Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman took to the airwaves Thursday to explain why he believes President Donald Trump should pardon him after serving a six year sentence for bribery in a political corruption case.
Siegelman made the argument to Neil Cavuto on Fox Business’ “Cavuto: Coast to Coast.”
“This could happen to any governor or any president. It could have happened to President Obama or it could happen to President Trump,” Siegelman explained. “This is why I asked President Obama to pardon me and this is why President Trump should pardon me. It will clear up the law so that people will understand that you can’t go around putting people in prison for something that is clearly not a crime.”
In 2006, a federal jury convicted Siegelman of federal funds bribery on allegations that he sold a seat on a hospital regulatory board to former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy in exchange for $500,000 in donations to Siegelman’s unsuccessful 1999 campaign to get Alabama voters to approve a state lottery. Siegelman was also convicted of obstruction of justice, as was Scrushy.
In January 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from Siegelman, making a presidential pardon his last hope to reduce his sentence.
Scrushy was released from prison in 2010, while Siegelman was released February of this year. He continues to maintain his innocence.
“He [Scrushy] didn’t want to serve on the board and he didn’t give me any money. It was a campaign contribution to a referendum to support education. The important thing here is that I was not charged with receiving a single penny,” Siegelman added.
Watch Siegelman’s interview below:
