Is Another Fix In Place On The Siegelman Case?

Word in Alabama political circles is that a fix might be in--again--on the case of former Governor Don Siegelman.

What kind of fix is it this time? Word is that Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby, Alabama's two Republican U.S. senators, have struck a deal with the Obama administration that would allow Bush-appointed prosecutor Leura Canary to remain in control of the Siegelman case.

Is this for real? Alabama Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham) reportedly spoke openly about the deal at a civil-rights breakfast on Sunday and asked those present to contact Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. Siegelman is taking it seriously; he sent an e-mail to supporters, urging them to contact Emanuel and demand that Canary be removed from office.

How important could this be? Consider Siegelman's own words:

First, we have to get Rahm Emanuel's attention because he will be the most important adviser to President Obama in this regard, and second, we need to get the National Democratic Party involved immediately.

I am in a time squeeze. My attorneys just filed a motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence that proves prosecutorial misconduct by my prosecutors; withholding evidence, reshaping the testimony of witnesses, and knowingly presenting false testimony. The conduct has been outrageous. Now the judge has given this same Bush appointed U.S. Attorney until July 28th to respond to these charges.

It is nonsense to think that the same Bush appointed prosecutors who perpetrated this misconduct will fairly review my charges of misconduct against them.

Siegelman urges his supporters, and others who care about justice, to take immediate action:

That's why I am pleading with you to:

1) Call or e-mail Rahm and ask him to help ensure that President Obama's, not President Bush/Karl Rove's, prosecutors decide my fate--by immediately removing these biased prosecutors from this case.

2) Call or e-mail the Democratic National Party Chairman, Governor Tim Kaine, and stress that the Democratic Party ask Eric Holder to remove these partisan prosecutors. Remember my prosecutor is the wife of Karl Rove's best friend, business and political partner. My prosecutor's husband has been identified in sworn testimony as having said he got Rove to get the DOJ to go after me. My prosecutor's husband was also my Republican opponent's campaign manager!

My motion for a new trial was based on the misconduct of this U.S. Attorney in withholding critical evidence that would have made a difference in my trial. The rabid Rove prosecutors must be immediately removed by the Obama Administration if I am ever to get a fair and impartial review of my case.

PLEASE, PLEASE call and write today. Ask for the removal of Leura Canary and her prosecutors, and ask that DOJ in Washington appoint unbiased prosecutors to review my motion for a new trial.

Siegelman goes on to provide the pertinent contact information:

Hon. Rahm Emanuel
Chief of Staff to President Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500
(202) 456-1111
fax: (202) 456-2461
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Hon. Tim Kaine
Chairman,Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capitol St. SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-8000
http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues

The mind races with questions about what might be going on regarding the U.S. attorney position for the Middle District of Alabama:

* Would the Obama administration stoop so low as to cut a deal with the likes of Sessions and Shelby?

* Is this a "quid pro quo" in order to get Sessions and Shelby to support U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor?