July 11, 2008--Netroots Nation organizers announced today that former Governor of Alabama Don Siegelman will make a court-sanctioned trip to Austin for a panel discussion Friday at 10:30 a.m. Sam Seder of Air America Radio will moderate the conversation.

Siegelman, the only person in the history of Alabama to be elected to serve in all four of the top statewide elected offices, will discuss his case and what it can tell us about the corruption that exists within the U.S. Justice Department. During his term as governor, the DOJ launched multiple investigations that went on year after year until a jury eventually convicted Siegelman of bribery, a decision that was criticized by both Democrats and Republicans.

“Don Siegelman’s case is symptomatic of the unprecedented corruption of the DOJ under the Bush administration,” said Seder. “The Netroots have been instrumental in uncovering the story of the firing of U.S. attorneys who refused to engage in politically motivated prosecutions, as well as the story of Gov. Don Siegelman, a victim of a Justice Department political prosecution.”

Netroots Nation 2008 will feature panels led by national and international experts, including keynotes with Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Howard Dean, Lawrence Lessig, Van Jones Harld Ford Jr. and Markos Moulitsas; identity, issue and regional caucuses; prominent political, issue and policy-oriented speakers; and the most concentrated gathering of progressive bloggers to date.

Other confirmed speakers include: Rep. Brad Miller, State Rep. Rick Noriega, Calif. Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Paul Krugman, Rick Perlstein, Darcy Burner, James Rucker, John Dean, Andrea Batista Schlesinger and many more.

Netroots Nation rebranded in August of 2007 in an effort to more accurately reflect the makeup of its audience and mission of implementing programs that teach and empower Netroots communities to affect change in the public sphere. The 2007 gathering last August included a Presidential Leadership Forum that drew seven of the eight Democratic candidates.

For more information about Netroots Nation or to request credentials, please visit www.netrootsnation.org/press.

ABOUT NETROOTS NATION
Netroots Nation amplifies progressive voices by providing an online and in-person campus for exchanging ideas and learning how to be more effective in using technology to influence the public debate. Within that campus, we strengthen community, inspire action and serve as an incubator for progressive ideas that challenge the status quo and ultimately affect change in the public sphere.

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 NN 2008, Speakers