"Scooter" Libby

IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Anyone else pissed off about this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6264058.stm

"US President George W Bush has issued an order to grant executive clemency to Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the convicted former vice-presidential aide who was due to serve a 30-month prison sentence. Here is the full statement of the proclamation.
Whereas Lewis Libby was convicted in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in the case United States v. Libby, Crim. No. 05-394 (RBW), for which a sentence of 30 months' imprisonment, 2 years' supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a special assessment of $400 was imposed on June 22, 2007;

Now, therefore, I, George W Bush, President of the United States of America, pursuant to my powers under Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, do hereby commute the prison terms imposed by the sentence upon the said Lewis Libby to expire immediately, leaving intact and in effect the two-year term of supervised release, with all its conditions, and all other components of the sentence.

In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand and seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first."
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Dubya is not saying that he is not guilty and not pardoning him as such but is just changing his sentence from two years to none on the grounds that the sentence is too harsh. In other words, despite recognizing his guilt he is allowing him to go free. To me it's not just the fact that he's doing it but the sheer blatant croney-ism, the way that with no apology and no attempt to disguise what is happening he is overriding what the court has decreed because the guy worked for the Republicans - is effectively a friend. What happened to all people being equal before the law in the US?

(As an aside, has anyone read his book?)
 
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C

crackerjack

Well-known member
IdleRich said:
Anyone else pissed off about this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6264058.stm


Dubya is not saying that he is not guilty and not pardoning him as such but is just changing his sentence from two years to none on the grounds that the sentence is too harsh. In other words, despite recognizing his guilt he is allowing him to go free. To me it's not just the fact that he's doing it but the sheer blatant croney-ism, the way that with no apology and no attempt to disguise what is happening he is overriding what the court has decreed because the guy worked for the Republicans - is effectively a friend. What happened to all people being equal before the law in the US?

(As an aside, has anyone read his book?)
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Pissed off but certainly not surprised. 2nd term (or 4th quarter to be precise) preses don't need to give a shit about opinion polls or the appearance of propriety. I'd like to think the Dems could make capital from it, but Clinton issued some shady pardons on his way out the door.
 
E

Eric

Mr Moraigero
Exactly. The calculation must be: How could things get any worse? The American public has given up on me/us anyway, so now we might as well just do whatever we like.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
But what I don't understand is that Republican supporters seem pleased. To me it's not (or ought not to be) an issue that divides people along party lines; the realisation that certain people are above the law and are so indifferent to people realising this that make no effort to disguise it should be something that makes everyone angry. Shouldn't it?
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
What does hmm mean here?

"Why was Libby going to jail?"
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Because he was convicted (of lying to investigators and thus obstructing justice) and sentenced to jail.
My point though is that it doesn't matter what he was convicted for or even if he should have been convicted, if the president can override the law to get his friends out of trouble (which is clearly what happened here even if you think that he shouldn't have been convicted) then it makes a mockery of the idea that everyone is equal.
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Yes, I know that it's a link (and I read it) but does the "hmm" express scepticism towards Hitchens and if so why link him?
I guess that no-one has read the bear-porn book then?
 
vimothy

vimothy

yurp
IdleRich said:
Yes, I know that it's a link (and I read it) but does the "hmm" express scepticism towards Hitchens and if so why link him?
I guess that no-one has read the bear-porn book then?
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It's not scepticism towards Hitchens.

No idea about what you're talking about re the "bear-porn book".
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
vimothy

vimothy

yurp
Also:

...I find Bush's action very troubling because of the obvious special treatment Libby received. President Bush has set a remarkable record in the last 6+ years for essentially never exercising his powers to commute sentences or pardon those in jail. His handful of pardons have been almost all symbolic gestures involving cases decades old, sometimes for people who are long dead. Come to think of it, I don't know if Bush has ever actually used his powers to get one single person out of jail even one day early. If there are such cases, they are certainly few and far between. So Libby's treatment was very special indeed.​
 
IdleRich

IdleRich

IdleRich
Yeah, that's why I said it shouldn't be an issue along party lines. It should grate with everyone that the President can pardon people he likes or who lobby him or whatever.
This actual case is just a particularly obvious "fuck you" because it's already big news and Libby went to jail basically trying to protect his party and ultimately the president (both of which as it happened may not have needed protection).
I find it very strange that anyone should be celebrating his release as a victory for Republicans or something. It's not a good thing for people who vote to the right, it's a good thing for a small group of people who know the president.
 
C

crackerjack

Well-known member
It should grate with everyone that the President can pardon people he likes or who lobby him or whatever.
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Is it uncommon for the head of state to have the power of pardon? (Not that I disagree with what you're saying y'unnerstand. And yeah, the partisan raspberry blowing is very very sillly.)
 
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