Politics put Siegelman in prison, politics get him out

Putting former Gov. Don Siegelman in prison immediately after his sentencing in June was an act of politics. His release from a federal prison in Louisiana also reflects the politics that keep swirling around this extraordinary case.

Federal Judge Mark Fuller, a Republican appointee, hustled the former governor, handcuffed and shackled like a hardened, dangerous criminal, off to prison after sentencing him to more than seven years. Two Democratic appointees from the Clinton administration ruled Thursday Mr. Siegelman should be released while he awaits a decision on his long-overdue appeal and motion for a new trial.

Left to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Mr. Siegelman would continue to sit in the Oakdale prison. Mr. Mukasey apparently doesn’t like the idea of the once-popular governor appearing before a congressional committee that is investigating selective prosecution in his Justice Department.

Federal prosecutors accused Mr. Siegelman of taking $500,000 in bribes from former HealthSouth chief executive officer and founder Richard Scrushy in exchange for a seat on a powerful hospital regulatory board.

Mr. Scrushy, too, is in prison, denied bond because the government says he is a threat to leave the country.

Whether the threat of the government not allowing Mr. Siegelman out to testify had anything to do with his release is speculation. But the Democrat-dominated House Judiciary Committee wants Mr. Siegelman to testify about Republicans using selective prosecuting to target him for defeat in 2002.

And Republicans would rather he stay out of sight in this election year.