Former state AGs urge congressional investigation into Siegelman prosecution News
Former state AGs urge congressional investigation into Siegelman prosecution

[JURIST] A bipartisan group of 44 former US state attorneys general have asked the US House and Senate Judiciary Committees to investigate whether the prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman (D) [official profile; JURIST news archive], was politically motivated, according to Monday reports. Last month, Alabama attorney Jill Simpson, who had worked on the campaign of Siegelman's opponent, current Alabama Governor Bob Riley (R) [official website], signed a sworn affidavit and offered to testify that senior campaign workers discussed White House involvement in Seigelman's prosecution. She alleged that Republican operative Bill Canary said White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove [official profile] had assured Canary that Siegelman was being pursued by the Department of Justice.

Siegelman was convicted [DOJ press release] in June 2006 on federal charges of bribery and fraud [JURIST report]. He was sentenced [JURIST report] last month to over seven years in prison. AP has more.

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