Posted on 10/26/2005 4:56:39 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A federal grand jury has indicted former Gov. Don Siegelman and three others in a "widespread racketeering conspiracy" that included bribery and extortion, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
The prosecutors said Siegelman and former Chief of Staff Paul Hamrick violated racketeering laws during his term from 1999 to 2003.
The indictment, in part, alleges that Richard Scrushy, former chief of the HealthSouth hospital chain, made disguised payments totaling $500,000 to Siegelman to get appointed to a key hospital regulatory board.
Former state Transportation Director Gary Mack Roberts was charged with fraud for his alleged role in influencing the agency on Siegelman's behalf.
The announcement of the indictment was made simultaneously in Montgomery and Washington. Siegelman has called the long-running grand jury probe a political witch hunt by Republican prosecutors trying to derail his Democratic campaign for a second term.
He planned a statement later Wednesday.
Smelling salts - Pelosi just fainted again!! LOL!
Guess her "culture of corruption" is getting out of control!!

God, I really wish we had one of the big three networks. Doing a laundry list of the nightly Dem indictments all over the Country would make the corruption thing a push.
There goes that Democrat culture of corruption again.
First of all the spelling is Siegelman, not Seligman. Secondly, as a resident of Alabama, I can tell you that he did not roll an SUV into a ditch.
And last, but certainly not least, I take great exception to your "or am I confusing poor southern States."
Since, in your pomposity you revealed you do not live in the south, you are hung by your own lack of command of the English language and proper spelling.
When you cast stones, expect a boulder in return.
Alabama is not a poor southern state, we have major automobile manufacturing companies, some of the nations best hospitals, a temperatate climate, major port facilities, but, one thing we proudly possess is the inclination to piss on damn yankees that think they are better than us.
Learn to spell, inform yourself on current events, and cast aside your spurious provincial thought.
Oh, and find a box and kiss my Southern ass.
Hill, you wrote my exact sentiments.
One day I was pulling through a local drive-in eatery as was my habit. I had gotten to know many of the workers there but this day the young man at the window was spitting nails, he was so mad. He told me that people like that just shouldn't be around here, we should ship 'em all back to where they came. He was refering to the car in front of mine. I couldn't see who was in the car, but I braced myself expecting some racial assumptions to be expressed. I asked him what about them was so awful.
He said, "Yankees! They come down here and think they know best how to do things. They're so smug and self-righteous. I hate 'em all."
LOL! But he's right. Yankees frequently start of their sentences here with "well, the way we do it back home is..."
I don't know which side of the state you're on, Hill, I'm on the RIGHT side, but we are together in this.
Unless we elect Moore or Riley....;)
Think, then post.
You made my day my friend. Birmingham, Alabama I'm proud to say, perhaps you're around Anniston.
Oh, Roll Tide or...War Eagle..depending upon your favorite team.
Proud to be an American and Southern by the grace of God.
I'm just down the road a piece, eating some boiled peanuts. That'll give the yankees something to chew on.
My best to you and yours.
Hilltop.
Well, I have been rather migratory around the state, but currently I'm living in the house where I grew up in Auburn. But, I've lived in Stevenson, Notasulga and Andalusia as well as Auburn. I have friends all over the state and my home church is in Huntsville.
My brother lives in Trussville and my hubby and I are traveling up to Briarwood on the 7th for an interview.
G.R.I.T.S = Girls Raised in The South
Praise the Lord!
My best to you and your husband. Have family in Greenville and Brewton.
Happen to have a newspaper that covers Trussville.
It's a small world. Ya'll take care.
Write back if you and yours so wish.
Well, that's right out of the blue for me.
Well, guess that means I'm on the bottom side of the state...Mobile.
Can't wait to see tomorrow's Mobile Register. I imagine the headline will be "Snicker, Snicker" or something like that. Siegelman stopped talking to their capitol reporter years ago because he unearthed all this mess.
There is a bit of schadenfrude in this indictment. I met Siegelman back in '94 when he was running for governor. I thought he was slick and smarmy of the sort that after you shook hands with him, it would be wise to count your fingers afterward just to make sure you got them all back. It was just the air that exuded from around him.
This next election will be interesting. There aren't too many people from which to choose. I may have to pick the least awful.
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