Posted on 01/19/2009 6:47:50 PM PST by Justaham
In a move that has keenly disappointed some of his strongest conservative allies, President Bush has decided not to pardon Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, for his 2007 conviction in the CIA leak case, two White House officials said Monday.
On Bush's last full day as president, Bush did commute the sentence of two former Border Patrol agents—Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos—for shooting a Mexican drug dealer and then lying about it. But White House press spokesman Tony Fratto told NEWSWEEK "you should not expect any more" pardons and commutations from Bush before he leaves office Tuesday. Another senior official, who requested anonymity discussing sensitive matters, confirmed that no more pardons would be granted.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
My Bush gives Fitzgerald a pat on the back. You’re do’n a great job Fitzy.
Libby must have been deficient in the sucking up department.
Scooter’s sentence was commmuted a while ago: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287780,00.html
Libby’s sentence was commuted - not pardoned. A pardon totally expunges your record.
I find it incredulous that George Bush did not pardon him. It was clearly politically motivated and the reason the Presidential pardon ability is in the constitution. Bush claimed to honor loyalty only to be void of it himself.
Newsweak and Isikoff needs to remember REAL history, not just
their made up stuff..... Idiots all
I’m probably going to get flamed, but I think that President Bush is respecting the Constitutional balance of power by commuting sentences rather than granting pardons.
But Scooter did not request a pardon. So how could the prez pardon someone who hasn’t requested one?
What...What did Clinton do for Marc Rich?....and the FALN terrorists?
Alas, the way they bungled their cases they'll have to do that without voter support ~ and sure as heck no one wants them mucking around with traditional countryclub Republican trades such as party organization and fund raising.
Instead, these young men have been identified as RINOs to be purged as soon as possible.
"W"'s just refusing to pardon these men because he screwed up and let them get prosecuted needlessly.
He's too embarrassed to admit it. He will be haunted by that fact until the day he dies.
Tomorrow is going to be another day that will live in infammy.
Pardons are one of Constitutional powers of the Presidency. The founders gave it to him in the NAME OF BALANCE. He would be disrespecting that balance BY GIVING IT UP.
They deserve a clean slate, so does Libby. My point is that Bush respects the Constitution and our justice system. They were found guilty by a jury of their peers.
He just figured the punishment did not fit the "crime."
There is no "constitutional balance of power" when it comes to pardons. The President's power to pardon is unlimited. "W"'s just refusing to pardon these men because he screwed up and let them get prosecuted needlessly.
Yes, I know that. I also know that he respects our system of justice.
Bush has been a disappointment in MANY ways. In his first term, he couldn’t find his VETO pen, then he had to have remedial training to learn how to use it.
It’s not surprising that Bush won’t pardon Libby. He probably won’t pardon Ramos and Campeon, either!! I think that 15 years hence, he will wax nostalgic and admit that maybe he should have pardoned those guys.
(Adjusting asbestos undies) Flame away.
Maybe Bush is afraid to hurt his popularity ratings.
When you have outcomes like that something may be wrong.
He probably should have prosecuted his father's friend, Colon Powell first, and blown the whistle on the Plame dame himself.
Here's the deal, "W" has a mental block ~ we know he thought the moral thing to do with the illegal visitor problem was to just offer them "a path to citizenship". Alas, the moral thing to do was to assist them in going home as soon as possible ~ certainly this nation has enough buses for that.
The 13th Amendment ABOLISHED SLAVERY and peonage! Yet, the people hiring the illegals were re-establishing both! Certainly didn't respect our fundamental laws all that much to cater to the slavers eh.
Bush is VERY stubborn! He is out of touch with citizens! The border agents should have been pardoned! Bush? GRRRR!
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