Posted by Senate Sketches # 1218
by
Senator Hank Sanders
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The early morning arrests had begun. The rumors had been flying for months. I was certain that indictments would come out in October to have maximum adverse impact on the November 2nd General Election. This was October 4th and they were here. We were concerned.
Our concern started years ago with the infamous Karl Rove, the political guru who helped George Bush become Governor of Texas and subsequently President of the United States of America. We perceived Karl Rove as the ultimate “take no prisoners” political operative who would not hesitate to use the criminal justice system to accomplish political purposes.
Karl Rove and Billy Canary worked together in Washington, D. C. Then Canary went on to head the American Trucker’s Association. Laura Canary was appointed by President George W. Bush, to head the U. S. Attorney Office in the Middle District of Alabama (Montgomery). Billy Canary returned to Alabama as a political consultant.
U. S. Attorney Laura Canary hounded Alabama Governor Don Siegelman from the very beginning of his tenure with highly public investigations and Karl Rove was implicated in the decision. As a result of the investigations, the election between Governor Siegelman and Congressman Bob Riley was very close. Governor Riley became Governor of Alabama when 3,000 votes miraculously appeared based upon an alleged miscount. To us, it was all so Rove like.
Billy Canary was Riley’s personal choice to head the BCA (Business Council of America). Laura Canary, after years of investigation, indicted former Governor Don Siegelman in 2006. Then she had to remove herself from the case based on conflicts of interests.
Let’s fast forward. Early in this term Governor Riley sent out a communication stating that his top priority was to take over the Alabama Senate. He has since raised millions of dollars. He has attacked Constitutionally provided bingo entities. Then when a bingo Constitutional Amendment was being considered by the Alabama Senate to let the people vote, representatives for the U. S. Attorney Office and other law enforcement agencies called a meeting with legislative leaders to tell them that an investigation was ongoing. We were shocked. None of us had ever heard of such a thing. Usually the Feds and other law enforcement want you to commit the crimes so they will have a good case. In addition, one undecided senator was visited late in the night just days before the vote.
I am told that this investigation has been going on some 19 months. However, the indictments came out October 4th, just 29 days before the election. Why not bring the indictments 99 days before the election or 9 days after the election? To us, the timing was about politics.
The senators and others were arrested at just after six in the morning while it was still dark. They were handcuffed with shackles placed on their ankles. Even a woman, Senator Harri Anne Smith, was placed in leg shackles. The media was present for some of these early morning arrests for maximum publicity. Then, those arrested were taken to their bond hearing that afternoon in leg shackles and handcuffs. It was a big political show.
Governor Riley tried desperately to organize the Senate around Republicans in 2003 and 2007 in spite of substantial Democratic majorities. This time he put his goal of taking over the Alabama Senate in writing to funders asking each for $40,000 over four years. He has raised millions.
The U. S. Attorneys Office announced that trials may be held in two months. The organization of the 2011 Alabama Legislature will be January 9th. If two of the indicted senators are convicted, they cannot vote in the organization of the Senate. If Independent Senator Harri Anne Smith, who was kicked off the Republican ballot, and Democrat Senator Larry Means win and both organize with Democrats, that may well be the death knell of Riley’s take over thrust.
In my feeble opinion, the indictments with their attendant shackled arrests and initial court appearance, were timed to hurt the election chances of those senators. The hurry up trial is designed to make sure they are convicted before organization of the Senate in case they win in spite of the politicization of the criminal investigation. I also believe that the indictment related activities are designed to hurt the opportunities of Democrats in general and the Governor’s race in particular. I believe that those committing crimes should be convicted and punished. I believe it’s criminal to use the criminal justice system for political purposes.
I realize that some say, “Well, this is a Democratic U. S. Justice Department.” I say look at the Republican U. S. Attorney in the Middle District in Montgomery. She is still in place almost two years after the Presidential election. Also Rove successfully placed operatives deep within the Justice Department. I can tell that this did not occur by happenstance. It took a scheme.
Finally, the persuasive rumors of additional forthcoming indictments (one false rumor had Senator Lowell Barron and I in jail) are designed to immobilize Democrats, put brakes on fundraising and hamper effective political mobilization. The only way to prevent such misuse of the criminal justice system is to vote in even larger numbers.
Now on to the Daily Diary.
Saturday – I facilitated the First Saturday Unity Breakfast in Selma. I communicated with the following: Selma School Board Member Henry Hicks and Superintendent Dr. Donald Jefferson; Douglas Sanders of Wallace Community College Selma (WCCS); Selma Teacher Jackie Walker; Sharanda Armstead of Selma; Theresa Burroughs of Hale County; Sadie Moss of McRae Learning Center; Sheryl Threadgill Matthews of Wilcox County; Democratic Nominee for State Representative David Colston; Wilcox County Sheriff Prince Arnold; Senator Marc Keahey; Nationally Known Historian Anthony Browder; and Dr. Walter Hill of Tuskegee. I did the following: spoke at the MAAFA Celebration at the Slavery and Civil War Museum; traveled to Moundville in Hale County to speak at the Safe House Museum Annual Celebration; returned to Selma to handle a matter before traveling to Wilcox County to make remarks at the Wilcox County Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women Pink and Black Event; and returned to Selma for a dinner at my home for Anthony Browder and others.
Sunday – I did Radio Sunday School with Dr. Margaret Hardy, Radio Education with Perry County School Superintendent John Heard, and Sunday Review. I participated in Sunday School and talked with the following: David Lee, Coach Woody Jackson, and Charlie Sanders of Selma; Sam Walker of the National Voting Rights Museum; Dr. Carol P. Zippert and Lester Brown of Greene County; Sabra Barnett of the Senate President Pro Tem Office; and Greene County Businessman Luther “Nat” Winn. I had Sunday Dinner with Dr. Fannie McKenzie and Bobby McKenzie of Selma where we discussed education issues. I worked on Sketches and other matters into the night including a conference call with several senators.
Monday – I talked with the following: Senator Roger Bedford; Senator Quinton Ross; Josh Hayes of Tuscaloosa; Ola Morrow of Maplesville; Reporter Dave White of the Birmingham News; Dr. Carol P. Zippert and Laddi Jones of the Greene County Democrat Newspaper; Dr. Roberta Watts and Roger Watts of Gadsden; Lobbyist Tom Coker; Kirk and Carolyn Wheeler of Chattanooga, TN; Penny Armstrong of Montgomery; Dr. Paul Hubbert of the Alabama Education Association (AEA); and Rose Hill of Wilcox County. I participated in multiple conference calls with several senators. I traveled to Greene County and back to Selma and then to Montgomery and back to Selma.
Tuesday – I had breakfast with WCCS President Dr. James Mitchell and talked with the following: Deborah Anthony of the Legislative Reference Service (LRS); Lowndes County Administrator Jackie Thomas; Senate Majority Leader Zeb Little; House General Fund Budget Chair Representative John Knight; Wayne Vardaman of the Selma Centre of Commerce; Steve Martin of AEA; Sharon Calhoun of Montgomery; Elizabeth Vodde of the Senate Staff; David Stout of AEA; Alisa Summerville of Alabama Power Company; Catrena Norris Carter of Birmingham; Joyce Bigbee of the Legislative Fiscal Office (LFO); Richard Rogers of the South Marengo Volunteer Firefighters; Selma Mayor George Evans; Ethel Washington of Selma; Josh Hayes of Tuscaloosa; Roosevelt McElroy of Orrville; and Businessman and Physician Dr. Bruce Taylor of Selma. I finished Sketches and worked on numerous matters.
Wednesday – I talked with the following: Jaeston Zellars of Auburn; Vaughn Russell and Bill Russell of Selma; Craig Pouncey of the State Department of Education; Beulah Toney of Huntsville; Lobbyist Joe Fine; Greenville Mayor Arthur Ingram; Evergreen Mayor Pete Wolfe; Sally Howell of the Alabama Association of School Boards; and Dallas County Tax Assessor Frances Hughes. I did Law Lessons and worked into the night.
Thursday – I went to a scheduled leadership breakfast with Malika Fortier but it was cancelled. I then did a Radio Talk Program, Faya’s Fire and did a Black Farmer’s conference call. I made remarks at an industry expansion announcement involving 100 new jobs and talked with the following: Economic Developer George Alford; Selma School Board Member Frank Chestnut, Jr; David Stout and Susan Kennedy of AEA; Selma Mayor George Evans; Dallas County Probate Judge Kim Ballard; U. S. Congressional Candidate Don Chamberlain; Frank Kummell of Lowndes County; and Senator Marc Keahey. I went to Montgomery for a series involving meetings on Community Service Grants, gubernatorial politics, criminal indictments, etc. I worked on Sketches and other matters.
Friday – I met with Democratic State Representative Nominee Darrio Melton, Dr. James Mitchell, Ola Morrow, and Rita Lett for breakfast. I traveled to Montgomery where I spoke to a Leadership Alabama class, met with Representative John Knight, and saw a powerful play at the Shakespeare Theatre before returning to Selma.
EPILOGUE – Sometimes that which is meant for bad comes out good. That’s even more likely if we do our best to reverse the bad and make good out of it. I am doing my best.
NOTE: Sen. Hank Sanders (D – Selma) has written weekly columns for papers in his legislative district for over twenty years. They are not available online from the rural, weekly papers which publish them. This column is provided by Sen. Sanders’ office to Doc’s Political Parlor for inclusion in the Daily Headlines.
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