US Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) reiterated his concerns today about the prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, saying he’s fairly confident the House Judiciary Committee will include the case in its upcoming review of federal prosecutions around the country that may have been tainted by political influence. I was surprised to read that US Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) also has questions:
U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, said, that while he does not support the former governor, everyone has a right to fair prosecution under federal law. He said the case was unusual in at least one way that could bear investigation: Siegelman was taken immediately into custody after sentencing, while other non-violent offenders that are not at risk to run are “allowed to put their affairs in order.”
“If Congress does investigate, it shouldn’t be about this case, but about whether prisoners in general are subject to humane treatment,” he said. “The Eighth Amendment means that you cannot restrain someone unnecessarily, to degrade or embarrass them. It means dignity for all men, including those who have been sentenced.”
I have a theory about Siegelman’s immediate incarceration, and I can’t be the only one to consider this. Siegelman was tied so closely to Richard Scrushy during the trial that the judge doesn’t really see them as separate entities. Unlike Siegelman, Scrushy really is a flight risk. He has massive resources at his disposal, and he pushed the limits of his bail over and over again while he was awaiting sentence. In this instance, I think Siegelman is being punished because the judge suspects Scrushy might run.
And in another interesting development, a bipartisan group of former state attorneys general has asked Congress to investigate the Siegelman prosecution.
“The only way to convince the public that the governor is not the victim of a politically motivated double-standard is for Congress to investigate all aspects of the case thoroughly,” the former attorneys general wrote to the chairmen of the House and Senate judiciary committees.
The group includes Democrats and Republicans and is led by Jeff Modisett, an Indiana Democrat, Bob Abrams, a New York Democrat, Bob Stefan, a Kansas Republican, and Grant Woods, an Arizona Republican.