Former Alabama Governor Denied Acquittal in Corruption Case

Former Alabama governor, Don Siegelman, was recently found guilty in a wide-spread scandal. According to the Associated Press, “Siegelman was convicted of seven counts, which included charges of bribery, mail fraud, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice.” His defense filed a motion for acquittal but on August 18, courts denied the motion from Siegelman and accomplice Richard Scrushy, former CEO of Health South. According to the abounding evidence, Siegelman was up to his elbows in illicit campaign donations and ill-gotten gifts.

At the top of the corruption list, Siegelman received $500,000 in campaign donations from Health South ex-CEO, Richard Scrushy, disguised as donations to the education lottery campaign (1). In return, Siegelman was to award Scrushy with a place on the Certificate of Need board, a state organization that approves hospital expansion projects, where Scrushy could influence important decisions that would benefit Health South.

It doesn’t stop there. In return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, a four-wheeler for his son, a motorcycle, plane tickets and countless other “donations,” Seigelman provided lobbyist Lanny Young with assistance in his lobbying career and his landfill development. Young was convicted after pleading guilty to what he testified was, “an agreement with Siegelman – to turn the governor’s office unto an unlawful enterprise (1).”

But wait- there’s more. In return for more than $40,000 in campaign contributions from toll-bridge developer, Jim Allen, Siegelman was to appoint Allen’s former employee, Roberts, State Transportation Director. Prosecutors also accused Siegelman of accepting other bribes from Allen to support road development projects that would personally benefit Allen (1).

1 – “Siegelman case goes to jurors”. The Montgomery Advertiser, June 16, 2006