Posted on 10/29/2005 6:05:53 AM PDT by Liz
MARCH 2, 2001
Lewis Libby, a top Republican lawyer, who is now VP Dick Cheney's chief of staff, told the House Government Reform Committee....that he agreed with much of Bill Clinton's widely discredited op-ed article outlining the former president's reasons for pardoning fugitive tax evader Marc Rich.
In a session that stretched late into the evening, Libby, who represented Rich for several years ending in the spring of 2000, told the committee he believes Rich is not guilty of tax and racketeering charges filed by federal prosecutors in 1983. Libby said he "quite possibly" would have considered applying for a pardon for Rich had Rich asked him to do so.
Libby, who said his law firms collected as much as $2 million for representing Rich, testified he had nothing to do with the application that led to clemency for Rich.
He declined to say whether he approved of the decision to pardon Rich, but he conceded that he called Rich on January 22, two days after the pardon, to "congratulate him on having reached a result that he had sought for a long time." Libby testified he made the call from his home to make clear that he was calling in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of the Bush administration.
In a particularly damaging exchange with Pennsylvania Democrat Paul Kanjorski, Libby agreed that Rich might be characterized as a traitor for fleeing the country and renouncing his American citizenship. Kanjorski asked Libby why he would call a traitor to congratulate him on his good fortune in winning a pardon. Visibly uncomfortable, Libby had no answer.
For Republicans, Libby's testimony was a sour endnote to what had been a long day of revelations that made President Clinton's decision to pardon Rich seem even more inexplicable than previously thought.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Libby testified that not only did he approve of the pardon, he actually called Rich to offer his congratulations the moment he heard the news.
Not exactly something a true blue conservative would do, is it? Makes you wonder which side this guy is on.
Now, to call Libby a GOP lawyer is a stretch. Prior to joining the Bush administration, Mr. Libby served as the Managing Partner of the Washington office of the international law firm of Dechert, Price & Rhoads. He was a member of the firm’s litigation department and chaired the Washington office’s Public Policy Practice Group. Dechert, Price & Rhoads Dechert, Price & Rhoads firm is listed by OpenSecrets.org as Democratic Party campaign donors exclusively:
DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS PHILADELPHIA,PA 19103 9/29/1992 $3,000 New Jersey Gala '92
DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS PHILADELPHIA,PA 19103 10/3/1991 $250 DNC/Non-Federal Corporate
DECHERT PRICE & RHOADS PHILADELPHIA,PA 19103 2/22/1996 $1,000 DNC/Non-Federal Corporate
Contributions to the GOP: $0.00.
Wait. There's more.
Ol' Scooter Libby was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award and the Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award in 1993....... from the Clinton Administration.
I guess Marc Rich must have been gratified to know he had a "friend" in the new Bush administration, right smack dab in the VP's office.
Having a foot in both political camps, although totally unprincipled, is so handy, especially if you are a traitor, and a convicted tax cheat.
Shucks, Rich must be really peeved that Libby got indicted, and is gone from the WH.
OTOH, knowing Rich's friend in the Bush administration is gone sure makes authentic, true blue conservatives feel really good.
Maybe Libby's defense could be "Hey, I am a Democrat supporter, why would I want to lie to harm Joe Wilson. Where is the motive?"
I don't trust Libby, and worry about a plea agreement.
Thanks for posting this old article. Yesterday I was thinking about this incident, and this really casts a different light on this story. That said, I think the indictment was a case of malicious (special) prosecution.
As I said on another thread, if he lied, put him in jail for being stupid.
I saw you post some info earlier on Libby. Check this out.
It is Cheney they are angling for and they just may get him.
WOW!! Makes you wonder, it looks like ALL these politicians are in bed together.
Ping! Much more than meets the eye...
Not really. It's the President himself. Conyers just spilled the beans on Fox just now. He didn't use the word "impeach" but when he said that it seems likely that the President is involved in this, you know that is what he--and the rest of his pack of rats--have in mind.
There is only one society in Washington - the family of career politician/celebrities. Like an actor deciding on drama or comedy, the politicians simply decide which party they will pander to in order to join the club.
Though they accept the label of (D) or (R) for the media's pleasure there is no real difference. Their objective is power and incumbency, their enablers are us.
He's on the side that's paying the most. Libby's loyalty is to his wallet.
That's why he has been, up to his name surfacing in leaks from the Special Prosecutor's office and from the Grand Jury room, a shadowy, non-entity in this administration.
Libby would have to say "Cheney told me to shop Plame to reporters" whereas his current defense is either he forgot about being told by other officials (including Cheney) or the reporters are lying and actually told him. Even if he says Cheney told him and gets Cheney on the stand, I don't see how that hurts Cheney unless he draws Cheney in as part of a conspiracy. OTOH, the public damage from media spin following Cheney's testimony could be severe.
I don't like to think it but I do believe the Socialists have a bigger hold on this country than is realized. I just don't think the real Republicans are working hard enough or as strong as they should be.
Obviously the Special Presecution was after Rove and Cheney and had to settle with this little fish. Okay with me if Libby plea bargains. But I'd rather see a trial, where these 3 reporters are put on the spot: Russert, Novak, and Miller.
It would be a revelation to the public, how the media is so active in politics. And we don't get to elect journalists. They are not chosen; they are not licensed; they have no accountability.
That's the problem. Our elected officials have had to use litigation to point out the lies of the Media. And now the enemies of the administration are using litigation to try to bring down the government.
Our judicial system is in a mess.
Well, now it's President Bush's turn to pardon Lewis Libby. Or is that a privilege of Demoncrat presidents only?
I saw that.
Conyers seemed rather subdued, unlike his wild-eyed, wound a little too tight, ranting style.
What a statesman. Must have been up late last night celebrating.
Reading between the lines with the Conyers piece, I'm thinking they want to get Rove and Cheney and then prove that they were implementing Bush's orders. They really want payback for Clinton's impeachment.
Who are they??? Well the out front people for "they" getting Nixon were Hillary Clinton and Sandy Berger.
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