Posted on 07/14/2005 9:05:05 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Sentencing for former Clinton National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, who pleaded guilty in April to stealing and destroying top secret terrorism documents from the National Archives, has been delayed, NewsMax.com has learned.
Asked why Berger wasn't sentenced as scheduled on Friday, July 8, a Justice Department spokesman told NewsMax on Tuesday that Berger's sentencing has been postponed till September.
The spokesman declined to offer an explanation for the delay.
Repeated calls asking about the postponement to Berger's lawyer, Washington, D.C., attorney Lanny Breuer, went unreturned.
Federal District Court's U.S. Magistrate Deborah Robinson, who is presiding over the Berger case, also did not return a call inquiring about its disposition.
After Justice Department prosecutor Noel Hillman allowed Berger to plead guilty to a misdemeanor, he requested what some consider an extraordinarily light sentence given the gravity of the crime - a $10,000 fine, a three-year suspension of Berger's security clearance and no jail time.
The recommendation for leniency was in stark contrast with the comments of Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who suggested after the document theft story broke that Berger could be headed to jail.
"We take issues of classified information very, very seriously," Comey told reporters, before adding, "All felonies in the federal system bring with them the promise of jail time, that's all I can say about that."
Prosecutor Hillman's recommendation would still have to be approved by Magistrate Robinson, a prospect that is expected but not assured.
Under Justice Department guidelines, Berger's misdemeanor plea could still yield a $100,000 fine and a year in prison.
Since the announcement of Berger's light sentence, several online petitions have sprung up, urging Magistrate Robinson to impose a stiffer penalty.
It's not clear whether the delay in Berger's sentencing has anything to do with a reluctance on Robinson's part to accept Hillman's recommendation.
The Dems must discredit Rove and taint the Bush Administration's credibility with national security. Because there is nothing that the Dems can do about a former National Security Advisor ,Sandy Berger, in the forefront of this disaster.
The Dems must discredit Rove and taint the Bush Administration's credibility with national security. Sandy "Burglar" with be the poster boy for the next campaign.
Hmmmm. On second thought.......maybe we SHOULD let him go! :)
Exactly - presumption of innocence is screamed for all filthy 'Rats even when that legal concept is irrelevant to making political judgments, or when legal guilt has already been established.... but let a Republican be merely accused of anything even by the most demented bozos of the left, and presumption of innocence goes out the window in favor of a wild campaign of smears, harassment, and destruction of reputation and career.
The double-standards in the media are breathtaking. The Demagogues are far beneath contempt.
"Nothing here, folks, let's move along." If anyone doubts liberal media bias, we need to point to the total indifference with which the media have treated this story. A similar crime by Condi Rice would have been a major event, dominating the news for weeks. Berger's crime was virtually passed over in silence. Just look at the huge flap over Rove for what is in all likelihood a non-crime.
Hmmmmm?? Does this mean Sandy burgler is not cooperating and not providing the information he promised .. could this also mean the prosecutor is making plans for Sandy's jail time ..??
He'd never see the light of day.
Then they should have done that before the "sentencing". He got off with less than a slap on the wrist. What are they going to offer him to rat out Clinton? At this point, they would have to pay him.
Yes, they should have done that... It's anybody's guess what goes on in the back rooms, but it's disappointing that nothing seems to have borne fruit in that regard(although such dealings are rarely exposed to public view). If I remember correctly, though, there have been some tantalizing words dropped by the prosecutors that might be interpreted as meaning that the case does not end with Berger copping a plea...
I'm not laughing.
But the msm/cartoonists treated it like it was a joke.
It gives crooks on their side a pass - oh, just a poor fool, ha ha ha.....
We do need to jail, not laugh at their "joke" crooks.
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