Bush Will Commute Libby's Sentence

Bush Will Commute Libby's Sentence

www.washingtonpost.com

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.

(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 2007/7/2 by GradyPhilpott]

Not much of a surprise and there's not much news yet, but I will update.

www.washingtonpost.com
(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 2007/7/2 by GradyPhilpott]

Damn, you beat me



No surprise to me, I would have been even more pissed off at Bush than I already am if he hadn't done this.

Libby's prison term will be commuted, but he will still have to serve two years probation and pay a $250,000 fine.

This is the development that prompted the president's action:

A US appeals court has refused to delay the jail sentence of former White House official Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was sentenced over the CIA leak case.
He had appealed to delay his prison sentence while fighting his conviction.

But the panel of three judges turned him down, ruling he had not shown his appeal "raises a substantial question".

news.bbc.co.uk...

Imperial Presidency...NO JAIL...perfect
Commuted /Pardon Lets face it no jail time.
Anyone who doubted that Libby had the goods on the the gang of 4 will have
to rethink their arguments.

no surprise, I actually expected a full presidential pardon, but that would have been a bit too much under the current state of affairs.

Originally posted by Stanley06

Anyone who doubted that Libby had the goods on the the gang of 4 will have
to rethink their arguments.

The president did not challenge the verdict of the jury who convicted Libby and his remaining punishment is pretty severe, so I think your claim is baseless.


[edit on 2007/7/2 by GradyPhilpott]

Im not surprised

I expected this but not before he went to prision that surpised me

Gotta love these law and order types.... the law and the order applies to everybody else but them and their cronies. The man was convicted of lying repeatedly to a grand jury...if it had been you or me our asses would have been behind bars already much less have our convictions commuted.

"The president did not challenge the verdict of the jury who convicted Libby and his remaining punishment is pretty severe, so I think your claim is baseless."
-Gradyphilpott

Now that was spoken like a true neocon. What are you afraid of Grady?

Given the current state of affairs even this is too much and speaks volumes when read between the lines.


[edit on 2-7-2007 by duckcheney]

This is an outrage!
Maybe Now People will wake up if its not to late already!
Might this be good grounds for impeachment?

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

Originally posted by Stanley06

Anyone who doubted that Libby had the goods on the the gang of 4 will have
to rethink their arguments.

The president did not challenge the verdict of the jury who convicted Libby and his remaining punishment is pretty severe, so I think your claim is baseless.


[edit on 2007/7/2 by GradyPhilpott]

If somebody has reasonably deep pockets, 250 grand is squat. Jail would have gotten his attention, jail is what the judiciary wrote...instead Libby gets a time-out in his own very nice digs. Well, guess that'll deter the big boys from cheating.

Pretty severe my patoot, and I'm suprised it can be said with an apparently straight face, Grady. How much money was spent in prosecuting Libby? How much grief was caused by outing Plame? High treason during a state of war is carried out in plain sight and nobody goes to jail? Sickening.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
If somebody has reasonably deep pockets, 250 grand is squat. Jail would have gotten his attention, jail is what the judiciary wrote...instead Libby gets a time-out in his own very nice digs. Well, guess that'll deter the big boys from cheating.

Pretty severe my patoot, and I'm suprised it can be said with an apparently straight face, Grady. How much money was spent in prosecuting Libby? How much grief was caused by outing Plame? High treason during a state of war is carried out in plain sight and nobody goes to jail? Sickening.

It's clear public record that Libby had NOTHING to do with Plame being exposed as a CIA employee. It's far from clear that even if that was proven it would be a crime after all.

The fact is this was an overzealous prosecutor who kept up an unimportant investigation after he already knew his target had nothing to do with the supposed leak. Richard Armitage was the original source for the media revelation that Plame worked for the CIA! Not Libby!

This is a classic case of an out of control prosecutor not unlike the Duke rape case. It is also a great example of why our founding fathers, in their infinite wisdom, gave pardon powers to the president.

[edit on 7/2/2007 by djohnsto77]

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
I'm suprised it can be said with an apparently straight face, Grady.

Libby's conviction stands and a quarter of a million dollars is a pretty hefty fine for anyone.

Frankly, I don't care what his sentence is or whether or not it was commuted and, for the life of me, I can't figure out why any Canadian would care, either. I never really followed the case.


[edit on 2007/7/2 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
If somebody has reasonably deep pockets, 250 grand is squat. Jail would have gotten his attention, jail is what the judiciary wrote...instead Libby gets a time-out in his own very nice digs. Well, guess that'll deter the big boys from cheating.

I'm sure his pending book deal will cover his fine anyways. He was convicted and should serve the time. The bush camp have already hit rock bottom you might as well help out those who can't help themselves. Sad state of affairs and a pathetic excuse for justice.

brill

Originally posted by djohnsto77

It's clear public record that Libby had NOTHING to do with Plame being exposed as a CIA employee. It's far from clear that even if that was proven it would be a crime after all.

Am I mistaken then, that Libby was busted for lying about the case...that he was thrown to the wolves 'cuz somebody had to do the time...then the time was commuted? Looks to me like the fix was in. Nice work. Better keep that edge in the Senate for a long, long time...least 'til the Statute of Limitations runs out.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Libby's conviction stands and a quarter of a million dollars is a pretty hefty fine for anyone.

I'm betting that if we stack it up against his net worth, the fine will prove to be inconsequential. And the conviction? How many of the ol' Irangate bunch got right back into government?

Frankly... for the life of me, I can't figure out why any Canadian would care, either.

We stand back watching in dismay. You guys are close enough that I could see your fireworks in New York last night, across Lake Ontario.

Plus...with 9 months of winter, and 3 months of bad skiing, we watch a lot of news.

In the words of the special prosecutor 'He (Libby) lied about just about everything".

It doesn't matter what its about lying to a grand jury is pretty serious business especially when you are a public (so-called in this administration) servant.

Comparing Fitzgerald to Nifong is almost as big a joke as our President commuting this liar's sentence.

They look after their own, that's pretty clear.

This whole charade of the WOT, Homeland Security, Terror Alerts, and the rest of the associated BS is just a Big Smokescreen for their primary interest, which is to look after their own.

It is very much like our federal government's executive branch is being run by an organized crime syndicate.

They may have gone too far this time. I anticipate severe blowback to follow this travesty of justice.