Bush Won't Rule Out Libby Pardon

[PaulaJo]

What is your point?

This states that President Bush 'feels the jail time is excessive' and "....The spokesman told reporters at a White House briefing that even with Bush's decision, Libby remains with a felony conviction on his record, two years' probation, a $250,000 fine and probable loss of his legal career. "So this is hardly a slap on the wrist," Snow said. "It is a very severe penalty."

Here is a list of the people Clinton pardoned (I didn't count them, but I have read that the final count is 400):

http://www.usdoj.gov/pardon/clintonpardon_grants.htm

[peady2]

My point is that from the moment Libby was indicted I said that he would be the fall guy for Cheney et al and that if convicted he would be pardoned by Bush. GWB's hand was forced when it looked like Libby might actually have to go to prison-I'm sure that GWB would have preferred to commute Libby's sentence (and with a full pardon) AFTER the 2008 elections. But the commutation of Libby's sentence is step one-I predict that sometime after the 2008 elections I will be posting an article here detailing Libby's full pardon by GWB.

My point is also the same point as the prosecutor's: " Libby was sentenced under the same laws as other criminals, Fitzgerald said. "It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals." "

Bush unilaterally made this decision and thumbed his nose at justice. Libby was tried in a court of law, found guilty, and sentenced by a judge.


And why is it that when anyone points out the hypocrisy and arrogance of GWB, the conservatives invariably rush in with Clinton stories? I don't base my opinions and decisions on what Bill Clinton did or didn't do. I don't care who did it, it was wrong to commute Libby's sentence.

[peady2]

Bush Won't Rule Out Libby Pardon By MATT APUZZO,AP Posted: 2007-07-03 14:27:39 Filed Under: Nation, Politics WASHINGTON (July 3) - President Bush on Tuesday refused to rule out an eventual pardon for former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. "As to the future, I rule nothing in and nothing out," the president said a day after commuting Libby's 2 1/2-year prison term in the CIA leak case. Bush said he had weighed his decision carefully to erase Libby's prison time. He said the jury's conviction of Libby should stand but that the 30-month prison term was too severe. "I made a judgment, a considered judgment, that I believe was the right decision to make in this case," the president said. "And I stand by it." At the same time, he left the door open for the possibility of a pardon later.... "He thought any jail time was excessive. He did not see fit to have Scooter Libby taken to jail," Snow said. The spokesman told reporters at a White House briefing that even with Bush's decision, Libby remains with a felony conviction on his record, two years' probation, a $250,000 fine and probable loss of his legal career. "So this is hardly a slap on the wrist," Snow said. "It is a very severe penalty. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, who sentenced Libby to prison, declined Tuesday to discuss the case or his views on sentencing. "To now say anything about sentencing on the heels of yesterday's events will inevitably be construed as comments on the president's commutation decision, which would be inappropriate," the judge said in an e-mail.... Snow was pressed several times on whether the president might eventually grant a full pardon to Libby, who had been convicted of lying and conspiracy in the CIA leak investigation. The press secretary declined to say anything categorically.... Snow did suggest that Bush was "getting pounding on the right for not granting a full pardon...." However, the president made the decision without seeking any advice from the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the Justice Department, the White House had previously acknowledged.... "He spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to maintain the faith in the jury system, and he did that by keeping intact the conviction and some of the punishments," Snow said. Snow was asked by a reporter if anyone in the administration would ever apologize for what prompted the entire investigation - public disclosure that Valerie Plame, the wife of sharp anti-war critic Joseph Wilson, was an undercover CIA officer. "Yeah, it's improper to be leaking those names," Snow said. Pressed on whether someone in the administration owed the American public an apology, Snow said, "I'll apologize. Done...." Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald disputed Bush's assertion that the prison term was excessive. Libby was sentenced under the same laws as other criminals, Fitzgerald said. "It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals." Because he was not pardoned, Libby remains the highest-ranking White House official convicted of a crime since the Iran-Contra affair.... Associated Press Writer Ben Feller contributed to this report. If you want the full story... http://news.aol.com/story/_a/bush-wo...02175109990001

[peady2]

And if you are implying that "400" pardons are excessive (the actual number is 396), here are the numbers of pardons granted by some other presidents over the years:

Truman 1913

Eisenhower 1110

Kennedy 472

Johnson 960

Nixon 863

Ford 382

Carter 534

Reagan 393

Bush Sr 74

Clinton 396

Source-Office of the Pardon Attorney (the same office that Bush didn't bother to consult for advice before deciding that he "feels" the prison sentence was "excessive."

[PaulaJo]

But isn't that the perogative of the President? Serious question, I have never researched Presidential pardons.

Have you found any list of how many the current Pres. Bush has pardoned.

The list of offenses Clinton pardoned is discusting.

Were the ones pardoned by Eisenhower related to WWII?

Just think how many Kennedy would have pardoned if he has served a full term.

[PaulaJo]

I found a site that says Pres Bush has pardoned 58. It included this statement:

"Some pardons, like the one Mr. Ford gave Nixon in 1974, protect recipients from going to jail or reduce their sentences. But Mr. Bush has granted clemency mainly to allow people who committed relatively minor offenses and served their sentences long ago to clear their names."

So it seems there is a wide range of "pardons".

Interesting, but I have to go to bed now.

[bryan]

Peady - it's always tit for tat - if someone brings up Clinton ( or any democrat) as 'defense' for something Bush (or any republican) as done - the same goes for bringing up Bush (R) as defense for something Clinton (D) has done.

Same old story. Neither of these men are inherently evil or self serving *to the detriment of our country*. I will never believe otherwise. It politics at it's best. They can do it , so they do.

Nothing different here.

The more pointed discussion here would be why they can and should it be allowed to ?

[peady2]

You know, Ryan, I understand what you are saying and I have never been a wholely partisan democrat but these past several years with GWB at the helm-I am starting to believe I have seen the face of evil.

"To the detriment of our country?" You better believe it. If Bush isn't a self serving, power crazy president that has acted to the "detriment of our country" I don't know who is.

But thank you, God, that I have the privilege of living in the great USA where I can voice my opinions freely and w/o fear of retribution.

God Bless America and all her people on this day-and everyday- that we commemorate the birth of our great Nation.

[peady2]

Paula-the President should not act unilaterally w/o regard for law and procedure as GWB does regularly. I will again make the point-I don't care to hear who Clinton pardoned as a response to Libby's sentence being commuted. I didn't agree with everything Clinton did and there were plenty of pardons he made that I can recall and disagree with. None of them make it right for GWB to have commuted Libby's sentence. Two wrongs don't make a right as they say.

And for those who want to know where I was when Clinton was pardoning people and indulging in cronyism left and right I was vocal then as well. Only not having access to the internet until early 1999 I didn't have the ability to voice it here.

[bryan]

I cannot believe Bush, nor any other politician, gets out of bed in the morning eagerly anticipating what they can gain by purposely doing anything that would destroy us or anyone else.

Just cant buy it.

(talk about control issues - Hillary - hardly selfless)

[PaulaJo]

I disagree about Pres Bush acting unilaterally. I have been eagerly awaiting his use of the veto. In almost eight years he has issued less pardons than Clinton did on some days.

The area in which I am in total disagreement with Pres Bush is amnesty for illegals.

[peady2]

"However, the president made the decision without seeking any advice from the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the Justice Department, the White House had previously acknowledged...."

He acted unilaterally.

[PaulaJo]

"as he does regularly" is the part I disagree with. I think all "pardons" are by their very nature 'unilateral' decisions.

[bryan]

"Has nothing to do with justice, and everything to do with pure hatred"

This is just so true and obvious that it's reported regularly - even newspeople somehow are astonished by the unreasonable ruthlessness of the "Bush haters".

Absolutely hopeless that people will be open and change their minds or at least see a different perspective.

Re: "the children of Clinton, Bush, now Gore --- I really haven't seen negative reporting of late about the Bush girls (there was a very positive one last week) - hardly ever about Clinton girl, and truthfully after the initial newsworthy report on Gore's son - I hope they DO drop it.

The media was certainly gracious enough and chose to leave Fl.Gov.Bush's daughter alone during her downward spiril. It was reported at first - but she didn't do well and you didn't read about it. Thankfully no one pointed fingers at Gov. Bush. It could have been a smear campaign.

These adult children's behaviors should not reflect on their parents. They have absolutely nothing to do with their parents' political careers.

The media deserves credit where credit is due.
ps
I happen to have thought Pres. Bush's
immigration bill was not bad at all.
(Yes, I'm one of a handful who did)

It's led me to a "DO SOMETHING STUPID" attitude. Nothing yet though!

[bryan]

"BTW-I have never seen such partisan hatred in all my years on this earth as I witnessed when Bill Clinton first took office after "robbing" Daddy B of a second term. This is where this extreme partisanship began."

I agree - and then we had the same when Bush "robbed" the last election -

IT'S CRAZYWORLD , and we'd be wise to find something we can all agree on - just insanity out there.

Paula - not for blanket amnesty either - there were many steps and penalities and time periods and 'go to the back of the line' rules - as least the bit I read .