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TechnoratiEditorials Hit Libby's Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card
NEW YORK - The bloggers, politicians, and TV pundits weighed in quickly Monday after President Bush took the surprisingly sudden step of commuting Lewis "Scooter" Libby's 30-month prison sentence for perjury and obstruction of justice in the CIA leak case. Now newspaper editorials are appearing, and nearly all of them have condemned the Bush act.
First up, The New York Times and The Washington Post, which had viewed the case quite differently, each ripped the Bush move.
From the Times' Tuesday editorial: "Mr. Bush's assertion that he respected the verdict but considered the sentence excessive only underscored the way this president is tough on crime when it's committed by common folk ...
"Within minutes of the Libby announcement, the same Republican commentators who fulminated when Paris Hilton got a few days knocked off her time in a county lockup were parroting Mr. Bush's contention that a fine, probation and reputation damage were 'harsh punishment' enough for Mr. Libby.
"Presidents have the power to grant clemency and pardons. But in this case, Mr. Bush did not sound like a leader making tough decisions about justice. He sounded like a man worried about what a former loyalist might say when actually staring into a prison cell."
The Post, which had often mocked the court case, declares today: "We agree that a pardon would have been inappropriate and that the prison sentence of 30 months was excessive. But reducing the sentence to no prison time at all, as Mr. Bush did -- to probation and a large fine -- is not defensible. ... Mr. Bush, while claiming to 'respect the jury's verdict,' failed to explain why he moved from 'excessive' to zero.
"It's true that the felony conviction that remains in place, the $250,000 fine and the reputational damage are far from trivial. But so is lying to a grand jury. To commute the entire prison sentence sends the wrong message about the seriousness of that offense."
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "President Bush's commutation of a pal's prison sentence counts as a most shocking act of disrespect for the U.S. justice system. It's the latest sign of the huge repairs to American concepts of the rule of law that await the next president."
The Denver Post found that "such big-footing of other branches of government is not unprecedented with this administration. The president's abuse of signing statements show his disrespect for Congress' power to make law. His insistence that terror detainees at Guantanamo Bay be denied Habeas Corpus rights mocks legal tradition. It's a shame that his actions in the Libby affair will add to that list. Libby should be held accountable for his crimes."
San Francisco Chronicle: "In commuting the sentence of former White House aide Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, President Bush sent the message that perjury and obstruction of justice in the service of the president of the United States are not serious crimes."
But The Wall Street Journal sees it differently: "By failing to issue a full pardon, Mr. Bush is evading responsibility for the role his administration played in letting the Plame affair build into fiasco and, ultimately, this personal tragedy. ... Mr. Libby deserved better from the President whose policies he tried to defend when others were running for cover. The consequences for the reputation of his Administration will also be long-lasting."
New York Post: "If Bush thinks such parsing will spare him the political backlash an outright pardon would produce, he's wrong. The jackals are tearing at his heels this morning -- and for doing only half the necessary job. Bush knows a pardon is warranted. He should grant it."
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's editorial declares that "mostly this commutation fails on the most basic premise. There was no miscarriage of justice in Libby's conviction or his sentence. The trial amply demonstrated that he stonewalled. Like President Clinton's 11th-hour pardons of an ill-deserving few, this commutation is a travesty."
New York's Daily News: "However misbegotten was the probe by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, the fact is that Libby did commit a federal crime and the fact is also that he was convicted in a court of law. Thankfully, Bush did not pardon Libby outright, but time in the slammer was in order. Sixty days, say, wouldn't have hurt the justice system a bit."
Chicago Tribune believes that "in nixing the prison term, Bush sent a terrible message to citizens and to government officials who are expected to serve the public with integrity. The way for a president to discourage the breaking of federal laws is by letting fairly rendered consequences play out, however uncomfortably for everyone involved. The message to a Scooter Libby ought to be the same as it is for other convicts: You do the crime, you do the time."
The Arizona Republic: "We thought Scooter Libby was going through the criminal justice system. Just like anyone else. Then, President Bush whipped out a get-out-of-jail-free card. This is the wrong game to play on a very public stage."
San Jose Mercury News: "Other presidents have doled out pardons and the like, usually on the way out of office. It's never pretty. But few have placed themselves above the law as Bush, Cheney and friends repeatedly have done by trampling civil liberties and denying due process. Chalk up another point for freedom. Scooter's, at least."
The Sacramento Bee: President Bush, a recent story in the Washington Post tells us, is obsessed with the question of how history will view him. He has done himself no favors on that count by commuting the prison term of I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby."
The Dallas Morning News: "Perhaps the president felt he had nothing left to lose, given his unpopularity. But considering how much trouble the White House faces in regard to congressional subpoenas, the last thing this president needed was to further antagonize Capitol Hill regarding abuse of executive power."
The Rocky Mountain News, in Denver, in the most bizarre comment, accepts the "compassion" argument and just wishes Bush had waited a little bit so his move could not be wrongly "perceived": "Bush's statement exudes compassion, and it carefully gives credit to those who criticize prison time for Libby as well as to those who defend it. But the president should have restrained his compassion -- and delayed his commutation -- for at least a few more months, lest he be perceived as subverting justice, too."
© 2007 VNU eMedia Inc.
92 Comments so far
Show AllI was hoping Libby would serve some time in prison. That nickname "Scooter" could take on a whole new meaning in the pokey.
Folks
We all knew this would happen.
As more and more sleaze bags fall, the big Prez Pardon will be their escape hatch.
How can anyone be shocked? ?
Salia - I think the pardon provision, just like the Electoral College, was a fail-safe provision the founding fathers installed just in case the common man couldn't quite be trusted with all the decisions. They were all rich aristocrats and the documents they came up with were revolutionary and insightful, but not perfect. Some of the provisions of the Constitution were probably compromises, as there was quite a bit of rancor and sniping among the politicians of that day, as well.
God knows, there are enough common people in this country who actually deserve presidential pardons, but Bush proves again that his loyalties lie with his rich criminal friends, and not the people.
Additionally, he takes a perfectly useful device (the power of presidential pardons (and 'commutations')), which can be used with a sense of responsibility to the common people to commit acts of actual compassion, and abuses it in a way that invalidates its integrity.
He has destroyed the integrity of any number of very serious presidential powers by using them to benefit his rich, sleazy friends.
I sincerely hope that at some point Bush himself is issued a sentence much, much more "excessive" than that of Libby. Life in prison, perhaps, or maybe sentenced to work in a McDonalds or Wal Mart for the rest of his life...
Wow laddy, glad I voted for Kerry.
No criminal left behind.
What's the big deal. Bush and his administration are crooks and so is every other politician working in WAsh. dc. I predicted this very thing happening to Libby long before his trial started. now he will be pardoned just before the crazy one leaves office. Remember my other prediction that i made years ago considering the starting of the war with Iran. this will also happen...and soon. Every one that voted for Bush and his administration, to me, are nothing but traitors to our founding fathers' Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Each and every one of them should be charged for crimes against humanity...and being stupid.
RE: PARDONS, ELITES AND THE LAW
Saila July 3rd, 2007 1:55 pm
"It is obvious that this business of presidential pardon was designed to apply to the members of the elite circle only. Honestly, have you ever heard any president pardoning any ordinary folk yet?"
NOW, NOW, JUST REMEMBER THESE WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE PAST...
"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids both rich and poor from begging in the streets, from stealing bread, and from sleeping under bridges." - Anatole France
btw - good points re pardon. but what to do now?
dcbeltway,
You're still posting these LONG urls. Please STOP now! Grow up.
Use http://tinyurl.com/create.php to create a short url.
I can't believe it. We have people faulting the Jews and Israel over this? Sick, sick, sick. Common Dreams is a home to liberals and bigots. Such strange bedfellows.
Have you ever thought about the reason for the inclusion of the presidential pardon clause in the Constitution? Think about it. If a person is convicted in a fair trial by a jury of his peers in a court of law, then what is the argument for pardoning that criminal? If it's because it's deemed that the trial was unfair, then retry. If it's because of a defect in the justice system, then amend the system, and retry.
Can any constitutional expert tell me the reason for the existence of the presidential pardon, other than what I mentioned in an earlier post above? I'm listening.
to canuckchuck:
Actually Lady Justice is blindfolded because she no longer wants to see what's happening to America...she's weeping beneath that blindfold.
it's right that impeachment is "off the table"
it belongs on the HOUSE FLOOR.
meantime - keep watching/voting American Idle.
What's the point of asking or requiring Libby to testify? He's a convicted liar.
Shed a tear for the deceased concept of justice.
Checked out that biblebelievers site - it had a list of the "Jews" who are "running" the Bush Administration. Pretty much worthless propaganda (especially in light of the fact that Jesus was Jewish - never could fathom that disconnect in fundalmentalist Christians) but under the entry for "I Lewis Libby" there was an interesting note. I checked it with Google and sure enough, Libby was Marc Rich's lawyer for 18 years, and lobbyied for his pardon! Ain't that a kick in the head! Take that, hypocrites who thought Rich's pardon an affront to justice (it was) but Libby's was good government (it wasn't). Wonder if Rush or Hannity will be pointing that juicy little tidbit out? Just shows you what a small, exclusive cabal the moneylenders (to keep it in biblical terms) actually are!
In your face Americans. Just another daily slap in the face. From Bushes perspective this will just draw attention away from his bigger crimes like 9/11, invading Iraq and Afghanistan, torture, assasinations, abductions, massive larceny and on and on.
This event is unpalatable but pales in comparison to his other crimes. Like I said this will work as a distraction and smoke screen. In all reality this is closer to being legal than 99% of the stuff he does. Let us not lose focus.
Bush did exactly what his handlers told him to.....
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/bushlist.htm
Noteworthy still are the responses of the "democrats", who critique the commutation of the sentence but defend the presidential pardon as a means an administration may take to "defend" itself. So there's the reality. Bush is going to walk free, the democrats are marking time so that they may employ the same crap while in the white house. Whoever said the republic is dead a few postings back is most on point. The great professional classes of the United States have decided their investment column is more important than the democratic process.
It's getting time to show them the error of their ways.
What choice did Bush have? If he had left Scooter in jail, Scooter would have sung like a bird. The Bush Co. couldn't afford that so he had to do something to get Libby out. And a full pardon would also have allowed Libby to then sing with no repercussions on himself similar to a grant of immunity. So what else was Bush supposed to do?
Bush only did what his handlers told him to do....
http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/bushlist.htm
[I posted this on the original "red letter" pardon story, but the subject has come up here so I moved it along...apologies to those who have already seen it.]
While we're convinced the Republic is dead, the Republicans blithely ride along knowing they are right. It helps to know the enemy. For example, today in the NYT, David Brooks, right-wing apologist, has his op-ed piece on the Libby affair. He thinks the whole Plamegate thing was a farce, Joe Wilson is a lying attention whore, Plame was not an undercover agent, and that Fitzgerald settled for Libby when his real target was the innocent Rove. Finally, he praises Bush's decision as a triumph of sanity and justice over partisanship.
Now the Murdoch right-wing bloviators will dumb down Brooksies's piece and spew it all over the airwaves. Small-minded Dupes will hear it and take it as a validation of their tunnel-vision "my country right or wrong" world view.
By the way, the Republic IS dead.
I had this feeling just before the Saturday night massacre. I think the lid is finally going to blow.
I feel as if I were sucker punched. As a former Marine, Im truly ashamed to be an American......... Happy 4th :[
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS JUST IN...............
IT APPEARS THAT PRES. BUSH "HAS PUT THE LIBBY CASE INTO LEGAL LIMBO...." SUPERVISED RELEASE IS A FORM OF PROBATION AND CAN ONLY BE GIVEN AFTER THE CRIMINAL ALREADY HAS SERVED JAIL TIME!! SINCE LIBBY HAS NOT SERVED JAIL TIME, BUSH "PUTS THE CASE INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY."
THESE GUYS ARE A BUNCH OF MORONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bu$h the inferior didn't pardon the retarded guy who was so out of the loop he was saving some of his last meal for a treat after the execution.
I guess Scooter must be even more retarded because he didn't bargain for a pardon for not singing. Taking one for this team could only be done by someone educated far beyond his intelligence.
Scooter will some day be a guest on the game show 'What were you thinking?' The show where contestants get together to figure out why someone will choose to be remembered as scum for no good reason.
Isn't it interesting, though not unexpected, those in the past hundred years screaming the loudest for "law & order" turned out to be the most lawless ruthless tyrants? Just to refresh your historical memory both Hitler & Nixon were staunch L&O men; in fact some of their speeches even sound the same. Bush & Cheney are nothing new, just the latest in a long line of corrupt leaders stretching as far back in history as writing.
When viewed from that perspective the statement, "Tyrannies are temporary", now makes sense, doesn't it?
With all the damage that can be done until the current tyrants are finally trumped I wonder if humans will survive themselves long enough to glean the 'power hungry' gene from the pool. Probably not at the rate we are going now.
It is a crucial mission for us now to become activists, because if we don't we could see all of us gleaned from the human gene pool. Kissinger & other NWO people wish to do a "clearing", and de-populate the world by about 2 billion people. Why do you think they are shooting so many DU (depleted uranium) munitions in the ME right now? The consequences of the US military using a UN stated nuclear WMD like DU will be only fully realized in future years...or by future generations.
With altered DNA from DU expect to see current levels of blood related cancers & diseases like leukemia and diabetes continue to skyrocket (diabetes was a fairly uncommon ailment before 1945, when we officially entered the 'nuclear era', but look at it now). Mutated human births will become the rule rather than exception, and vast swaths of land become uninhabitable.
Oh, and here's a little tidbit that came out of my research the other day. The Manhatten Project, organized to develop the atomic bomb also came up with Agent Orange and the use of DU weaponry. I wonder how many other nasty little things they came up with that we don't yet know about?
The capo di tutti capi pardoned one of his soldiers. Tony
Soprano would be proud.
"New York Post: If Bush thinks such parsing will spare him the political backlash an outright pardon would produce, he's wrong. The jackals are tearing at his heels this morning — and for doing only half the necessary job. Bush knows a pardon is warranted. He should grant it."
Are you f-ing kiding me??? The "jackels" are not tearing at Bush's heels for commuting Libby's sentence. Where is this a criticism of Bush?? Everybody knows that this "newspaper" is owned by Rupert Murdoch (or whatever the hell his name is).
And, did anyone else catch this in the Wall Street Journal, which was also recently purchased by Murdock:
"But The Wall Street Journal sees it differently: "By failing to issue a full pardon, Mr. Bush is evading responsibility for the role his administration played in letting the Plame affair build into fiasco and, ultimately, this personal tragedy. … Mr. Libby deserved better from the President whose policies he tried to defend when others were running for cover. The consequences for the reputation of his Administration will also be long-lasting."
Give me a G-d damn break. Do they think we are stupid? Did the family that sold the WSJ to Murdock honestly believe that he wouldn't mess with the editorial page? I swear, there is never enough money for the rich. I hope they all rot in hell.
To bad Bush wasn't a decider when they executed Karla Faye Tucker. The really miserable disparity in Bush values is how he decides who is derserving of compassion. With the most executions in Texas under his watch, you would think Libby's case would be a no-brainer.
I wouldn't want to be Libby, he is no longer an asset. His miserable deeds extend all the way back to the Reagan administraton and his time is at hand.
Donkey Hote, I just e-mailed my own corrupt congress person.(Some one I never voted for, would never vote for.) And I really do feel so much better. I would love to get back to hand-counted paper ballots. I live in Florida, what are the chances of that?
This keeps Libby from singing once he's in jail.
I wish I were as clever and eloquent as those above---- I can do little, but I have notified my congressman that if he does not use his vote to impeach these bastards, I will use mine to replace him. I suspect that if enough people deliver this message, it would be heard, then perhaps, just perhaps, we could elect someone with enough of a brain to get the message that the electorate is watching.
That is, if we can also destroy every electronic voting machine in this country. Some countries, Germany, I believe being one, actually use paper ballots and they are counted by people--- takes a little longer and the press, like the people, have to wait to find out who won, but the people have some faith that whomever they elected will govern.
Can we wait in anticipation for the Libby pardon the Xmas after next?
Pure evil. What's a country to do? Oh! I know, I'll e-mail my Rep at the House: Tom Feeny (lap-dog for Tom Delay the moment he got to D.C.). Feeny's very busy raising money for his own defence concerning Abramoff. But I'm sure he would be happy to help get the impeachment ball rolling. As another writer so ably put it: When pigs fly. Again, pure evil.
http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/32743/edition_id/607/format/html/dis...
This is what it must be like to live in countries with corrupt governments...oh, wait, we DO live in a country with a corrupt government.
Scooter is considering a position at the Justice Department while his appeal is pending.
oghif3 stated:
"Bush should pardon Leonard Peltier
and Mumia Abu-Jamal,
and all other political prisoners!"
We live in a class society, and Bush will only pardon members of his own class.
The Fourth of July, what are we celebrating? ... Oh! A full cooler of Beer, Ya..!
Some good stuff here!
If we lose this Democracy it will be because of us, go look in the mirror, your the problem, quit blaming the Neo-Cons and the Democrats, we all know that their interests are not our interests.
Hit the streets! A government should fear it's People not the other way around. Lets try the French model till we right this ship.
To all a Happy 4th, and on the 5th, what are you going to do...?
A KNESAL ... LIBERAL WARRIOR! From 'Little Beirut'
It is a CYA and fear that Scooter would talk, plus I bet he thought he could just let it go under the wire with all the fire bombs in England and Scotland. If this congress allows him to get away with this then I give up on all politicians.
The message this move sends is designed for Bush's underworld. It says, do as I ask, regardless of the obvious illegalities, and I gotcha covered.
Soon the unitary executive will issue a law requiring the services of your wives and daughters to promote safe and timely execution of the gubmint. I suppose the country will just smile and nod at that too.
What exactly will it take before we have had enough to withhold our dollars from these morons? Will we accept anything in lieu of sacrifice?
Stop the madness.
Remove your labor and money from their corrupt system...
Annabelle: When pigs fly.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "President Bush's commutation of a pal's prison sentence counts as a most shocking act of disrespect for the U.S. justice system. It's the latest sign of the huge repairs to American concepts of the rule of law that await the next president."
What next president? These neo-cons are ABOVE THE LAW. Bush's grave, corrupt act of croynism proves this. Say, I thought he was a tough "law and order" president. Didn't he precide over 153 executions as govenor of Texas? Didn't he smile many times when he signed those death warrants? Didn't he even laugh when he denied Karla Faye Baker's appeals? What about Gary Graham (Shaka Sankofa)?
These neo-cons are psychopaths that will do anything to get their twisted ideology controlling the world! Ironicially, their ideals only benefit one group: the power elite. They've worked too hard and spun too many lies to get their Project for A New American Century. They've been real busy erecting and reinforcing their Rex 84 concentration camps (800+) plus keeping their functions and real Mission secret.
They still haven't invaded Iran. Their work is still not finished plus they aren't going to hand over the reins to others that don't think as they do.
Darth Vader Cheney is going to get a pacemaker next month. This way, he can live longer to keep control of the government. He's not retiring and no one is trying to impeach him...
They've taken over the government and you expect them to hand it back?
Read my white paper at http://www.hiddenmurder.blogspot.com If they can commit this hidden murder of american citizens and get away with it, they can get away with taking over the government permanently!
"It is important to remember that a full pardon would have resulted in the revocation of Libby's right to plead he doesn't have to testify against himself based on the Fifth Amendment. So the elimination of the prison sentence but preserving the conviction prevents Leahy and Conyers (the two respective heads of their congressional judiciary committees) from getting Libby's full testimony under oath."
Don't think so. Congress can grant him immunity
can't they and then require testimony?
Rare for ALL the papers - including the WS Journal and the NY Daily News - to condemn the president for ANYTHING. WS Journal and Daily News report the talking points.
FoxNews is prominently featuring this story, with a talkback section and links to the response from the whole blogosphere.
My guess is that this is what we're all supposed to be looking at now. One never knows whether Karl's starting the war with Iran as we debate, or just trying to take the heat off poor Alberto G. But one does know THIS is what we're all supposed to be worrying about. Which makes me nervous.
Ewww these guys stink. It's a proof of God's mercy that lightening doesn't strike them every time they open their mouths.
Peach McD in Durham NC
If Kucinich bowed down to Netanyahu, as I read on another thread, he's lost my support.
In America, the cast system is alive and well. The message to our yung is, craime does pay.
Just imagine the worst scenario, the worst decision, etc., and that is what we can expect for the next seventeen months... don't think, don't imagine that it will be any other way. And all worthy representatives in Congress will continue to put their heads in the sand and sniff sand. With the exception of course, of Kucinich and the few others who are reading the "writing on the wall..." Obama's words of a few days ago ought to knock our socks off... no real grounds for impeachment, or something to that effect. He's been bought as well, or so it seems. If Bush were remotely capable of making a good decision, he would have Libby go to jail and pardoned him when Bush makes his exit. If he ever does, that is...
andrewsac said: "what are we prepared to do if Cheny and Co. refuse to leave the stage? Will we march on Washington? Refuse to leave until they do? "
They would have to have set off a nuke or something to justify staying. I'm no longer sure if that is beyond them. Weird world.
New York Times said: "Mr. Bush did not sound like a leader making tough decisions about justice. He sounded like a man worried about what a former loyalist might say when actually staring into a prison cell."
That sounds the most likely explanation for this commutation that I've heard. I don't buy the compassion argument. On almost any other item, this President doesn't exactly exude compassion.
the USA's Lady Justice is not wearing a blindfold because she is blind
It's because he has been abducted by the Bush /Cheney Crime Syndicate, and is on her way to Gitmo for torture.
FUCK THE OLIGARCHY!
They are using '1984' as their playbook and about the only thing left for them to do now is issue us our gray jumpsuits. Goodness, we are all enemy combatants, guilty of thought crimes and we know that they (the administration) have made it clear that torture will be the rule of the day without recourse. Will pardons still be available?
Ladies and Gentlemen, Remember: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! Perjury is illegal for 99.99%
of the rest of Amerikans! Unless you know some sleazy, scum sucking politician that can bail your but out, you can bet you will be prison bound. As the guy said in the movie 'Who is Cletis Tout': 'Justice isn't blind! She's embarrassed!' Now everybody knows WHY she is embarrassed!
funny thing
The motto of the justice department is:
"Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur"
which can be translated to:
"Who on behalf of the despot will cease to obey justice?"
fitting....
No limit Saila, Tricky Dick pardoned over 900, and Ford pardoned at least one. Nixon, and it cost Ford the next election.
Hopefully, this (sort of a pardon) by the Dead Dork will up the ante for his impeachment.
Nancy, he's on the ropes. The chit chat is over, it's YOUR HOUSE. Set the table baby and carve the hogs.
Shane, why? ___ Pardons "should" be a "major" consideration for the prez, with likely a million or more sitting in prisons who don't belong there. Of course many do.
Pardon those who justly deseve them. This Libby act by Bush does not fit into that catagory. He probalbly does not wish to hear Libbly singing, Libby knows the whole story and if he starts singing, the already shaky house of cards will tumble.
The word on the street is, "hey, that's not fair!"
There are too many families of browns and blacks who have seen their relatives and neighbors get hard time for petty or contrived crimes. And since they have heard throughout several Republican Administrations that you do the crime, you do the time, ad nauseum, this is not a political drama that they are going to switch the channel on. This Fourth of July, guess what's going to lead the conversations around the picnic tables . . .
wcdevins raises a good point - what are we prepared to do if Cheny and Co. refuse to leave the stage? Will we march on Washington? Refuse to leave until they do? Or will we just shrug our shoulders and pray that marshal law isn't too inconvenient for us?
I think that they will go, if reluctanly. It does make good food for thought, though. What are you prepared to do?
RE: REAL STORY IS CHENEY SHADOW GOVT. PARDONS CRIMINAL WHO HELPED LIE AND SCARE U.S. INTO IRAQ INVASION
See above.
RE: LIBBY EDITORIALS - NO MENTION OF IRAQ
karlof1 July 3rd, 2007 12:57 pm
"Notice how none of the editorials cited connect Libby's crime with the far grosser crime–the Iraqi Holocaust–in which light the sentence can hardly be deemed "excessive." To make such a connection and admission, US media would need to admit that the Iraq Invasion itself is a crime..."
AN EXCELLENT POINT, AS WAS RECENTLY MADE ELSEWHERE:
"Yes, it's a sop to George Bush's conservative base....But that's not the real story...."
"It's the continuing effort to hide the truth behind the Iraq war; that we had no overwhelmingly compelling reason to invade that country...The accusations that Saddam was in cahoots with Osama bin Laden were false. And long before war began, the reported existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was known to be a sham."
"The visit of Valerie Plame's husband Joe Wilson to Niger to investigate allegations that the African country was selling yellowcake uranium to Iraq was just part of the unraveling of the WMD hoax. That's why the administration sought to hide his findings and discredit him, leading Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, to leak Plame's name and then lie about it."
CONT:
Published on Tuesday, July 3, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
LIBBY: ONE MORE TWIST IN THE YELLOWCAKE ROAD
by Michael Winship
Well, Bush promised that he would "get to the bottom of it" (White House leaks of a CIA covert agent's identity), and he has! Can anyone imagine a (Republican) President going any lower than commuting the sentence of a (Republican) Presidential assistant who was prosecuted by a (Republican) U.S. Attorney, convicted by a non-partisan jury, and sentenced by a (Republican) federal judge for four felonies including lying to FBI agents, lying under oath to a federal Grand Jury, and obstructing justice by deliberately fabricating false stories calculated to delay and mislead a federal investigation of a putative national-security crime referred by the CIA to the (Republican) Justice Department? A snake's belly lies well above the depths to which Bush has sunk with this latest, despicable abuse of power. Our Founding Fathers must be spinning in their graves, wondering why their Constitutionally designated remedy of impeachment is deemed "off the table" by current leaders of Congress. Meanwhile, our Great Decider is busy lying us into another war with Iran, where Congress will no doubt "support our troops" by giving thousands more of our youngsters the opportunity of being killed or maimed for life. And so it goes.
Is it at all possible the news media is turning on the Dead Dork? Maybe the big money boys are ready to switch parties.
Let's hope it's Special K and Gore as the VP. He was a pretty good VP and is a lot smarter now than he used to be. Well wishful thinking perhaps.
What is taking congress so long? What more are they waiting for? Impeach Bush and Cheney now. And put them both into Guantanomo for five years. Along with Rove, Rice and Gonzales too.
Huck, its not a sign, its a ballot, and it says "Democrat"
Funny thing, since the conviction stands (for now) Libby will have to quit the Republican Party, as he is not allowed to associate with other Convicted Felons and Persons of Ill Repute
Oh,
What are the poor widdle outwaged amewicans gonna do?
Are you gonna go hold a sign at him?
Aww... isn't that cute?
I dont care what the Retard President says: Libby will always be Prisoner 28301-016 to me.
So kids, the lesson for today is: Driving under suspention is a MUCH greater crime than Obstruction of Justice and Perjury...so next time your pulled over, LIE YOUR ASS OFF, THE PRESIDENT SAYS ITS OK
Ho-hum...so what's anyone gonna do about it? Nada! And when they do attack Iran what's gonna be done? Again nada. This is soooo tiresome. Really now, What kind of 'democracy' is this...?
Be careful what you say about "W" because tomorrow you might wake with a severed stallion's head in your bed.
Salia, (three comments above)
The power comes from the Constitution, Article 2, Section 2.:
". . . and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
No limits on numbers.
The sad thing is that we are probably getting what we deserve.
One good thing about this is that some CIA agents will despise the criminals in the white house for betraying them.
Perhaps some of them will see the need to help the progressive movement of the USA towards real democracy.
Truth and justice are little more than empty slogans used by the tyrants in our top political offices. Only fools and idiots would support them.
It is obvious that this business of presidential pardon was designed to apply to the members of the elite circle only. Honestly, have you ever heard any president pardoning any ordinary folk yet? If you have, please let me know so that I can delete my next paragraph below because you're not gonna like it.
Is presidential pardoning granted by the Constitution, or is it the brainchild of one of the presidents? If it is part of the Constitution then it shows that our 4 fathers were also a little, may I say crooked, in leaving their associates a way out?
Q: Is there a ceiling on the number of persons a president is allowed to pardon?
RE: Scooter
We'd refer to him as whatever "I." stands for, but apparently even he can't recall what his real name is. "Scooter" Libby is reminiscent of "Ollie" North, another real American hero, so there's some symmetry there. Scooter, I call him Scooter, is a loyal American who's poor family has suffered enough. So we let him Scoot...
Happy Independence Day!
Don't the words and actions of our President, Vice-President, Attorney General, and the rest of those in this administration tasked with preserving and obeying our Constitution make you oh, so proud to be an American? One lies and the others swear to it. Well, actually, they all lie - Cheney doesn't think he's subject to the laws of man, Gonzales can't remember any laws (or anything else), and Bush doesn't believe we're subject to the laws of nature. Sweeping arrogance and engineered incompetence are their trademarks.
Send up the skyrockets! How about that supreme court? Real bastions of individual rights and freedom of expression, that gang. That is, if you can get past their unflagging support of corporate fascism at the expense of your Constitutional rights and freedoms. Reagan/Bush appointees - the gift that keeps on taking.
Light the fireworks! We're mired in a foreign civil war of our own making with our under-equipped and over-stretched troops dying by the score while our President focuses on keeping his pals out of jail. Who's responsible for today's troop casualties? Insurgents? Iranian infiltrators? al Qaeda in Iraq? Shia Death Squads? al Zarqawi supporters? Sadr's Army? Iraqi traitors? Saddamists? Osama? The Taliban? Ba'athist dead-enders? Qaeda? friendly fire? Syrian agitators? Arab guerilla fighters? How about Dick "I had better things to do" Cheney and George W "AWOL from the Champaign Unit" Bush?
Have a Parade! New Orleans is still a disaster area, with new natural disaster towns added every month, but Bush thinks an injustice was done to good ol' loyal American Scooter. Didn't Bush say he'd hold those in the CIA leak affair accountable? He wouldn't lie about something as important to national security as that, would he? I mean, he authorized illegal wiretaps on US citizens because national security was such a priority, and he didn't have time for a court order, right?
Enjoy this 231st Independence Day, because it may be our last. Cheney can't let go - the Libby pardon proves it. When Cheney orchestrates a "terrorist" attack next year, declares martial law and cancels the elections, it will be too late for American "Democracy". Our glorious republic will be just another failed experiment scuttled by the rich and the power-mad, and enabled by the brain-dead and the brain-washed.
Happy Independence Day!
Kim Jong Bush granted the pardon is indicative of the fear and panic he and vice president Fat Death
**great names lol
"Are Prisons Obsolete?" by Angela Davis is now more relevant than ever. It is short and readable. An intro to the prison industrial complex.
For one, listen to Gravel as he calls for an end to the "drug war" phony as its ever been. Another phony excuse to intervene in other people's countries such as Colombia's 40yr old civil war.
1970 less than 200,000 people in prisons.
Today, over 2 million.
"Are Prisons Obsolete?"
Bush should pardon Leonard Peltier
and Mumia Abu-Jamal,
and all other political prisoners!
Notice how none of the editorials cited connect Libby's crime with the far grosser crime--the Iraqi Holocaust--in which light the sentence can hardly be deemed "excessive." To make such a connection and admission, US media would need to admit that the Iraq Invasion itself is a crime, as it is correctly seen by most humans on the planet. So, the editorials have zero significance.
The Cosa Nostra is not the only criminal organization with a code of Omerta. The speed with which Kim Jong Bush granted the pardon is indicative of the fear and panic he and vice president Fat Death experienced at the thought Libby might rat them out as the traitors they are. While the Democrats pick their toenails and call it leadership, I will go down to Brennan's Irish Pub and get shitfaced, since this is the only escape from our ongoing national disintegration.
The pardon to Libby just means that he will have to really disguise himself as he drives up to the White House BBQ to celebrate his most recent win with his buddies Cheney and Bush. Whose paying for this celebration? You guessed it, the public. May God bless Amerika!
"The streets and the barricades are our only option!"
Yeah if you want to end up in jail . . . The only way to stay out of jail is to support GWB . . . and Cheney of course . . . Then you can become a "Real American" with Real American Values . . . Stay home, keep right on living the good life and of course pay no attention to what Washington is doing. After all they are taking care of us . . . "Trust Them!" The rest of the world be Damned . . . Upward and Onward with King George . . . "He's The Decider" . . . He knows what is best for ALL of us.
Or maybe the time has arrived for that "Third Party?"
Is there any help out there? Anywhere? . . . .
Democrats are just another branch of the Party-of-War Republicans. They're more concerned with pleasing Israelis than Americans.
Chuck, didn't Britney Spears say to just trust and support Bush in whatever he did and said? We all know she's full of wisdom.
Do the crime, do the time.
Can Congress do something about eliminating Presidential pardons? It has gotten out of hand.
Oh, and what fine? Libby's Defense Fund will pay for that.
I wonder about what choices we have now. You need a strong opposition party with some cohones to rescue us from the treasonous behavior
of this administration.
The democrats are not even close.
The streets and the barricades are our only option !
Sneaky, sleazy Bushy thought he picked a good time for a jailbreak: Big holiday weekend, 4th of July celebrations, Putin in town, and newspapers on a long holiday so nobody would pay attention. But like everything else he touches, he screwed it up. The Jail breaker is the talk of the town now by the bloggers, politicians, and TV pundits, and all over the world.
In the past, I had always wondering how the rest of the world could have watched silently while the Holocaust or the killings in Cambodia or so many other atrocities took place.
Future generations will wonder how our generation has allowed not just this case but the Abu Ghraib tortures and other atrocities to happen without so much as a hint of an uprising by the people.
Shame on us!
It was not that long ago there was requests and pleas that HRM Bush delay executions of several unfortunates on death row. There is a long-term pattern to this as almost all compelling cases for clemency were brushed aside by our "law and order" president, both before and after his acquisition of the office. Then there is the case of Lewis Libby and HRM finds the compassion needed to consider the circumstances and to reduce the sentence. Hmmmmmmmmm ... what a hypocrite.
Can we please stop referring to Lewis Libby as 'Scooter'??? I am in no mood to listen to cute diminutives when referring to convicted felons.
I wonder how Libby blackmailed King Bush/Boss Cheney?
Did Libby promise not to write that "tell-all" book?
Not go on Oprah?
Keep Bush and Condi's affair secret?
What?