Posted on 02/21/2008 7:52:01 PM PST by peggybac
60 Minutes: Woman Says Top Bush Adviser Asked Her To Take Compromising Pictures Of Alabama Gov. Siegelman.
(CBS) A Republican operative in Alabama says Karl Rove asked her to try to prove the states Democratic governor was unfaithful to his wife in an effort to thwart the highly successful politicians re-election.
Roves attempt to smear Don Siegelman was part of a Republican campaign to ruin him that finally succeeded in imprisoning him, says the operative, Jill Simpson. Simpson speaks to Scott Pelley in her first television interview, to be broadcast on "60 MINUTES" Sunday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. ET/PT, on the CBS Television Network.
Simpson spoke to Pelley because, she says, Siegelmans seven-year sentence for bribery bothers her. She recalls what Rove, then President Bushs senior political adviser, asked her to do at a 2001 meeting in this exchange from Sundays report.
"Karl Rove asked you to take pictures of Siegelman?" asks Pelley.
"Yes," replies Simpson.
"In a compromising, sexual position with one of his aides," clarifies Pelley.
"Yes, if I could," says Simpson.
Simpson says she found no evidence of infidelity despite months of observation. She tells Pelley that Rove, who had been a top Republican strategist in Alabama, had made requests for information from her before in her capacity as an "opposition researcher" for Republicans running for office.
Rove would not speak to "60 MINUTES", but elsewhere has denied being involved in efforts to discredit Siegelman.
Siegelman was convicted of bribery in a case that has drawn criticism from Democrats and Republicans. In fact, 52 former states attorneys general from both political parties petitioned Congress to investigate Siegelmans case, resulting in hearings held last fall.
"I havent seen a case with this many red flags on it that pointed towards a real injustice being done," Grant Woods, the former Republican attorney general of Arizona and one of those who petitioned Congress, tells Pelley. "I personally believe that what happened here is that they targeted Don Siegelman because they could not beat him fair and square."
Siegelman was the only politician in Alabama history to be elected to all four of the states highest offices of secretary of state, attorney general, lieutenant governor and governor, and he did it as a Democrat in the heavily Republican state.
Is Dan Rather back to work at 60 minutes?
Your guess is as good as mine. Like the Lord, the Magnificent Bastard works in mysterious ways.
LOL!
Video: You Beautiful Bastard
Funny that this comes out just after the NYT smear of McLaim.
<< Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers released the transcript from the sworn testimony of Dana Jill Simpson, the Alabama attorney who earlier this year executed an affadavit that has stirred renewed interest in the prosecution and subsequent conviction of former Alabama governor Don Siegelman. >>
http://speaker.house.gov/blog/?p=833
Funnier that when you read the .pdf transcript of her testimony, it turns out her Republican credentials consist mostly of doing things like putting up a few signs and informally helping a couple of candidates. She doesn’t seem too sure that she was even a Republican, or knew much about the candidates she was supporting.
Rove was trying to defeat a crook and this is supposed to be a bad thing?
If it surprises you, you haven't been paying attention.
"Yes," replies Simpson.
"In a compromising, sexual position with one of his aides," clarifies Pelley.
"Yes, if I could," says Simpson.
Alabama governors have sex with their aides while other aides stand around watching with cameras?
The state must be kinkier than New Jersey!
The “GOP operative” this is based on, reads like a nutcase.
A lawyer who does not seem to have a basic grasp of legal issues, and does not appear to have done much more than arrange yard signs.
CBS (of course) has ignored these facts.
Just like Arkansas. We practically have a litle Republician party here. The Dems rule.
Once again, election season brings us another string of stories suggesting politics should be illegal...but only when practiced by Republicans.
A ‘smear’ is tainting someone with false allegations of something they haven’t actually done. Someone who DOES commit adultery, accept bribes, etc. is not ‘smeared’ by having the facts revealed.
I’m not sure how exactly anyone was supposed to take photos of this guy porking his aides, though — do Alabama politicians commit adultery in public parks or how precisely does one take photos of their indiscretions?
The Governor was accepting bribes, not alledged, CONVICTED and sentenced to priston.
Bushes/Cheney/Rove Fault!
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