They can get away with anything, can’t they?
Bush commutes sentence for Libby
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
July 2, 2007, 5:52 PM EDT
President Bush commuted the sentence of former aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Monday, sparing him from a 2 1/2-year prison term in the CIA leak case.
Bush left intact a $250,000 fine and two years probation for Libby, according to a senior White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced.
Bush’s move came hours after a federal appeals panel ruled Libby could not delay his prison term in the CIA leak case. That decision put the pressure on the president, who had been sidestepping calls by Libby’s allies to pardon the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.
Libby was convicted in March of lying to authorities and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative’s identity. He was the highest-ranking White House official ordered to prison since the Iran-Contra affair.
Poll: 73 Percent Of Americans Unable To Believe This Shit
When Bill Clinton was impeached, it was due to perjury relating to his answers on testimony in the Paula Jones affair. Republicans staged a jihad against Clinton. “He lied under oath” was their repeated reasoning for this.
Scott Libby obstructed justice and lied under oath in a case involving the outing of a covert CIA operative in a time or war.
No underlying crime. Perjury doesn’t require one. C’mon all you good OC Republicans. Defend your scooter and your president on this abuse of the law and abuse of power.
Is anyone surprised?
Once again we see the myth of Republican morality being shown in its true light. Bush, Cheney, and the Republicans who support them have no respect for truth, no integrity and are willing once again to subvert the legal system to reward their cronies.
Time for impeachment.
I thought the President only pardoned turkeys the day before Thanksgiving.
Sigh.
DanC. You hit the nail right on the head. During the trial in the Senate conservatives were stating that our way of life was in jeopardy if Clinton wasn’t found guilty and removed from office. Now we know the whole exercise was conservative one hand clapping.
It’s 4:16 PM and nothing about this on Flash Report or OC Blog. Talking Points must be coming in.
This is not Bush’s finest hour. Come to think of it, he has sunk to a new low. I have posted about it and I am not a happy camper.
You beat Matt and Jon to this story Alan; but this only proves there is no such thing as a Law and Order Conservative.
Allan — thanks for being the first one from the right to admit Bush hit a new low with that one. You have my respect for doing so.
Too bad Cheney and Rummy got away with all their crimes…
I agree that Bush is a hypocrite, that if Gore or Kerry would have done this the right would be up in arms, and that Cheney and Rummy should have gotten theirs.
That being said I put the blame on the judge who gave Libby too harsh a sentence. The federal probation report indicated a sentence of somewhere between 15 and 21 months WITHOUT considering mitigating factors to ease the sentence, including Libby’s clean record, past history of good works(hey Dan, maybe getting Marc Rich off0, the collateral emplolyment hit Libby will take(losing his law license) and the probability that Libby won’t do this again. Given that someone suggested that an appropriate sentence would have been a Martha Stewart type of 5 months in the Santa Ana or Fullerton jails and 5 months in house detention.
Cheney has blood on his hands and gets off scot free. I think Libby didn’t deserve 2.5 years in the slammer when the true bad guy skates. So pile on Bush because of the hypocrisy but I can’t disagree with the decision.