Breaking News - Bush Commutes Libby Prison Sentence

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I'm not one who usually agrees with TGS, but I do in this case. In fact, I think he meant exactly what was stated later:

And that's what I really have a problem with. Scooter indeed lied under oath, but he was "following orders" so to speak. I'm sure that prior to the trial he was given assurances that regardless of what happened, he would be taken care of. I also agree Ragusa's assertion that this action paves the way for him to get a full pardon after the November 2008 elections. By commuting the prison sentence, it means that there will be no major impact on Scooter's life between now and then. Also, once he receives a full pardon - and I'm all but certain that will happen - he even gets back the quarter million bucks he paid.

 

No doubt, Bush really got Cheney off the hook with this one. And it's not surprising that it came only a few hours after it appeared likely that Libby was headed to the slammer. Much like the mafia boss, Cheney was the "big fish" that got away. Too bad.

 

Now isn't that a nice compensation, or a subtle way to bribe? And a cheap one for that: Ask compassionate and well meaning conservatives to donate for a loyal perjurer. Brilliant. They have finally managed to outsource bribery.

[ July 03, 2007, 17:48: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

 

I don't get it - how is that bribery? Libby pays a fine, and then gets the money back. Unless you are insinuating someone else is gonig to give him the money to pay the fine, and then when the money is returned he gets to keep it.

 

I'm about as conservative as one can get, so it's not common for me to come down on Bush like this, but this case is disgusting. Bush ought to be ashamed of himself for such blatant abuse of power and authority. I always thought that Ford should have been impeached for pardoning Nixon. Regular people fry on a regular basis, while the rich coast along with pathetic little slaps on the wrist. It really ticks me off

 

Mitt Romney chimmed in with his take on Bush and Libby:

That's quite an amazing statement for a guy who wants to be the next prez. And consider this also:

It's very strange how the Republican candidates almost always appear as pretzels, with very convluted logic, once they try to square what they really believe with their adamant defence of everything that Bush does. Perhaps Romney doesn't want to be prez - he's really just pretending....

 

Aldeth,
it is subtle bribery, or call it subtle blackmail on Libby's part, in the sense that Libby gets a pardon and does not write a tell-all book, or starts to suddenly testify. It has to be understood in that light that Libby's defense team started out quite aggressive, talking aloud about calling Cheney as a witness and the like, and all of a sudden shut up about it. Apparently the message got through and that was no longer neccesary because there was an alternative to that: Like a presidential pardon, after a commution?

In return Libby doesn't rat on anyone, loyally takes the fall, stays friends with his friends. One part of the bribe is the commution, and later the likely pardon. Libby gets away with perjury. That is quite unusual. In conservative America you don't get pardons. As a rule, you go to jail, just like death penalties are executed.

After a pardon Libby doesn't have to pay his fine. He also won't have to pay himself for his layers. The money comes from a legal defense fund, from friends for friends. Cute. And then after the pardon (because an acquittal is unlikely), Libby, after a waiting period, rejoins the merry family after a wellpaid, discrete stint at some (I'm creative) .... conservative lawfirm, JINSA, or the AEI? Because it is all private enterprise it isn't anybody's business if what he does justifies his salary. Libby will have soft landing.

 

You also have to wonder what signal this pardon send to all those administration officials testifing before Congress on all sorts of matters (like the illegal wiretappings, the DOJ mess, etc.)

Basically, it seems to say "cover my back, and I'll make sure that you are taken care of"

 

cernak, scooter libby wasn't the one who outed her.
it was richard armitage who told the reporter who she was and where she worked

libby was convicted of lying to investigators NOT of outing valerie plame

 

Actually, does anyone know what is the punishment if you disclose the identity of a covert agent?

 

To quote from Tal's link

Anybody who is outraged, upset, or surprised by this is naive. Pardoning people on your way out for favors is standing operating procedure. For some reason people seem to think that it is far worse because Bush is doing it. People have very short memories when it fits their political agenda.

 

Simple question: Does that make it right for Libby?

'The others did it before me' is a piss poor excuse.

One hardly believes it, but Bush with this managed even to, gasp, forfeit support of the Washington Times.

Good points.

 

Dangit, Snook - you beat me to the punch with that one!

I read this thinking "Yeah, but 'Bill the Shill' did just the same thing for his brother-in-law, didn't he?" (and I liked Clinton), and then I get down to here and find you've stolen my fire.

Aye, I find it unfair to summarily gainsay the Judicial branch of the government with commuting a sentence, and even though I'd be hard pressed to think of any head of state with this ability never using it to repay favours, that doesn't mean it's right...

(i.e. Clinton shouldn't have done it, Ford shouldn't have done it, etc. etc. right back through history; and Junior shouldn't do it, either. 'Should' and 'Shoudn't' do not carry much weight in the Way of the World™, however. )

 

Besides, the Clinton pardons didn't benefit folks who were doing his bidding in the administration. Clinton did pardon his brother-in-law, but did not cover up his administration's actions through a pardon.

Commuting and pardoning Libby is like Nixon commuting or pardoning the Watergate burglars. Jacob Hornerger on this:

Because that would not have been sufficient an incentive for Libby to keep quiet and would have made cooperation with Fitzgerald preferrable? And there you have the reason for the harsh sentence. Libby needed inspiration.

 

In answer to Ragusa, no it doesn't make it right and it isn't a good excuse at all. However, the moral outrage outpouring from the liberal left is more than a little nauseating considering it was to be expected.

You have to admit, you would have been more surprised if it didn't happen than the fact that it did.

 

What, the outrage, or the pardon?

 

Maybe now the righty cons understand how the lefty libs felt during the last administration and its 'perjury witch hunt'?

Turnabout is fair play...

 

Clearly, you weren't arguing in good faith after all.