NY Times Laments Prosecuting Democrats

Oh my, get the violins out.

The New York Times is aghast that former Alambama Governor Don Siegelman has been hauled off to prison.

To them he's guilty of one thing only: Being a Democrat.

The idea of federal prosecutors putting someone in jail for partisan gain is shocking. But the United States attorneys scandal has made clear that the Bush Justice Department acts in shocking ways. We hope that the appeals court that hears Mr. Siegelman’s case will give it the same hard look that another appeals court recently gave the case of Georgia Thompson. Ms. Thompson, a low-level employee in a Democratic administration in Wisconsin, was found to have been wrongly convicted of corruption by another United States attorney.

Strangely, the Times never seemed to have any problem going after Tom Delay. I guess "partisan witchhunts" are fine so long as it's a Republican brought up on frivolous charges.

Willfully omitted from the editorial is what Siegelman was actually convicted of.

Former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth Chief Executive Officer Richard Scrushy were sentenced to prison terms today for their roles in a bribery, conspiracy and fraud scheme, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. of the Middle District of Alabama announced today.

At a hearing today in Montgomery, Ala., U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller sentenced Siegelman to 88 months in prison, and ordered him to pay $50,000 in fines. Siegelman was convicted by a federal jury in June 2006 of seven counts -- bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, four counts of honest services mail fraud, and obstruction of justice.

Scrushy was sentenced to 82 months in prison and fined $150,000. Scrushy was convicted of six counts -- bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, and four counts of honest services mail fraud.

No, none of these charges seem to merit prosecution according to the Times.

It's all about getting Karl Rove.

UPDATE: Also at Outside the Beltway.