Alabama Politics in
Doc’s Political Parlor
& Home of Lawn Mower Repair

The bribery and corruption trial of former Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy sparked plenty of political debate.

Professors and politicians don’t all share the same views on the outcome of the trial, but many say the sentencing of Siegelman to more than seven years in a federal prison could signal a new era for Alabama politics.

“The impact I hope it has is for everyone in the future is those days, shady at best, are over,” said Tony Moreland, Calhoun County Republican Party chairman.

Siegelman was sentenced Thursday night to seven years and four months in federal prison and ordered to pay fines and restitution amounting to more than $230,000 and complete 500 hours of community service

Scrushy was sentenced to six years and 10 months and ordered to pay fines and restitution amounting to $417,000 and to complete 500 hours community service.

Both men spent their first day in custody Friday at the federal prison in Atlanta as their attorneys sought to free them while they appeal their convictions.

They were convicted last year of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud charges. The government claimed Siegelman appointed Scrushy to a hospital regulatory board in exchange for $500,000 in donations to Siegelman’s 1999 campaign for a state lottery for education. Scrushy defense attorney Art Leach said Friday that the appeal will argue in part there was no “quid pro quo” and no crime.

U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller, a Republican, said the actions of the two men had “damaged public trust in state government.”

Natalie Davis, a political science professor at Birmingham Southern College, said the trial contributed to an overly politicized environment in the state.

“You’d be hard-pressed to have lower trust in the government,” she said of Fuller’s comments.

“Alabamians have been taught never to trust government and they don’t,” Davis said. “They haven’t been given a reason to.”

Davis, a Democrat, said she was concerned that Fuller used charges Siegelman and Scrushy had been acquitted of to determine sentencing.

The practice is allowed under federal law, but not required, she said.

“That rubs against the whole idea of rule of law,” Davis said.

Lori Owens, associate professor of political science at Jacksonville State University, said Alabamians don’t want to put up with blatant abuse of power anymore.

“Siegelman’s probably not the only one who needs to go to jail,” Owens, a Republican, said.

Both Davis and Owens said in telephone interviews Friday that the convictions will force politicians at all levels in the state to rethink their actions.

Calhoun County Democratic Party Chairman Roy Hanner said the sentence was excessive and Siegelman’s abilities could be put to better use through more community service.

“I think a lot of people have a lot of questions on how it (sentencing) was handled,” Hanner said.

Hanner agreed with Siegelman’s accusations that Karl Rove, President George W. Bush’s top political strategist, was involved in his legal problems.

“Wouldn’t doubt it at all; if I were a betting man I’d bet that Karl Rove had something to do with it,” Hanner said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.