DNC: (AL) Gov. Riley endorsement of McCain is payback

[trof]

Source: Birmingham News

(Note: Sorry mods, entire headline too long to fit. Had to cut/edit.)

Democratic National Committee claims Gov. Bob Riley's endorsement of John McCain payback for withholding link to discredited lobbyist
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
CHARLES J. DEAN
News staff writer

The presidential race revisited Alabama on Tuesday when the Democratic National Committee charged that Gov. Bob Riley's endorsement of Sen. John McCain amounted to payback for McCain withholding information that would have linked Riley to a now-jailed lobbyist.

Riley endorsed the Arizona senator and presumptive GOP presidential nominee on Monday. On Tuesday, the DNC charged the endorsement was a reward for McCain's having withheld an e-mail discovered during a Senate investigation by a committee McCain led. The e-mail would have tied Riley to lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the DNC said.
<snip>
"Though John McCain has repeatedly claimed he took on Jack Abramoff and the Republican culture of corruption, a recent story revealed that McCain covered for his friend, Alabama Governor Bob Riley, who was fighting a tight re-election battle at the time, by refusing to release key evidence that would have linked Riley to the Abramoff scandal. Yesterday, Riley returned the favor by endorsing McCain," the press release stated.


Read more: http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/120470866584881.xml&coll=2

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This happened during the 2002 race between Riley and Don Siegelman.
That's the race where 3000 votes mysteriously swapped sides after midnight in my county (Official explanation: 'computer glitch'):eyes:, giving the election to Riley. There were only repug officials present at the courthouse when this happened. No Dem observers.

IMHO, if we could have tied Abramoff and *shudder* GAMBILN' MONEY! to Riley's tail he'd have been toast.
This whole Siegelman political persecution has tentacles running everywhere.
:-(