U.S. Supreme Court Turns Deaf Ear on Siegelman Case

Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, who was convicted in federal court of accepting a bribe to appoint HealthSouth Chairman Richard Scrushy to the state Certificate of Need board, won’t get a hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court.

With no explanation, the court announced in early June that it would not hear the case.

The decision not to decide came as a blow to those who hoped the court would help draw a line between campaign contributions and bribes. Scrushy had given similar contributions to the governors before Siegelman and already held a post on the CON committee, which must approve new services and expansions for hospitals—which could be valuable to Scrushy and his growing hospital business.

More than 100 former state attorneys general from both parties had urged the high court to rule, saying the line between donations and bribes is unclear.

Siegelman has been out of jail during the appeal process. 

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By Nedra Bloom

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