Let Don Siegelman Go!

Last Friday's Conference at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. revealed much substantive information about political prosecutions of decent, honest Democrats...political hits which occurred during the previous administration. 

One respected participant, Judge U. W. Clemon of Alabama, said that he had recently been in contact with Attorney General Eric Holder.  AG Holder told him that there would be a full investigation by the Obama Justice Department of Governor Don Siegelman's prosecution.  "Would be" is eating up Governor Siegelman's life and his resources.  This isn't like waiting for cookies to come out of the oven.  This is the life of a decent, innocent man...a great man...and his family.  Haven't they been through enough?  Haven't they sacrificed enough? 

Come on, Eric Holder, time's a-wastin'.  Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.   

We advocates for Don Siegelman (and there are MANY) should have been celebrating his exoneration a long time ago and then we could have moved on to devote our energy more fully to Paul Minor and other Democratic political targets.  (Hey, if there are any decent Republican targets, we'd be happy to work for them, too!)

Sunday afternoon I attended a swearing-in ceremony for my Los Angeles City Councilman, and I listened carefully to the oath the judge administered.  Part of the commitment Councilman Rosendahl made referred to upholding the Constitution of the United States.  I would hate to think that my local city official takes that oath more seriously than the top law enforcement official in the country. 

I understand that Eric Holder hasn't been in his current position all that long, and I know that he has plenty of crucial issues to deal with.  But justice delayed IS justice denied, and it's time to stop denying justice to Governor Siegelman.

I don't want to harbor cynical thoughts about this Obama Administration, but the more they stonewall on justice for Don Siegelman, the harder it is to come up with a positive interpretation of their actions.  For me, a bigger tragedy than having Obama end up as a one-term president would be not caring in the least if he actually becomes one. 

Contact Eric Holder   (202) 514-2001;  fax: (202) 307-6777;  E-mail:  AskDOJ@usdoj.gov