News & Politics - President erases Libby's prison sentence

Lexis · 07-03-2007, 04:33 AM

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ust when things looked darkest for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, when prison seemed all but certain, President Bush wiped away the former White House aide's 2 1/2-year sentence in the CIA leak case.
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Bush's move came Monday, just five hours after a federal appeals panel ruled that Libby could not delay his prison term. His prospects for an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court seemed bleak. The former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, Libby was just waiting for a date to surrender.

After months of sidestepping pardon questions, Bush stepped in. He did not issue a pardon but erased a prison sentence that he felt was just too harsh.

"I respect the jury's verdict," Bush said in a written statement. "But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend 30 months in prison."

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald disputed the president'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."

Libby's attorney, Theodore Wells, said in a statement that the Libby family was grateful for Bush's action and continued to believe in his innocence.

Because he was not pardoned, Libby remains the highest-ranking White House official convicted of a crime since the Iran-Contra affair. But he won't have to serve a day in prison, a fact that his friends cheered, even those who wished he'd received a full pardon.

President erases Libby's prison sentence - Yahoo! News

Not so surprising but still...

Does anyone know if Plame is going to getting any kind of compensation for her loss of earnings and the premature end of her career?

migamoo · 07-03-2007, 07:05 AM

This is ridiculous, but at least it's not a pardon.

**sunnykerr** · 07-03-2007, 07:49 AM

So not surprising. Bush-style cronyism wins the day, yet again.

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but it's getting harder and harder to see how exactly the United States remains a democracy when the president can veto legislations upon legislations that have cleared both houses, when his Office can outright break the Freedom of Information Act without consequence, when the vice-president is allowed to do as he pleases on any manner of issues without having to inform anyone, when eight prosecutors can be fired without cause beyond their politcs and no one has to be held accountable for that, when a woman who's devoted her life to serving her country can be betrayed and put at risk like that and nobody's held accountable for it... Where does it end?

Seriously, how is this a democracy?

ceilirose · 07-03-2007, 08:02 AM

Well they don't call it "The Imperial Presidency" for nothing.

I think Plame can file a civil suit. She may have already but if Bush and Cheney can claim executive privilege than it's all for nothing? I'm not a lawyer but I hope there are some ways for her to recoup what she's lost.

It's not surprising. Cnn.com had the headline of "Scooter Skates" yesterday. How appropriate.

ETA - I heard on NPR this morning that Plame did file a civil suit against Libby, Cheney and I think Rove.

Lexis · 07-03-2007, 09:07 AM

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President Bush said Tuesday he welcomes a Justice Department investigation into who revealed the classified identity of a CIA operative.

"If there's a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is," Bush told reporters at an impromptu news conference during a fund-raising stop in Chicago, Illinois. "If the person has violated law, that person will be taken care of.

"I welcome the investigation. I am absolutely confident the Justice Department will do a good job.

"I want to know the truth," the president continued. "Leaks of classified information are bad things."

CNN.com - Bush welcomes probe of CIA leak - Feb. 11, 2004

That was in 2004. As another blog pointed out, I guess we now know what he meant by "taken care of".

Mcjoan at Kos:

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For all of the citizens of the United States, the imposition of a sentence that is consistent with the sentencing guidelines makes it "presumptively reasonable." At least that's what the Roberts Court said just last month in Rita v. United States.

That's for all the regular folks, but not for the Special Assistant to the President and chief of staff to the Vice President. At least not in BushCo. Paris Hilton and Martha Stewart should have been working in the administration.

Daily Kos: Fitzgerald Reacts

***Raonaild*** · 07-03-2007, 10:19 AM

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Originally Posted by Fieryangel (View Post)

This is ridiculous, but at least it's not a pardon.

In some ways I think this is worse than a pardon - Libby still gets off without any consequences, but Bush can claim that he didn't actually pardon him. He should have just completely pardoned him, or let the ruling stand, not this wishy-washy half measure.

ceilirose · 07-03-2007, 10:39 AM

I heard on either CNN or MSNBC last night that if Bush had pardoned Libby completely then he might be forced to comment on aspects of the crime that was committed. At this point Libby still has some legal fights going on. Bush, Cheney, Rove - that whole gang - can still plea "no comment" when asked about the whole situation since it's ongoing litigation.

One one hand it's so thoroughly disgusting and on the other hand I can't get too worked up about it because I expected it.

**sunnykerr** · 07-03-2007, 11:12 AM

The idea that Bush could be forced to talk about anything at this point seems preposterous. He's circumvented the Freedom of Information Act a gagillion times already. Not to mention this administration's new slogan: "I don't recall."

*Ledi* · 07-03-2007, 12:45 PM

So disgusting.

Jacob1983 · 07-03-2007, 03:28 PM

Presidents can basically do whatever they want. You people should know that by now.

ceilirose · 07-03-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob1983 (View Post)

Presidents can basically do whatever they want. You people should know that by now.

LOL..one couldn't have an affair and get away with it, could he? Not with the moral police squad running around this country.

That's a very disturbing thought though - that the President and Vice-President can and are above the law. That's a very un-American thought - not what this country was founded on. At least that's not what I was taught in school.

Jacob1983 · 07-03-2007, 05:49 PM

I never said it was right that the president can do whatever he/she wants. I was just stating that he can do whatever he wants. He has that authority. It's not right but it's just how things are.

Clinton should have been more careful with his lustfest with Lewinsky.

ceilirose · 07-03-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob1983 (View Post)

I never said it was right that the president can do whatever he/she wants. I was just stating that he can do whatever he wants. He has that authority. It's not right but it's just how things are.

Clinton should have been more careful with his lustfest with Lewinsky.

No - US Presidents are not above the law. Goodness that was one of the main arguments of the people who led the Clinton impeahment movement.

It's a sad day for this country if people accept that idea.

***Jerry D*** · 07-03-2007, 06:30 PM

What a disgrace. I truly think that Bush is the worst president in U.S. history, and I'm speaking as someone who lived through the Watergate era.

Indian Summer · 07-03-2007, 07:32 PM

Are we seriously comparing an affair to this? Wow. The only person Clinton really stood to hurt was his wife and daughter, and I suppose Monica. The same can't be said for Bush, and his actions (as well as those of people he's hired and others operating within his administration) could've ended many lives... and very well may have.


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