Alabama GOP Meltdown - Part II

Apparently the Alabama GOP is not at all thrilled that Don Siegelman got a bond appeal. State Rep. Mike Hubbard, who is also the chair of the Alabama GOP has had multiple meltdowns over the possibility of truth seeing the light of day. I wrote about one of his earlier tantrums here.

I have it on good authority that Hubbard was planning a gubernatorial bid and that he has been promised support from Gov. Bob Riley and the Business Council of Alabama, run by William Canary (husband of US Attorney Leura Canary). Perhaps this explains why Hubbard is working overtime to keep Don Siegelman's story out of view. 

From today's Tuscaloosa News, an article written by my good friend Tommy Stevenson:

"I thought state Rep. Mike Hubbard, the chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, had more class -- and sense -- than to react as he did to former Gov. Don Siegelman's release from federal prison.

In a brief statement issued by the state GOP within the hour of the announcement that an appeals court was ordering Siegelman released late Thursday afternoon, Hubbard said that "the former Governor's release pending appeal does not change the conviction by a jury of his peers. It would be premature to turn this development into anything other than a formality."

Formality? Tell that to Siegelman and his family who should be joyously reunited after nine months Friday. And what is a political party  official doing issuing a statement that also said he was "disappointed" in the appeal court's decision?

I don't have the legal chops to hazard a guess about whether or not Siegelman will prevail in his appeal of a seven year sentence on corruption charges, but I am certainly relieved that he will be a free man as he pursues that appeal. I've known Don for more than 30 years, covered his career as he was elected secretary of state, attorney general, lieutenant governor, and finally governor and consider him a friend. And while he may indeed be guilty, and if so should take his medicine, I always wondered why you would wait until you got to the governor's mansion to turn crooked. In Alabama if you really was to rake it in, the best place to do it is as lieutenant governor, who presides over the Alabama Senate and controls what legislation is passed and can easily shake down every lobbyist in Montgomery.

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Thursday's ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta said Siegelman's appeal had raised "substantial questions," about his case and that he should be released from the federal prison in Louisiana where he has already served nine months of his sentence. I read over the four-page ruling on the New York Times website and while it is full of legalese, it seems to have been written by some judges who think there has been an injustice done."

Exactly. Since when have civil liberties been a formality?