By Alabama Public Radio
Birmingham, AL – Former Governor Don Siegelman entered a not-guilty plea in his arraignment on federal conspiracy charges Thursday in Birmingham federal court. Siegelman's two co-defendants...his former Chief of Staff Paul Hamrick and Tuscaloosa physician Phillip Bobo also pled not guilty. Siegelman spoke after the arraignment, saying his confident a jury will exonerate him of federal conspiracy charges. He was accompanied by his wife and daughter and said if the whole truth comes out a jury will determine he did nothing wrong. Bobo did not make a statement, but Hamrick echoed the former governor, saying the charges were absolutely false. The three were indicted last month and charged with engaging in a bid-rigging scheme involving a 100 million dollar program to help poor, pregnant women in west Alabama. Bobo also faces wire fraud and witness tampering charges. The three remain free on five-thousand dollars bond. Federal Judge Robert Armstrong did not set a trial date.