Heads up: Scrushy, Siegelman behind bars

The case is just about closed on the two local boys made bad. Former governor Don Siegelman and HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy were both sentenced to prison and six-figure fines, then immediately taken into custody earlier this evening.

Siegelman, the only Alabama governor with a prison sentence, won’t be free until late 2014 (barring parole). He’ll have to cough up more than $230,000 and perform 500 hours of community service. And don’t forget the three years of probation.

Scrushy, mogul turned evangelist turned con, won’t be out until spring 2014 (barring parole); he’ll have three years probation when out. He must shell out more than $400,000, not counting having to repay the costs of incarceration, which will easily be more than $150,000 if he serves the full term.

The pair racked up all kinds of charges: mail fraud, conspiracy, bribery, obstruction of justice. They were convicted one year ago tomorrow.

Has justice been served? Tell us after the jump. Plus, bloggers’ reactions.

• Birmingham News: Siegelman, Scrushy taken into custody.

Blogs:

• Sentencing blog from NBC13 (warning: automatic video): “All of Scrushy’s family and friends were in tears.”
• Curious Capitalist: “Siegelman got far less than 30 years. …. But sending a politician to jail for seven years for doing something that (a) was pretty much standard practice and (b) did not involve any kind of personal enrichment seems kinda, you know, wrong,” says former Birmingham News reporter.
• Flashpoint: “I hope this sentence sends the appropriate message not only to Siegelman (and Scrushy), but to all public servants.”
• Left in Alabama: “Are they trying to exorcise all the evils in Alabama politics by sending Don Siegelman away for 15 years?”
• Courtroom Chronicles from WSFA-TV: A running transcript of the final moments.
• Gateway Pundit: “The AP forgets to mention (Siegelman) is a Democrat in their first report on the sentencing today.”
• Harper’s Magazine: “The essential next step will be a Congressional probe into Karl Rove’s dealings with the Department of Justice and the Montgomery and Birmingham U.S. attorney’s offices that produced this farce of a prosecution.”
• The Reality-Based Community: “The theory under which Siegelman was prosecuted would, if carried out consistently, put virtually every governor, every mayor, and everyone in the White House Personnel Office in prison.”
• Talking Points Memo: “Here’s our run-down on the case from this morning and Karl Rove’s alleged involvement in spurring the prosecution.”
• FishOutofWater from Daily Kos: “The White House is desperately trying to cover its tracks in this malicious political prosecution.”
• Doc’s Political Parlor: “If a defendant is found innocent of charges, why should those charges be used in considering the sentence?”
• Midtopia: “(Siegelman) took bribes; he deserves to go down.”

Videos:

• Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth: It’s Bush’s fault!
• Leslie Scrushy: “I’m shocked.”

Plus, timelines for Scrushy and Siegelman.

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Posted: Thursday, June 28, 2007, 11:41 pm, in Headlines.
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