http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1151659723252790.xml&coll=2 -  Siegelman, Scrushy guilty on multiple charges.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1151659712252830.xml&coll=1 – Pundits see conviction as end of long Siegelman career.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1151659712252830.xml&coll=1 – Legal experts say reversal of Siegelman conviction unlikely.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/OPINION01/606300315/1012/OPINION – Editorial states that Siegelman conviction shows need for ethics reform.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/APN/606290892 – Federal Court panel denies appeal of death row inmate who represented himself.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/NEWS/606300314/1012/editorial1 – Editorial urges Tuscaloosa County to move quickly to take advantage of limited local control.

FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:

Editorials

A sad end to it all

In our opinion

06-30-2006

Thursday afternoon, the word came over the wire: “Alabama governor and ex-HealthSouth CEO convicted of corruption.”

Former Gov. Don Siegelman and Richard Scrushy, the man who built HealthSouth into one of the most impressive companies in the state, were both convicted in federal court of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud. Siegelman was also convicted of obstruction of justice.

During the six-week trial, prosecutors brought in testimony to show what was described as a series of “pay to play” transactions in which Siegelman, both as governor and lieutenant governor, asked for and accepted money and gifts in exchange for a variety of favors, including a $40,000 “donation” that allowed the developer of a toll bridge to pick the transportation director.

Among those who were accused of taking part in such schemes was Scrushy, who was charged with having paid $500,000 in campaign contributions to obtain a seat on a state hospital regulatory board.

The trial has been a sad parade of the many ways money can and (according to the jury) did change hands to corrupt the political process. Both business and government took a beating, and neither came out well in the end.

But worse still, this verdict likely marks the end of what were once two of the most promising and productive careers in the state.

Don Siegelman came to the governor’s office with better credentials and more experience than any public official in recent memory. Unfortunately, that experience also tied him to politics as usual in Montgomery. As a result, his term in office fell short of what his supporters hoped it would be, and the outcome of this trial leaves a stain that will never be blotted out.

Richard Scrushy was also successful, impressive and promising. Self-made in so many ways, his career was one in which the people of Alabama took pride, and the company he built made us feel good about ourselves.

Which is what saddens us most about it all.

Here are two men who did so much and could have done so much more. Though there will be appeals and though the final verdict may be different, their promise, their potential, is a thing of the past. Now they will never do what they might have done for this state.

Medicaid mess

In our opinion

06-30-2006

We have seen it so often. A red-hot political issue is addressed by lawmakers more concerned about getting votes than about writing good legislation, and as soon as the bill is signed by a similarly concerned president, the “law of unintended consequences” kicks in.

Can anyone up in Washington say “oops?”

Back at the beginning of the year, Congress passed and President Bush signed the Deficit Reduction Act, which was suppose to help our spendthrift executive and legislative branches reduce the amount of money we have been coming up short every year.

And, in typical fashion, the spenders avoided the real problems – war and pork and such – and go after supposed welfare cheats. To sweeten the political pot, the politicians promised to save a bundle (roughly the cost of keeping troops in Iraq for a day or so) by reducing the number of illegal immigrants who are getting help through Medicaid.

Now, we will not criticize the goal here. Illegal immigrants should not be eligible for such services. But how are you going to tell those who are legal from those who aren’t?

Well, Congress, in its wisdom, came up with the answer. Just show proof of citizenship – a passport or birth certificate will do just fine.

Only problem is that there are a lot of folks who have neither. How many of you have a passport? OK, let’s write that one off.

And what about a birth certificate? Ah, you have that. Unless you are elderly, poor, from a rural area where doctors were few and hospitals fewer, so you were born at home.

There are a lot of folks like that in states like Alabama.

One survey has estimated that nationwide there could be over 4 million U.S.-born citizens who will have trouble getting Medicaid services because they lack the proper documentation. And they could be the ones who need it most.

So, what can be done?

Well, State Medicaid Commissioner Carol Herrmann-Steckel, seeing the consequence Congress did not anticipate, said that if an individual did not have a passport or birth certificate, they could still get Medicaid if they swore they were citizens.

That’s all?

Do folks in charge think that someone who broke the law to get here won’t break the law again to get aid if they need it?

So why pass the law anyway?

We wonder.