To: President Donald Trump
Gov. Siegelman's Unjust Imprisonment
President Obama needs to pardon him now. This man committed no crime. If he is not pardoned. He will die in jail.
The criminal charge
The Alabama US Attorney claimed that this donation was a bribe and sent both Siegelman and Scruchy to jail.
Appellate court
The Appellate court admitted that there were "substantial questions of law and fact, likely to result n a reversal."
March 2008
Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court vacates two charges without hearing the case and sends the case back to the Appellate Court.
January 2011
11th Circuit Court of Appeals
Instead of the full court hearing the case, three judges uphold charges against Siegelman.
January 2011
113 Attorneys General
A bipartisan group of Attorneys General file amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Siegelman.
March 2012
Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear the case. Siegelman re-sentenced to prison on September 11, 2012
by District Judge Mark Fuller.
September 11, 2012
Clemency
A bipartisan group of over 100 Attorneys General write President Obama asking for clemency for Don Siegelman.
September 2012
Why is this important?
Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman was sent to prison for something that has never been a crime – accepting a campaign contribution.
As governor, Siegelman advanced a ballot referendum to create a state lottery with revenue dedicated to education.
Health care executive Richard Scrushy contributed $250,000 to the lottery campaign. None of this money went to Siegelman.
Later, Siegelman appointed Scrushy — as three previous Republican governors had done — to a health-care-related state board, three members of which are required by law to be health-care professionals and all members of which serve without pay.