Published: July 08, 2006 11:24 pm            

Verdicts send a message

Former Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy both claim they are innocent of the bribery and mail fraud charges they were convicted of in a Montgomery trial that drew to a close a little more than a week ago.

They will both seek to have those convictions overturned through the appeals process.

Their convictions surprised even those on the other side of the political aisle from Siegelman.

Whether are not they are guilty will likely be debated by their supporters and opponents for a long time.

Their convictions should send a clear message that political appointments and decisions should not be for sale.

But that has not been how the system has worked for decades.

People, corporations and special interest groups contribute millions of dollars each year to candidates hoping to sway their votes, or get a political appointment or a project completed.

There was even a published report this week about an Alabama congressman who has contributed thousands of dollars to some of his colleagues campaigns, with speculation centering around his hopes of getting appointed to the chairmanship of a powerful committee.

If true, would he not be guilty of the same crime Scrushy was in allegedly seeking a seat on a state medical board?

We hope the convictions send a message to both the office seeker and those making the contributions.

Decisions made by those who hold public office should be made on what is best for the people they represent. People who make contributions should do so based on who they feel would do the best job and not expect anything in return for that contribution.

They may not be entirely realistic.

But at least the verdicts will make some politicians think twice before making a decision based on how much money they received from a particular person or group seeking influence.

        

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