of the program. That’s why we filed the complaint in the first place, and it’s why tens of thousands of Americans like you signed your support.
Read Governor Dean’s letter from the FEC, and sign your support for our complaint right here:
http://www.democrats.org/McCainBusted
John McCain abused the system to keep his campaign afloat until he could raise more money from special interests and lobbyists. Taxpayers don’t want their money to be used by Washington politicians to help raise more money from lobbyists – is this McCain’s idea of ethics and reform?
Thanks to you, this “maverick reformer” is feeling the pressure of his own hypocrisy. From staffing his campaign with a team of lobbyists to breaking campaign finance laws, his total lack of integrity has never been more clear.
Keep it up,
Joe Sandler
General Counsel
Democratic National Committee
February 26th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Why would anyone be surprised at this turn of events? John McCain, like all politicians I’m afraid, has never met a special interest group that he doesn’t like. There should be NO lobbyists of ANY kind plying our leaders with special interest money. I include everyone from the NRA to Greenpeace. There just should be no way for our elected officials to be bought by anyone. They are elected by “We The People” and that’s for whom they should go to work.
I’m so sick of our elected officials selling out that I don’t understand why “We The People” put up with this crap.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Well, maybe the Great Tennessee Valley Blackout will wake some people up…
February 26th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Glynn:
Good luck on going after the record.
Thought I would raise a question that you and your readers might want to comment on. Has to do with the missing transcript and the deceased court reporter.
From reading a number of blogs, sounds like a lot of folks are wondering what caused the reporter’s death. I guess I’m just conspiracy-minded enough to wonder the same thing–and I did a post about it.
Anyway, hope this generates some comments and some insight.
http://legalschnauzer.blogspot.com/2008/02/mystery-of-siegelman-court-reporter.html#links
February 26th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Hi Roger,
I’ve mentioned it a couple of times myself, and asked a couple of MSM reporters in Montgomery to check it out, but of course they won’t. They didn’t even report it until after I did, but that’s the way it goes…
February 26th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Well, it’s been quiet here for a little while. But since we like that Karl Rove video so much, we’re going to leave it up at the top for a while longer.
Meanwhile, guess we’ll report a little more news here, just to prove we can break news like they do over at the PP. Rather than writing news stories, they get new quotes into blog comments.
Well, we can do that. What if we break a little news? Would that count?
Here’s a tidbit. Mr. Curran and Mr. BB at the BN have screeds with which to entertain us in the morning, one in the Montgomery Independent and the other in the Birmingham News.
Can’t wait to laugh…
But could y’all do something about them Alabama Power trucks that keep hovering around here with evil intent? At least they are keeping the power on, for now, even though it’s snowing…
February 27th, 2008 at 10:36 am
This post, my first to this blog, is repetitious of the many prior ones that shout for justice in the case of Don Siegelman.
The miserable way Don Siegelman has been treated by U. S. Attorneys in Alabama and the Republican Party in general adds to Bush’s determination to undo American democracy. His boy, Karl Rove, first landed a terrible blow on the Alabama Democratic Party by managing the Republican takeover of the Alabama Supreme Court. Even after that, I would not have believed Rove could manipulate his minions–after the many failed attempts–finally to get an Alabama jury to convict our former governor of such ridiculous charges. Nor would I have believed a judge would manacle a former governor in the courtroom and take him straight to jail.
Kudos to CBS. Perhaps they’ll redeem themselves yet for their firing of Dan Rather. Rather than denigrate Jill Simpson as every other official and some in the U. S. House have done, CBS interviewed her with the respect she deserves. In that segment, the former Attorney General of Arizona (Republican) masterfully exposed the many warning signs that something was dreadfully wrong with this case. Surely the public found convincing his argument that the trial was a mockery of justice.
And then MSNBC! Good for them for picking up the 60 Minutes story and staying with it. Yet, what are the chances that Dan Abrams’ challenge will be taken up by Mukasey our current Attorney General who until now has refused to look into any of the corruption in the Department of Justice, even their refusal to turn over public records? Wish there were some reason to think he might.
Glynn, thanks to you for alerting the public about the miscarriage of justice in Don Siegelman’s case and for not letting this story die.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
This corruption of the legal system on party lines is a disgusting corruption of the Judicial system. This is symptomatic of the downfall of all great societies in history.
February 27th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Thank you all for your comments. I hope you take the time to read my new, funny yet serious screed just posted awhile ago on it. I think it lays the story out there bare, where no one can deny it…
February 27th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
TONIGHT
Siegelman Case AGAIN on MSNBC
“LIVE with Dan Abrams”
MSNBC
9 pm EST
8 pm CST
Guests:
Don Siegelman’s Daughter Dana
Scott Horton, Harper’s Magazine
February 27th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Nice segment, especially when Dan almost jumped out of his chair over the Blackout BS, eh?
February 27th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I posted the following article at OP-Ed news at the request of one of their editors. A couple interesting comments already.
Siegelman, Plame, the Six Fired US Attorneys & the Deep-Sixing of Justice in the USA.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_richard__080227_siegelman_2c_plame_2c_th.htm
February 28th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
toni lowery says:
I know this will not be a popular statement, but I’ve know Stan for years and I don’t even know what political party he belongs to.
He is a good guy who has helped a lot of people in the Tennessee Valley.
And charities….I don’t think you’ll get much traction going after Stan personally. Too many people know he’s a stand up guy and this tact could backfire.
Just a thought….
February 28th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Something to think about…
A “Master Control Operator” would have to be the one “not to take the feed.”
If indeed “the orders” were given from above, to management…then management to Master control….too many people “in the loop.”
Somebody would talk…..believe me, nothing is kept quiet at a TV station.
Master control ops don’t make enough to keep quiet.
They could make a lot more selling their story and WHNT could loose their license over it.
And loose Millions…if you are following the money, it would not be worth it to do this.
Plus…
If the segment was only going to be televised locally on this one TV station, maybe another story but since it was 60 minutes and Televised around the world what would be the benefit of not
airing it locally?
Just some thoughts…..
February 28th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
samesther says:
Bill, please keep the heat on about the blackout. I don’t care if Mr. Pylant goes to church a dozen times a week, he’s still suspect in my book. It didn’t just happen.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
From: Key, Bill (Mission Systems)
Toni,
I’ve been researching the FCC’s set of rules. You can access the ones that talk to “TV Stations”, “Operation” and “records” via this website:
http://www.hallikainen.com/FccRules/2008/73/1820/
It’s ugly but…well, it’s ugly.
Bottom line is that up until, I guess, sometime previously (I really don’t know when … it’s hard to get through all this stuff), there have been, by law, three logs kept; 1) a program log, 2) an operating log, and 3) a maintenance log.
Now, there’s only a “Station Log” kept and it keeps record only of such things as loss of the antenna flight hazard light and “excursions” (my word, not theirs) of the transmitted signal from the stated parameters contained within their license. Kinda technical stuff.
And, it can be a purely automated entry that’s updated every three minutes (I think that’s right) saying that everything’s nominal. If everything’s not “nominal” it would say something like, “Frequency beyond limits.” or something. I dunno. Again, it’s kinda hard to get it all and remember it and cogently relate it. Visit the site…maybe you’ll feel sorry for me and buy me beer. ;-(
Anyway, the only “formal” maintenance performance and documentation requirements are those that are placed on the site by the operating entity. If something breaks, it’d have to be replaced, though. I know, if I were running a maintenance effort, I’d keep track of what broke and what was purchased to replace it.
But that’s probably not what happened, if anything “maintenance related” happened at all. I got a quarter that says there’s no bill of sale for a satellite receiver purchased to replace one that failed a few days ago. There MAY be a record of a glitch that was not able to be repeated upon troubleshooting of the problem.
Nope, somebody took a cable and removed it from its jack for 12.5 minutes and then replaced the cable. And ANYBODY can do that…even me and I’m a klutz. Why only at this station? Maybe here was the only place where a real Bushie worked. Maybe here was the only place where a real brown nose worked. Maybe here was the only place where a real brown nosed Bushie worked. I dunno.
The FCC doesn’t even require (if I read it right) that anyone at the station be a certified radio operator any more. The station owners may require that there be a “Master Control Operator” position and that person may well be a full fledged Electronics Engineer. But lots of people would know where the satellite feed is.
Anyway, I don’t know the old boy and he may be (probably is) a decent sort. Probably didn’t do anything wrong. We live in a universe of infinite possibilities…anything can and does happen.
But one of the things that could have happened is that something nefarious took place and, if we could get one of the geeks I work with (they’re all, unfortunately, of the wrong persuasion) to do a statistical analysis on it I think the answer wouldn’t surprise any of us who know how the Bushies and their brown nosed, crazy affiliates operate. Look at Fredo Gonzales.
BjJb
February 28th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Maybe this is a good place to tell the story of Maynard Layman. I’ll do the short version.
I’ve been thinking about doing a column about The Great Tennessee Valley Blackout of 2008 myself. Maybe Sunday.
Now I don’t know if it was a simple, bad luck technical glitch or a political dirty trick to keep the good people of North Alabama in the dark, but on the latter theory, it wouldn’t be without precedent.
When I covered politics for The Decatur Daily in 1985-86, there was an interesting little man there named Maynard Layman. He was special assistant to “Old Man” Shelton, the recently deceased publisher, and he was a fine source for any young political reporter because he knew everything about everybody in Alabama politics.
He told us a story once about how the Old Man, who was very pro-business and anti-labor, used to shut down the AP and UPI wire feed whenever there was bad news moving on the wires about Alabama. In the old days, the wire moved from member paper to member paper. If he thought the news would be bad for Decatur or Alabama business, he would simply stop it from moving any further north on the wires.
During the Civil Rights days in the early 1960s, this same tactic was used to try and stop news about protests from getting to a national audience. That’s when the New York Times and CBS News sent there own people to Birmingham and Selma to cover the story, and UPI in those days found alternative ways to get the news out.
And, if Karl Rove said to shut down the show in Huntsville, really all the station managers have to do is deny it and trot out an engineer to say it was a glitch. Most people won’t ever know or find out the truth, because most people in Alabama still don’t read blogs. And of course, the local TV news coverage of the blackout was handled just like all the other happy news around here, so unless someone were online and searching out information about it, the blackout was at least in part successful.
And now they can just claim anyone who subscribes to the theory of a purposeful blackout to be a conspiracy nut.
Don’t count on the FCC to investigate. It’s run by just another loyal Bushie.
February 28th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Hey Glynn, here is the comment I sent to the House Judiciary Committee yesterday. I am writing to Conyers and Davis to ask them to convene hearings into Judge Fuller as well. I hope we won’t let this fade away and I hope we see Gov. Siegelman talking on camera from Alabama any day now! That would be the start of wrongs getting righted…don’t you think? Tell everyone to write letters…
My Country’s failure to grow and prosper across the board is always a gnawing element in my thoughts.
The biggest stress is the collection of reasons why we are in such a sad state.
I have to say that it is so disturbing to see what could and should be getting done, how much money is wasted in Washington and how many American citizens suffer and die on a daily basis because our Country has moved from a democracy to a corporatocracy.
We cannot wait for a new president; we have to get our Congress to engage itself in the direction that corrects these inhumane wrongs that are destroying this nation.
You all are in an awesome position to be hero’s by taking the bull by the horns and come out fighting for the American people. Why don’t you?
I am from Birmingham, AL. One of my State’s favorite Democrats, former Gov. Don Siegelman, remains in prison even though the nation and the world now knows that he was a victim of republican vigilantism to rid the State of powerful Democrats, in their effort to establish a PERMANENT REBUBLICAN MAJORITY.
How much evidence does the Judiciary Committee need to step up and say, “NO MORE”? We have a Democratic majority in Congress, yet no evidence in legislation really points to that.
I am 53 years old and I am stupefied at the loss of democracy I’ve been able to witness in my country. I want it to stop. You are the elected leaders we depend on to represent us and to protect our Constitution.
The foot-dragging needs to end now.
We cannot wait for a new president.
We need to rectify the weakening of our Constitution by initiating Impeachment Hearings for this Administration. We have no more time to waste.
It could be swift and effective, if you pick up the Congressional “feet” and move with determination and resolve.
If you don’t, this Administration just may be planning to move swiftly and effectively in some action that can justify some scenario that establishes Marshall Law. And a Democratic Nominee will not be necessary anymore.
I read something about an unauthorized agreement with Canada to “share” Military authority in case of some emergency. This was without Congressional knowledge. This is too scary to ignore.
We must take this power away from this Administration in order to do the right thing in the future. There are so many analogies one could use for this. To not repair the foundation of anything before moving forward will always leave a weak structure. That structure will be less and less resistant to destruction as time passes.
As a citizen who was in love with the freedoms of this nation, I want to see us save this democracy.
It is still so young. Why let it die, in the name of greed? Why?
I ask you to please initiate Impeachment Hearings, starting with Dick Cheney and as well, proceed as hastily as possible to release Gov. Don Siegelman immediately.
Bold action in these times will create history in which we can all rejoice in the future.
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
Sharron Williams
Birmingham, AL
February 28th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Come out fighting for the American people?
I’ve been out for along, long time : )
Glad to see more people getting involved!
February 28th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
From: toni
I have some knowledge of this..
What you are going to be looking for is a “discrepancy log” anything that goes wrong (if the MC op is doing what they are supposed to)
is hand written on this log. Everyday, a new log is started at midnight. It goes from midnight to midnight.
This is everything from missing a commercial to a show not airing right to.
To problems with feeds, etc. these are kept at the station. AND I’m sure have been documented as a “feed problem.”
Anybody can be a MC op, they are usually trained in-house (unless they have worked at another station somewhere) And as I mentioned don’t
make that much money. When a MC op takes a feed it is done by coordinates, you put in the coordinates in the computer and pre-tape the show,
EXCEPT in prime time or network shows (like 60 min.) these are fed live.
Then there is the engineer who actually does the maintenance and keeps the Maintenance log. There is usually an engineer in house at all times, just
In case something major happens. If I re-call correctly, in one of the e-mails.
They mentioned the engineer working on the problem. Most stations have a couple of engineers on staff. I wouldn’t think What happened on Sunday would be on a maintenance log, but on the discrepancy log. The “program log” just lists what programs are supposed to be played and what commercials go where.
Anyway…….it would be almost impossible to prove any wrong doing “on purpose.”’
At the this TV station, or any TV station.
So..
what HAPPENS NEXT???
With all of this that has happened, it has brought attention to Don’s case. Is anybody following up on what to do next? Has congress responded? Are they seriously considering
A special prosecutor? What is the next step to get Don out of prison? At least, during the appeal? Anybody have any idea?
Anybody at the state or national level working on this?
February 28th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
From: samesther
The Republican/Rove strategy is to kill the messenger, not the message.
I believe the Alabama Repugs are scared to death now that 60 Minutes has spread the truth about Don Siegelman’s persecution. They are now gearing up and working overtime to kill the the effects of the national airing of their dirty political tricks in the imprisonment of Siegelman. They have not known about it all these years, in spite of national attention given it by Harpers, Time magazine, NYTimes, etc., because Republicans don’t read. They get their news from Fox, but like everybody in America, they watch 60 Minutes.
We belong to a large social group with an extensive e-mail list. The leader of the group has hi-jacked the mailing list and is using it to spread anti-Siegelman propaganda and bad-mouthing 60 Minutes and CBS.
Below are mailouts we members received from him.
“Attached is an article denouncing CBS and the New York Times for their inaccuracies. While watching 60 Minutes Sunday night, I wondered why we didn’t hear about an outcry from Siegelman denouncing his jail sentence. Another unbelievable stab by the Democrats.”
The attached article he referred to was the one by Republican Mike Hubbert – I think that’s his name – in which he attacked the character of Jill Simpson . As members, we questioned him about using the list to espouse his political views to a social organization. Below is his irrelevant and incoherent reply:
“I am using only the list of my favorite people. I will remove your name if this kind of thing bothers you. I happen to be in favor of defending my country and keeping out illegal immigrants, which, unfortunately, is not shared by many Democrats. I also believe in sharing both sides of the story in any controversial issues — politics or otherwise.”
By calling the hapless recipients his “favorite people.” they are less likely to tell him to kiss off and to keep his political agenda to himself.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
WHNT Blackout Update
No Comment
By Scott Horton
February 28, 2008
I have now gotten considerably more detail on the political campaign donations of the investors behind Oak Hill Capital Partners, the investor group that acquired WHNT from the New York Times Company in 2006. The key figure in the Oak Hill group is Robert M. Bass. His campaign donation profile shows that he has supported both Democrats and Republicans, but that his donations to Democrats far exceed those to Republicans. The complete five-year search can be examined here. Note specifically that he has never supported George W. Bush–either in his races for governor of Texas or president. Sid, Edward and Lee Bass, who have been heavy Bush supporters, do not appear to have any interest in Oak Hill Capital Partners. Consequently, the supposition that the blackout at WHNT was politically driven censorship on the part of the ultimate owners has no merit. The station continues to insist that the problems were purely technical.
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002512
February 28th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Shorton
The demand to get 60 Minutes to retract is driven by obvious tactical considerations. Rove wants to know exactly what Simpson and CBS can prove. That then helps him chart his way through the minefield of future statements. Why should they help him out? No way. The pressure should be on Rove to raise his hand, swear and oath, testify and produce his documents. He’s not going to do it. And that tells you everything you need to know.
February 28th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
From: Magginkat
This might be an idea that could be used to bring about the impeachment of Judge Fuller. This group did this a while back to get signatures for the impeachment of Bush & Cheney. Take a look and see what you think. I’m pretty sure this applies to any public official who can be impeached…..maggie
Do-It-Yourself Impeachment…
http://impeachforpeace.org/ImpeachNow.html
http://beingism.org/DIY/Cheney.htm Sample letters, etc.
Last year, Impeach for Peace researched a method for impeaching the President or Vice President using a little known and rarely used part of the Rules of the House of Representatives (“Jefferson’s Manual”). This document actually empowers individual citizens to initiate the impeachment process themselves.
Before the House Judiciary Committee can put together the Articles of Impeachment, someone must initiate the impeachment procedure. Most often, this occurs when members of the House pass a resolution. Another method outlined in the manual, however, is for individual citizens to submit a memorial for impeachment.
After learning this information, Minnesotan and
Impeach for Peace member (Jodin Morey) found precedent in an 1826 memorial by Luke Edward Lawless which had been successful in initiating the impeachment of Federal Judge James H. Peck. Impeach for Peace then used this as a template for their “Do-It-Yourself Impeachment.” Now any citizen can download the DIY Impeachment Memorial and submit it, making it possible for Americans to do what our representatives have been unwilling to do. The idea is for so many people to submit the Memorial that it cannot be ignored.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:44 am
The Devil Made Me Do It:
The 10 Commandments display was removed from the Alabama Supreme Court building. There was a good reason for the move. You cannot post THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTRY, and
THOU SHALT NOT LIE in a building full of Republicans without creating a hostile work environment.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Guess what, y’all. I found out positively who the poster is behind the anonymous Doc’s Political Parlor blog. I even talked to him on the phone. Do you think I should out him? Or not?
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
If he thinks he has ethics by being anonymous he needs to study them. I’d say call him out if does not stand up and make his site accountable.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Ivan says:
if a blogger wants to be anonymous, and he or she is merely giving their views and commentary, without making charges against another blogger or commenter, let him or her be anonymous.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Would publishing comments calling me a socialist, a hack, a poseur, and saying I “claimed” to be a news organization and “claimed” to work for the New York Times, count?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hi Glynn,
Maybe he or she got you or didn’t get you on being a socialist, a hack, a “poseur” but those are judgment calls often made with little judgmental ability. But you got him or her on the “claimed” stuff. You are a news organization by my reckoning, and what else counts? Go ahead and bust balls.
Ivan
March 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Definitely. I have gotten anonymous threats many times for many years, and the cowards need to be outed. There is a reason for their secrecy, and it isn’t either courage or truth!
Make 2008 a Year of Resistance!
Rev. Jack Zylman
Southside, Birmingham
March 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
To: Whom it may concern
From: Christopher Mosley, Project Organizer, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Date: March 4, 2008
Re: I ask that the FCC investigate WNHT in Huntsville, Alabama
I would like to add me voice to those who are asking the Federal Communications Commission to investigate the blackout of the Don Siegelman piece by WNHT, especially considering the below mentioned email I sent to and recieved from Mr. Stan Pylant. This is totally unacceptable considering the implications of the case here in Alabama (a Governor of the state not getting justice as a result of politics by Bill Canary, Laura Canary, Alice Martin, and Lewis Franklin).
March 7th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I think WHNT learned a lesson that the other stations will pick up on quickly.
Sounds like we’re well underway to asking (demanding?) other stations to run an objective and accurate account of the Don Siegelman tragedy.
I’ve made my calls. I hope others make the same request.
March 8th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Are we in a paradigm shift?
Isn’t it curious that no matter if the WHNT blackout was an incredible coincidence or if it was censorship, it has been a shot of fuel to the fire.
It’s great that the Alabama Democratic Party is responding to the current events as they are now.
More and more of us recognize that it does make a difference when we add our two cents worth by calling, emailing or writing our members of Congress…and the media.
It seems to me a perfect time to focus on how our actions today can shape the future. If we act to bring more progressive minds into the system in leadership roles, we can achieve those ideals that yesterday seemed like pipe dreams, but today are being recognized as essential to the future.
There is a new book, The NEXT American Century, that really brings an erudite logic to the issue of what we need to be looking at and thinking about and planning for and acting on in order to be a responsible player in the global world of tomorrow, which is so upon us!
It is curious to me that there is a responsibility facing Alabama that perhaps obliges us to have to turn away from complacency. It’s good to see that we are responding!
I admire Glynn for taking the leap of faith with starting a progressive online news rag in Alabama four years ago. His persistance is hopefully serving him, his venture and his state and country well.
I hope that the experience that Gov. Siegelman has had to endure will prove to affect his actions in the future as one of the most successful leaders of The People in this New World.
March 8th, 2008 at 11:06 am
This is a message from Antonia Juhasz, author and critic of the Bush Administration, Project For A New American Century, etc….
5 Years of War – Where Will You Be?
On March 19, 2008, the United States will have been waging war against Iraq for five long deadly years.
Where will you be on March 19?
Senator McCain has pledged to continue the war for 100 years “if necessary.”
While running as anti-war candidates, neither Senators Clinton or Obama has presented a plan that will actually END the war any time soon but rather will more likely see the war drag on for many more years to come (I’m writing a more detailed piece on their war plans and will circulate it soon).
The 5 Year Anniversary and the election season provide a critical opportunity to announce with both strength and numbers that we will not stand for another year of war. That being “anti-war” means ending the war and ending it NOW.
Fortunately, organizers all across the c! ountry have been hard at work pulling together events and actions. There are many ways to get involved and make your voice heard. I’ve listed just a handful here. You can use these descriptions to not only see where to plug in, but to be inspired with creative ideas for yourself and your own community.
Please come out. Please take action. Please show your opposition to war and support for peace to the nation and to the entire world.
The whole world will be watching.
Now is the time.
- Antonia Juhasz
http://www.TheBushAgenda.net
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) – Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan
http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier
March 13 – 16, Washington, DC and In Your Community
I have the honor of providing testimony in this historic and critically important event as one of the civilia! n panelists.
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote: &l! dquo;The se are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”
In 1971, a courageous group of veterans exposed the criminal nature of the Vietnam War in an event called Winter Soldier. Today, Iraq Veterans Against the War “is fighting for the soul of our country. We will demonstrate our patriotism by speaking out with honor and integrity instead of blindly following failed policy” by hosting their own Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan.
The four-day event will bring together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan – and present video and photographic evidence. In addition, there will be panels of scholars, veterans, journalists, and other specialists to give context to the testimony.
The testimony in ! DC will be closed to the general public. But, to bring the testimonies to the general public and GIs all over the world, IVAW has made it possible to watch the live broadcasts online and on television, and to listen online and the radio.
Support Winter Soldier by Organizing Your Own Local Viewing Event!
You can also participate in and organize your own local viewing event. Any location with a broadband internet connection and a projector can be set up for public viewing of the broadcasts, and for higher quality video, the event will be broadcast by satellite on March 14th and 15th.
To find out more visit the Winter Soldier website: http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier
Direct Action to Stop the War
March 15 & 19th
Richmond and San Francisco, California
http://bayareadirectaction.wordpress.com/
March 15
DIRECT ! ACTION & RALLY: CHEVRON RICHMOND REFINERY
cosponsored! by Gree naction, West County Toxics Coalition, Amazon Watch, Richmond Progressive Alliance, Richmond Greens, Community Health Initiative, Communities for a Better Environment, Global Exchange, and Rainforest Action Network.
11am– Rally at Judge G. Carroll Park
W. Cutting Blvd & S. Garrard Blvd, Richmond (map)
1pm– Nonviolent Direct Action at Chevron Refinery
841 Chevron Way, Richmond
(Free shuttle buses will leave from Richmond BART and Point Richmond – 3rd St. and Chesley Ave – at 9:30am, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM.)
“The purpose of this action is shut the Chevron refinery down for the day, and to support community efforts to stop Chevron from expanding its refinery, which will increase pollution and cause asthma, cancer and rising death rates in surrounding communities. Chevron is driving the war and occupation in Iraq, refining over a million barrels of stolen Iraqi oil in Richmond a month, and actively lobbying! for the privatization of Iraq¹s oil fields so companies like Chevron can seize control of them. Join us, and help send a clear message to Chevron: Stop stealing Iraqi oil, and stop polluting our communities! See our Chevron fact sheet. We will shut down the Richmond Chevron refinery by land, by bike, and by sea. We’re asking that you form an affinity group, and help us shut down Chevron.”
March 19
DIRECT ACTIONS ON THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR: DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO
7:30 am Multiple actions at multiple locations.
Market and Sansome
War machine tours of shame leaving from Market and Sansome throughout the day.
March & Rally to End the War Now!
5 pm, Gather at Civic Center, Polk and Grove Sts., SF
Initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition – San Francisco
Join the March 19 DASW Text Mob to stay updated through the day:
Send a text to 40404 with the words “follo! w dasw” (case sensitive, no quotation marks). Standard r! ates app ly.
“On March 19, 2008 – the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq – Direct Action to Stop the War will be organizing a day of decentralized, multiple-target direct action against government offices and war profiteers in downtown San Francisco. We have created a list (which is below) of San Francisco offices of federal agencies, corporations with military contracts or contracts in Iraq, politicians who have failed to stop the war, and foreign embassies of countries linked to the war in Iraq. We are focusing primarily on corporations with military or Iraqi contracts, because we want to focus attention on the prominent role played by war-profiteering corporations in the U.S. occupation of Iraq. We will take direct action on March 19th against as many of these locations as possible, in order to send a clear message to the economic and political elites that control this country: No business as usual until all U.S. troops are withdrawn from Iraq!”
Code Pink Women for Peace
March 18, Washington, DC
http://www.codepinkalert.org/article.php?list=type&type=347
CODEPINK Day of Action – Restore the Constitution
Tuesday, March 18th 2008 9am-1pm Washington, DC
9 am Meet Up: CODEPINK House 712 5th Street NE, 20002 – between G and H (Union Station Metro)
“George W. Bush’s administration has pushed us to the brink of a constitutional crisis. The checks and balances that underwrite our democracy are no longer. Wake up America, it’s our time to defend and preserve the Constitution, our founding document, before we’re no longer allowed. The day’s activity will remind us that everything that has been taken away or atrophied can be returned and renewed. This is our moment to lament, protest, wail, mourn and rage. Let our tears, laughter and songs drown the failures of our government. Le! t’s renew our faith that real democracy and social justice are! possibl e. Congress has not represented us. The Department of Justice and its Security branches have not protected us, the Executive Branch has lied to us, taxes have under-served us, the State Department has failed us, the Pentagon has cheated us, and the courts are not separate…The “heroic medicine” to heal and protect our nation can only come when true patriots act. Get inspired, walk, swirl, yell, dance and sing what you expect from your government.”
United For Peace & Justice & Five Years Too Many.org
March 19, Washington, DC and almost 400 Locations Around the Nation
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/
http://www.5yearstoomany.org/article.php?list=type&type=5 (for local actions)
A day of DIRECT ACTION against WAR
ALL-DAY INFO POINT: McPherson Square, 15th and K Street, NW
Get all the info you need here: schedule for the day, action g! uidebook, maps, music. There will also be some of the Winter Soldier testimony, poetry readings, food, legal and medical support and much more!
7:30 am: Opening Gathering
11 am and 2 pm: Action updates on what’s happened so far and what’s ahead!
Actions Begin at 8 am
Some groups will blockade the IRS, while others shut down war profiteers in the K St. Corridor. No War No Warming will be calling for a separation of oil and state at the American Petroleum Institute, while the Grannies will knit at the Veterans Administration. At the same time, the March of the Dead will begin in Arlington Cemetery and process through downtown. At 9am the Veterans March for Peace will begin, culminating with actions near the White House and Veterans Administration. At noon, students will dance in the streets saying Funk the War and exposing war profiteers, recruiters and media along the way. There will also be demonstrations of waterboarding around the city and ! outside the White House in mid-afternoon.
We’ll ha! ve stree t corner poets, puppets, marching bands and more to dramatically commemorate the costs of this war while creatively disrupting the war-makers and celebrating our commitment to life, art, community and peace. Imagine thousands of us moving throughout the streets in downtown DC, in big groups and small, all working together to expose, disrupt and transform those that are promoting and profiting from war.
Closing Action at 5:00pm — Reflecting Pool
March on the DNC Headquarters
We’ll gather on the west side of the Capitol and march with pots and pans in a cacophony of resistance to the Democratic National Committee Headquarters, 430 S Capitol St SE. Earlier in the day we will have delivered our message to the Republican Party offices on K St. We want them all to know: We hold the leadership of the Democratic and Republican parties accountable for the death, destruction and lies. We will let them know what kind of change we want and that we will contin! ue to take action until our call for peace is honored and all of our troops come home.
http://www.5YearsTooMany.org
No War No Warming!
March 19, Washington, DC
http://www.nowarnowarming.org
On the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war TAKE ACTION at the American Petroleum Institute
Washington D.C. 13th and L Sts. NW
- END the War in Iraq -
- SHIFT Funding from War and Big Oil to Clean Energy and Human Needs -
- SEPARATE Oil and State -
“U.S democracy is compromised by the influence of Big Oil, which pours millions into political campaigns and lobbying. Big Oil millions not only greased the Congressional votes that got us into the Iraq War and continues to support the illegal occupation, it also is obstructing the shift to a clean energy economy.
Our setting up a new “Green Zone” –an area dedicated to clean energy – ! will be on the doorstep of the American Petroleum Institute (A! PI), whi ch represents all the major oil companies. API gives immense amounts of money to our congress, influencing how they vote on war, energy, climate and oil subsidies. We demand a Separation of Oil & State– it’s time to ensure that our Congress represents us, not Big Oil!
Our Green Zone will highlight our opposition but also our commitment to building a future built upon wind, solar and other urgently needed clean energy sources. Nonviolent civil disobedience, street theatre, creative props and canvassing will all be employed. We need people willing to risk arrest and people taking part in supportive actions. Let us hear from you!”
info@nowarnowarming.org ***** info:: 240.396.2155
http://www.nowarnowarming.org
http://www.5YearsTooMany.org
MoveOn
March 19, Across the Country
http://www.Moveon.org
“This year, we’re marking the anniversary by g! athering at hundreds of “New Priorities” Vigils. We’ll honor the fallen, and call for an end to the war. But we’ll also send a new message to the politicians in Washington: to heal our ailing economy, we need to end the occupation in Iraq. It’s a powerful message—if we can make it heard throughout the country, we’ll force our leaders to start bringing our troops home and start investing resources here instead.
Click here to sign up to host your March 19 New Priorities Vigil on the 5th anniversary of the war:
http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/create.html?action_id=112&id=12280-5662600-nKD1cu&t=63
Hosting a vigil is easy. All you need to do is find a good place for people to gather, invite your friends, and tell the local media what you’re planning. We’ll help you recruit attendees and give you the materials and training you need to hold a great event. The 5th anniversary of the Iraq invasion is an important moment—pol! iticians, the media, and the world will be watching. Let’s sho! w them t hat America is ready for new priorities and an end to the war.”
Click the link to register your event and get started:
http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/create.html?action_id=112&id=12280-5662600-nKD1cu&t=64
Antonia Juhasz
——————
Glynn, do you know what is going on in Alabama on the 19th?
March 11th, 2008 at 1:14 am
No, but I’ll keep my eyes open and post something on the news page and the blog.
Meanwhile:
Rove Expects To Be Indicted by Year’s End
House Panel Sues to Force Bush Aides to Testify
May 31st, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Logan…
Hello, I have a few websites of my own and I must say that your site is really top notch. Keep up the great work on a really high class resource….
July 24th, 2008 at 6:08 am
advertising headline pure machineSiegelman Prosecution Questions Answered on ‘60 Minutes’