Libby Draws Conservative Appellate Panel

AP via SFGate ^ | 6/20/7

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON (AP) --

Two of the three judges considering whether to delay former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence were Republican appointees.

Libby's request was assigned to Judges David B. Sentelle, Karen Lecraft Henderson and David Tatel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Sentelle was put on the bench by President Reagan, Henderson by the first President Bush and Tatel by President Clinton.

But judicial politics haven't helped Libby so far. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton, whom President Bush put on the court in 2001. Walton, citing Libby's "overwhelming" guilt, also refused to delay the sentence.

[Michael.SF.]

Another example of liberal bias in the media. They are greasing the skids in preparation of their "I-TOLD-YOU-SO" headline, which will read:

"CONSERVATIVE PANEL DECLARES: NO JAIL FOR LIBBY"

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Is the fix in? God, I hope so...!

[Laverne]

New news on the appeal for bail while appealing the verdict. Fitzy’s response to Team Libby filing is due on Friday.

Free Scooter

[California Patriot]

All we know from this is that there is one firm vote against Libby.

[Williams]

First, the judges don't declare themselves to be conservatives, republicans or anything else. Second, the last thing we need is decisions based on political loyalty. Third, why would you assume a conservative judge would be sympathetic to a convicted criminal?

I say that with all sympathy for Libby. But it's not a political baseball game, it's the criminal justice system.

[Fishtalk]

[fish hawk]

I have no doubt that if it had been Bill Clinton they would have ruled : He should never have been in front of a Grand Jury in the first place as there was no crime to begin with. Clinton then would walk.

[Utah Girl]

Sigh. It is an appellate court when most of the appointees were from Democrat presidents. It is only a conservative appellate court when a Republican president has appointed them and it is a political issue (which the Libby appeal is.)

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

It does not seem unusual to Bush as he does not seem to be in any hurry to help his people.

[Laverne]

President BUsh will act when necessary; if Libby loses this round watch for the President to commute the sentence or issue a respite. Libby will not spend one day in jail.

[Lurking Libertarian]

Great, but is it an Appellate Panel that cares more about justice that about politics?

The law, as changed during the Reagan administration and still in force, makes it extremely difficult for anyone to get out on bail after conviction and during an appeal. The law was aimed at drug dealers and violent criminals (at least that's how the Reagan Justice Department sold it to Congress), but it's worded so as to cover anyone convicted of any crime in federal court.

[the Real fifi]

Sentelle and Tatel were both on the Miller case panel which so far has refused to redact the portions of the record and Fitz’ affidavit to them which AP and Dow Jones have been seeking. I suspect that in that affidavit at least Fitz was disingenuous about what he was seeking (see Tatel’s separate opinion). If so, it could be trouble for Fitz.

[the Real fifi]

Actually, I fogot. Henderson was also on the Miller appeal which means this is the same panel that decided that case.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

Hope you are right.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Two of the three judges considering whether to delay former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s prison sentence were Republican appointees.”

What’s their point? The judge who is presiding over the Clinton case in California was appointed by Clinton. Don’t read too much about that in the MSM.

[STARWISE]

Scooter ~~ PING!

[Enchante]

This is the kind of b.s. article meant to pave the way for a win-win situation for the MSM.

First, any competent judges should be looking at the appeal issues of the LAW, not consulting their personal political views. Only liberals and radicals think that the appropriate way to be a judge is to apply one’s own political litmus test to every matter before the court.

Second, the hacks in the MSM probably have not the slightest idea whether the two eviiillll Republicans on this court are actually conservative — they may well turn out to be RINOs or CINOs.

For the MSM, if Libby’s appeal is denied, they can say “see, even a CONSERVATIVE (sic) appeals court denied his appeal” while if he is successful in any aspect of his appeal they will write “Republican shills side with Libby” etc. to discredit the decision.

fwiw, There is no reason at all to imagine an judicial appointee of Bush, Sr. is conservative....... if anything, just the opposite. Look at the “stealth” liberal SCOTUS nominee in the form of David Souter. Plus, many people become more liberal while in lifetime judicial appointments — they’d rather see fawning references to themselves from the MSM than stay true to their principles. That’s been the trend for so many in our judiciary....

[Defiant]

In a good scenario, Walton would get a nice smackdown for the outrageous rulings he made, such as not allowing them to impeach Tim Russert with his obvious lies.

In a perfect world, the court will also smack down Fitzgerald for violating the prosecutorial standards, pursuing a case to find the answer to a question which he already knew the answer to. He could be branded a rogue prosecutor, a Nifong, and the case ordered dismissed. We can dream, can't we?