By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery AL – A former state finance department attorney testified today in Don Siegelman's government corruption trial. Lee Miller said he had reservations about a no-bid 20 million dollar warehouse deal when he saw the ``politically connected'' people involved in it. Miller is a former chief counsel for the finance department. He testified that he advised Siegelman's finance director, Henry Mabry, that an architect involved in the project had made mistakes on a previous project and was not the best person for the job. Miller also told jurors that Mabry did not take his advice. Under cross-examination, Miller said the letter from Mabry never mentioned Young's involvement in the project. Prosecutors claim that Siegelman agreed to make lobbyist Lanny Young construction manager of the project as part of an swap of bribes for political favors. The warehouse project fell apart in 2001 after media reports disclosed questionable payments. Siegelman has said he had approved the concept of the warehouse project, but did not know of Young's involvement or other details.