Even after I was supporting primarily Republican candidates, which wasn't possible before the 1990's, I continued to support Siegelman. My personal opinion is that the two people who were let off were the people who the book should have been thrown hardest at. It was complete nonsense to let Hamrick and the other guy off. Then again, my family has known the Siegelmans for a long time, so I have a bit of a prejudice here. Siegelman should have gotten something, but I just didn't think he was the main player here, I think he was being led along by someone and I think Hamrick was doing the leading.
But you're right, after the lottery failed, he was basically dead in the water, he assumed for whatever reason that the lottery would pass with the same margin he won by, not realizing that alot of those people in N. Alabama voted against Fob because Fob really did do that bad a job as governor, both times. The only thing he gets credit for in my book is the conceal carry permit law, otherwise, he was pretty useless as a governor.