Rob Riley is white and Republican, and his daddy is part of the conservative elite who have turned Alabama into a corrupt slush pit. Joyce Vance claims to be a Democrat, but she also is part of Alabama's elite, so she is likely to look the other way while Riley Jr. has his hand in the UAB cookie jar.
But John Rogers? Hey, that's a different story. Let's grab those hard drives!
As for Rogers' statements regarding Leura Canary and the Middle District of Alabama, let's return to a post titled "Is Another Fix In Place on the Siegelman Case?" Let's focus on the following passage from July 14, 2009:
So John Rogers spoke out about the machinations of Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby and urged citizens to contact Rahm Emanuel about it? Roughly eight months later, Rogers has FBI agents knocking on his door?
Coincidence? We doubt it.
Scott Horton probably would doubt it, too. Horton writes that White House Counsel Robert Bauer seems to be playing along with Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's desires to interject politics into prosecutorial decisions. Building on the reporting of Huffington Post's Dan Froomkin, Horton says Bauer and Emanuel seem to be singing from the same hymnal. Bauer's predecessor, Greg Craig, clashed with Emanuel on a number of issues.
We expressed our concerns about Craig's performance a number of times while he was in office. But Horton writes that it probably is Emaunel, not Craig, who is playing politics with justice matters:
What could this mean for the country? It isn't good:
Is such change one reason John Rogers now finds himself a target in Alabama? It certainly looks that way.
And what about the e-bingo grand jury investigation, which reeks of political gamesmanship? Those proceedings are taking place in private, so it might be awhile before we know the results.
But we have reason to ask these question: Is anyone on Team Obama minding the Justice Department store? Or is it possible that, as one investigative journalist recently reported, that Obama and Emanuel are being blackmailed by Bushies into ignoring abuses in our justice system?
Is that why Republicans still are doing about anything they please in Alabama?
But John Rogers? Hey, that's a different story. Let's grab those hard drives!
As for Rogers' statements regarding Leura Canary and the Middle District of Alabama, let's return to a post titled "Is Another Fix In Place on the Siegelman Case?" Let's focus on the following passage from July 14, 2009:
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.
So John Rogers spoke out about the machinations of Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby and urged citizens to contact Rahm Emanuel about it? Roughly eight months later, Rogers has FBI agents knocking on his door?
Coincidence? We doubt it.
Scott Horton probably would doubt it, too. Horton writes that White House Counsel Robert Bauer seems to be playing along with Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's desires to interject politics into prosecutorial decisions. Building on the reporting of Huffington Post's Dan Froomkin, Horton says Bauer and Emanuel seem to be singing from the same hymnal. Bauer's predecessor, Greg Craig, clashed with Emanuel on a number of issues.
We expressed our concerns about Craig's performance a number of times while he was in office. But Horton writes that it probably is Emaunel, not Craig, who is playing politics with justice matters:
Today, Huffington Post editor Dan Froomkin digs deeper into the issues that Bauer is facing and offers a more critical take on his game plan. Froomkin's bottom line: with Greg Craig gone, expect that legal decisions will have far more political content. The dynamics are plain enough. Craig clearly was at cross purposes with chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel on a number of legal issues, with the President's commitment to close Guantà �namo topping the list. Craig took the campaign pledge seriously and objected to the notion that legal policy questions surrounding the criminal justice system generally and decisions to prosecute individuals in particular could properly be part of the political give-and-take. Emanuel viewed them as a platform for bargaining with Republicans.
What could this mean for the country? It isn't good:
It's still early to be making any judgments about Bob Bauer's performance as the president's lawyer. But it's definitely time to be concerned. The firewall between the criminal justice system and the White House was dismantled and hauled out during the years when Karl Rove sat at the president's right. Today, there is every reason to fear that that change is being made permanent.
Is such change one reason John Rogers now finds himself a target in Alabama? It certainly looks that way.
And what about the e-bingo grand jury investigation, which reeks of political gamesmanship? Those proceedings are taking place in private, so it might be awhile before we know the results.
But we have reason to ask these question: Is anyone on Team Obama minding the Justice Department store? Or is it possible that, as one investigative journalist recently reported, that Obama and Emanuel are being blackmailed by Bushies into ignoring abuses in our justice system?
Is that why Republicans still are doing about anything they please in Alabama?
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