Siegelman: ‘This Will Make Watergate Look Like Child’s Play’
Siegelman: ‘This Will Make Watergate Look Like Child’s Play’
In a new interview with the Anniston Star (AL), former Democratic Alabama governor Don Siegelman speaks out about Karl Rove’s involvement in his prosecution. Siegelman is currently out on bond, after being sentenced to serve seven years in a bribery case in 2006. In his chat with the Star, Siegelman questions Rove’s motives for refusing to testify to Congress under oath about the case:
The Star: Why do you believe Rove hasn’t agreed to testify under oath?
Siegelman: He doesn’t want to run the risk of lying under oath and being prosecuted for perjury.
You know, I think it’s telling that he talks a good game. He wrote a, I think it was a five-page letter to [MSNBC anchor] Dan Abrams basically asking Dan Abrams questions about why he should testify under oath. When Conyers invited him to testify under oath, he’s dodged that, he’s skated, and I think it’s clear he’s got something to hide. Otherwise, there is no reason why he wouldn’t testify under oath.
Last week, House Judiciary Committee members rejected Rove’s offer to answer the committee’s questions in writing — rather than testifying under oath — stating that “we can see no justification for his refusal to speak on the record to the Committee.”
In his interview, Siegelman also stressed that that his case is “not an isolated incident”:
Siegelman: I think this will make Watergate look like child’s play when it is fully investigated, not so much this case because certainly it’s not about me. It’s about restoring justice and protecting our democracy and, because this case shows the lengths to which those who are obsessed with power will go in order to gain power or retain power, it has attracted the attention of the national press.
This was a pernicious, political plan that was set in motion by Karl Rove to further his espoused dream of establishing a permanent Republican majority in this country, and what he left out was by any means necessary.
Harpers’ Scott Horton has reported that “most experienced and senior career prosecutors” opposed the Siegleman prosecution, yet the Justice Department pushed the case forward “with blunt political force.” Former GOP operative Jill Simpson has also alleged that Rove asked her to find evidence that Siegelman was cheating on his wife.
(HT: TalkLeft)
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When Conyers decides to grow a pair and prosecute bush, the Siegelman case will look like a jaywalking ticket next to the 9-11 stonewalling, Katrina cover up, FISA illegal spying, WMD horsesh*t, Marianas Islands, Abramoff…
If only Conyers would grow a pair….
May 19th, 2008 at 12:15 pmAnd it was Republicans who went on 60 Minutes pushing for his release.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:15 pmFormer GOP operative Jill Simpson has also alleged that Rove asked her to find evidence that Siegelman was cheating on his wife.
Siegelman was tapping Rove’s wife? I have never seen the woman, but if she is sleeping with that fat maggot, I doubt if she would be attractive to a human.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:19 pmConyers had better be prepared to charge Rove with inherent contempt, because Heir Karl will not come forward. It is long past put up or shut up for the Dems.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:21 pmThe only request I’m asking for is to have this frog march on you tube. I’ll need to see it over and over again.
How many “permanent Republican majorities” can dance on the head of a pin?
May 19th, 2008 at 12:22 pmthis WON”T look like Watergate.
Back then, Democrats actually had the balls to investigate, hold hearings, and voted FOR impeachment.
Today, Congress is neutered, and Democrats are EUNICHS!
May 19th, 2008 at 12:25 pmEvery so often, I have a fantasy that everyone in our government (including everyone who has been associated with it in any capacity for the past eight years) would be required to tell the truth for 24 hours — sort of like the Jim Carrey character in “Liar Liar”.
Perhaps then we could find out who is REALLY running government policy, why Conyer, Pelosi, and Ried are such wimps (are they really being blackmailed, or do they just have a nefarious agenda of their own?), what REALLY happened on 9/11, what the REAL points of spying telecoms and eroding freedoms are, why we REALLY went into Iraq, and what kind of election mischief REALLY happened in 2000, 2004, and 2006.
Yeah, it’s just a dream. But if it really happened, who would come out looking the worst?
May 19th, 2008 at 12:29 pmThe Siegleman case will not break any doors open unless the Democrats are prepare to take real action for once in their lives. Conyers can only hold hearings. He can not impeach. He can not prosecute. He can not enforce subpoenas unless the house supports the inherent contempt charge and use a procedure that has not been used in generations.
No, it is too late in the day to see the Democrats take a real position to protect this democracy or they would have started and enforced substantive investigations long ago. They have failed, Bush will leave office and the precedents constituting one more nail in our democracy and freedoms will have been nailed into the coffin.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:29 pmnan ~ nice touch, but I think Rove meant to find out if Siegelman was cheating on Mrs. S….
But, hilarious, as usual!!!
May 19th, 2008 at 12:29 pmMy bet is that Rove will try to stall until the clock runs out, then scream bloody effing murder about ‘bygones being bygones under the next administration.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:30 pmIf the Busch Administration can’t get busted for outing a CIA agent, I doubt this will eventuate into a Watergate.
However, GWB does remind me of Chuckie in the movie Child’s Play. At least what he has wrought upon this world.
_AIO_
May 19th, 2008 at 12:39 pmOf course the Justice Department jumped on it with blunt political force, they are just as corrupt as the rest of the administration.
Karl Rove made sure all his bases were covered, his plan of character assassination of Siegelman was ruthless. He handpicked all the right people to make it happen. If he gets prosecuted I’m sure he has many others that he is taking down with him. He won’t go quietly. It will be interesting to see how many people were paid off or given favors to make all of this transpire.
Conyers better not back off or he will lose the last of his credibility. He needs to think about his chances of ever getting re-elected and upholding the Constitution. Something most of Congress keeps conveniently forgetting about.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:41 pmRUCerious, I couldn’t pass up the chance to take a swipe at KKKarl, even if it meant twisting English a bit.
I doubt if we ever find out the real machinations of this regime over the last 7 years but I get the sense that KKKarl is one of the worst perps. I hate to think that they will escape into history without some hell to pay, but I am not optimistic.
If I could ask one debate question it would be: if elected President, will you pursue any and all investigations or will you call off the dogs to heal the wounds?
May 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pmBut, but, but Limbaugh claims Watergate was just some frat boy hazing.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:49 pmObama would ask his AG to “immediately review” potential of crimes in Bush White House
May 19th, 2008 at 12:53 pmThe Grand Unified Scandal Theory
May 19th, 2008 at 12:54 pmThanks for the link shoeless, let’s hope Obama gets the chance to do it.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pmWhen reporting this story, Think Progress should automatically link the Raw Story series on this topic. Unfortunately, they don’t have a home page for their series, but here’s the first story link:
I don’t know how much of what they report is truth that could hold up in a court of law but it certainly sounds rotten enough to merit investigations by Congress and the media. More to the point of this item, the Raw Story articles suggest what Siegelman might mean by “worse than Watergate”.
I still think Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and everyone else should push for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate everything and report back in a few years. Basically put this issue on a public track like the 9/11 Commission to free up politicians to govern. It would defuse Republican cries of being tormented by Democrats, of not letting bygones by bygones, while ensuring the facts at least will be known.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:01 pm“Perhaps then we could find out who is REALLY running government policy, what REALLY happened on 9/11…”
misshusseinmolly:
Try thins on for size, it may answer some of your questions. Make sure to watch the segment on 9-11 (but watch the whole thing if you can).
http://video.google.com/ videoplay?docid=5547481422995115331
May 19th, 2008 at 1:03 pmFor those of us who are old enough to remember Watergate, Siegelman is right this is worse then Watergate. Now no one bothered to notice the Players today are the same from Watergate. Yes Dick Cheney was much younger with hair but he learned well. He took the Nixon play book and up dated it with fixing the DOJ/Law Makers/Courts/Judges/Media. Now Nixon didn’t have control over the Media/DOJ/Courts/Judges/Law Makers so rather then go to jail he quit. Most of the Senior Law Makers were students of Nixon during that time. The Plumbers were idiots run wild and of course the famous lost tape. Now we have the missing emails and more idiots. What’s surprising is how many Americans are clue less and even when the truth comes to light they still believe the lie.
On a side note good news from the combat zone in Iraq/Afghanistan. Our troops know they were lied to by the Pentagon/White House what bothers them more is the lack of interest in them from the American people. As one soldier put it ” it’s as if they don’t care that we are dying and don’t have supplies”. Well that should make Americans feel good that they stand behind the President and his lies.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:04 pmUnc, there is another key difference; back then, Republicans were willing to hold Nixon accountable.
Today’s Republicans are simple apologists for other Republicans. Their hive mentality worked for a while, but it’s comng apart at the seams now as Americans start to recognize the lack of personal responsibility that is part and parcel of such a group-think.
I agree that the Democratic leadership has been spineless and cowardly. They shold have gone after important testimony with seriousness — testimony that could have convinced reasonable Republicans that restoring the Rule of Law was more important than party loyalty.
But Democrats could not impeach Bush and Cheney without substantial Republican support. Otherwise, it would just look like Whitewater and Monicagate all over again.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pmI’m afraid that the Democrats lack both the intestinal fortitude and/or political will to ever see justice done in regard to this case and the US Attorney firings, let alone war-profiteering, Defense-sweetheart-contracting, etc.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:10 pmThe won’t look like Watergate because Cheney learned the one lesson necessary:
Own the Dept of Justice and nothing meaningful can happen.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:43 pmHmmm. Ralph, your post about the Republican “hive mentality” put me in mind of the Borg….
May 19th, 2008 at 1:43 pmNasty stuff. After reading some of the information out about this situation it’s not hard to believe. The unbelievable has been the norm with this administration. Rove needs to be brought to the capital in handcuffs.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:52 pmFrogMarch da TurdBlossom!!
May 19th, 2008 at 1:58 pmKKKarl is on the run, this is typical chicken hawk cowardice on KKKarls part by running from it instead of being man enough to face the truth,he`s got brass enough to help facilitate the war in Iraq and possibly Iran but no brass when it comes to a congressional hearing.I hope he rots in hell for what he has done and the same for dick and the shrub.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pmas long as demorats are in power no one will be impeached nor prosecuted. They dont have the balls to carry out justice. They are just as guilty for letting this happen.
May 19th, 2008 at 4:18 pmmaybe Rove’s lawyer should just follow Kilotwats advice and send them a letter saying he didnt make Siegelman take the bribe…nevermind the entire crux of the litigation is arguing over the definition of “bribe” as it applies to this case..
May 19th, 2008 at 7:55 pmI was lucky enough to see almost all of the televised hearings (pre-CSPAN) covered by major networks live each day (imagine that) and I was proud of the promising self correction that our Democracy might muster. And the media too at that time.
This euphoria soon faded as I watched bitter war veterans returning from Vietnam siding with the very RePugniScums that sent them to war (with the help of CONSERVATIVE southern democrats) and blaming the “dirty hippies and peaceniks and n*ggers” for their plight.
That unholy coalition decided to con the holy rollers, down south mostly, scaring them with busing and racism and thus began the roots of the Southern Strategy.
This strategy paid off big in 1980 when Ronald Reagan took office and declared that “Government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.”
That was an attack on our Democracy that should have been met with impeachment proceedings, not to mention the other illegal sh1t that assh0lE got away with!!!
To this very day the RePugniScums and their corporate masters hate democracy more than they hate the dumbed down middle class they own in majority (and phuck daily) in this rapidly slipping democracy!!!!!
May 19th, 2008 at 8:36 pmAs I tell my conservative friends: Don’t forget to gas up on your way to vote!
May 19th, 2008 at 8:53 pmI hate to burst everyone’s bubble but my prediction is that this will prove to be a greater embarrassment to CBS that the infamous “60 Minutes” document forgery episode.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:44 pmVery good article and blog! Agree with Doc Rock
May 20th, 2008 at 7:01 pm