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Obama Administration: November 2009

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Obama Administration

'Disappointed' Siegelman: Obama Justice Dept. Virtually The Same As Bush DOJ

Justin Elliott | November 25, 2009, 10:42AM

Don Siegelman with Obama and Bush (inset)

When the Obama Administration argued in a filing earlier this month that the Supreme Court should not consider an appeal by Don Siegelman, the former Alabama governor wasn't surprised, even though the Obama filing maintained the Bush-era stance in Siegelman's controversial corruption case.

"There's really been no substantial change in the heart of the Department of Justice from the Bush-Rove Department of Justice," Siegelman tells TPMmuckraker in an interview.

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Topics: Barack Obama, Bush, Bush Administration, DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility, Don Siegelman, Elena Kagan, Eric Holder, George Bush, Justice Department, Karl Rove, Obama Administration

Don Siegelman

Obama Administration Opposes Siegelman's Supreme Court Appeal

Justin Elliott | November 17, 2009, 3:54PM

Fmr. Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman

The solicitor general of the Obama Administration is arguing against former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman's appeal of his controversial bribery conviction to the Supreme Court.

The Friday development, first reported by the Birmingham News, hinges on the argument by Siegelman and co-defendant Richard Scrushy, former CEO of HealthSouth Corp., that their case throws into doubt standards for determining whether bribery has occurred.

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Topics: Bribery, Don Siegelman, HealthSouth Corp, Obama Administration, Richard Scrushy

Obama Administration

Obama Adopts Bush's State Secrets Position -- And Exact Language -- In NSA Spying Case

Justin Elliott | November 2, 2009, 6:03PM

Pres. Obama and Fmr. Pres. George W. Bush

Here's a good catch from Michael Isikoff on the new blog Declassified at Newsweek:

It looks like the Obama Administration is invoking the state secrets privilege in a lawsuit alleging illegal surveillance by the National Security Agency -- and it's using the exact wording used by the Bush Administration two years ago in the very same case.