I love Harper’s. I suspect I’ve read every issue published since I was about fourteen. And their online presence is also pretty nice.
So obviously I eventually got around to the piece this week on Justice in Alabama.
It’s worth a read, if only to make you ask Mr. Young’s question “What are you doing Alabama? You got the rest of the union to help you along. What’s going wrong?”. Seriously, read it, it’s not that long.
Here’s the bit that really jumped out at me:
The curtain was pulled back on this plan when Dana Jill Simpson, a Republican lawyer who previously worked on a campaign against Siegelman, decided to blow the whistle. Her affidavit described William Canary, a legendary figure in the Alabama GOP, bragging that “his girls” would take care of Siegelman. Canary’s wife is Leura Canary, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. Alice Martin, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama is a close confidante of Canary’s. He referred repeatedly to “Karl,” assuring that “Karl” had worked things out with the Justice Department in Washington to assure a criminal investigation and prosecution of Siegelman. Canary is a close friend of Karl Rove, and I have documented their long relationship in another post.
The response to Simpson’s affidavit has been a series of brusque dismissive statements – all of them unsworn – from others who figured in the discussion and the federal prosecutor in the Siegelman case, who has now made a series of demonstrably false statements concerning the matter. She’s been smeared as “crazy” and as a “disgruntled contract bidder.” And something nastier: after her intention to speak became known, Simpson’s house was burned to the ground, and her car was driven off the road and totaled. Clearly, there are some very powerful people in Alabama who feel threatened. Her case starts to sound like a chapter out of John Grisham’s book The Pelican Brief. However, those who have dismissed Simpson are in for a very rude surprise. Her affidavit stands up on every point, and there is substantial evidence which will corroborate its details
So, I still hate Karl Rove. No shock there.
However, for perhaps the first time I’m thinking that what the American South needs to straighten up its political system is a good solid dose of Bo and Luke. I mean, come on, doesn’t this all sound like a particularly dark episode of the The Dukes of Hazzard? Especially the ending where she manages to testify–I feel like if I did some research on the story would find out that she arrived at court in the General Lee. And wouldn’t the Dukes’ storylines have been improved if Boss Hogg had help from an evil political architect in the federal administration?
