I received an e-mail from Ester Davis talking about Don Siegelman's case:
"According to Legal Schnauzer, Don’s real legal battle began in April 2001 when he hired a lawyer after articles in statewide newspapers indicated a federal grand jury was focusing on his administration. Ten years later, his case ranks as perhaps the most notorious political prosecution in American history.
In light of a new law regarding honest services fraud, the Supreme Court vacated Siegelman’s case and sent it to the three- member Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to review. This probably means that Siegelman stands a better chance of having his conviction overturned. He is still waiting to hear from them.
The public may forget about Don Siegelman, but the US Department of Justice has not. They still refuse to release the recusal papers for Leura Canary."
Wisconsin and Alabama have a few human errors in common...
Both Share some ethically raised eyebrows over e-mails sent from legal persons who should remain distant and not become personally involved.
Our Waukesha D.A email to Waukesha Clerk Kathy Nicolas:The email from Schimel, who would otherwise be tasked with prosecuting Nickolaus if wrong-doing is discovered, reads...
From: Schimel, Brad
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2011 8:24 AM
To: Nickolaus, Kathy
Subject: Hang in there
Kathy,
You handled everything as well as possible yesterday. I had several events last night, and everyone I spoke with was very understanding about how something like this could happen.
I think it will be ok. Hang in there and keep your chin up.
Brad
Alabama: Numerous observers have charged that the prosecution by Canary's office of former governor Don Siegelman, who in 2006 was convicted on corruption charges, was politically motivated. Canary's husband, Bill Canary, a top Alabama GOP political consultant and associate of Karl Rove, ran Riley's 2002 gubernatorial campaign against Siegelman, a Democrat.http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/leura_canary/
U.S. Attorney E-mail:I]n her complaint, the Justice Department employee, Tamarah T. Grimes, cited several instances suggesting Ms. Canary maintained a close watch on the case. Ms. Grimes said a legal aide in the office reported on Mr. Siegelman's trial to Ms. Canary or her top deputy "every day, sometimes several times per day by telephone." Once, she observed Ms. Canary "frantically pacing in the executive suite" after a courtroom blowup, "pleading with someone" to get on the phone to "tell Louis he has to control his temper."
Ms. Grimes also disclosed an e-mail message written by Ms. Canary commenting on legal strategy in the case and suggesting to aides that Mr. Siegelman not be allowed to "comment on court activities in the media." Ms. Grimes, who is also in an dispute with the department related to her allegations that the Siegelman prosecution team had harrassed her, cited the affidavit of a former legal aide in the Montgomery office, Elizabeth Jane Crooks, who wrote that "the morning that the trial started, the U.S. attorney herself carried food and beverage over to the courthouse to support the 'Trial Team.' "http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/leura_canary/