Posted on 07/02/2007 2:45:21 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55
Edited on 07/02/2007 3:05:31 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Foxnews alert.. libby sentence commuted
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STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today rejected Lewis Libby’s request to remain free on bail while pursuing his appeals for the serious convictions of perjury and obstruction of justice. As a result, Mr. Libby will be required to turn himself over to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his prison sentence.
I have said throughout this process that it would not be appropriate to comment or intervene in this case until Mr. Libby’s appeals have been exhausted. But with the denial of bail being upheld and incarceration imminent, I believe it is now important to react to that decision.
From the very beginning of the investigation into the leaking of Valerie Plame’s name, I made it clear to the White House staff and anyone serving in my administration that I expected full cooperation with the Justice Department. Dozens of White House staff and administration officials dutifully cooperated.
After the investigation was under way, the Justice Department appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald as a Special Counsel in charge of the case. Mr. Fitzgerald is a highly qualified, professional prosecutor who carried out his responsibilities as charged.
This case has generated significant commentary and debate. Critics of the investigation have argued that a special counsel should not have been appointed, nor should the investigation have been pursued after the Justice Department learned who leaked Ms. Plame’s name to columnist Robert Novak. Furthermore, the critics point out that neither Mr. Libby nor anyone else has been charged with violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act or the Espionage Act, which were the original subjects of the investigation. Finally, critics say the punishment does not fit the crime: Mr. Libby was a first-time offender with years of exceptional public service and was handed a harsh sentence based in part on allegations never presented to the jury.
Others point out that a jury of citizens weighed all the evidence and listened to all the testimony and found Mr. Libby guilty of perjury and obstructing justice. They argue, correctly, that our entire system of justice relies on people telling the truth. And if a person does not tell the truth, particularly if he serves in government and holds the public trust, he must be held accountable. They say that had Mr. Libby only told the truth, he would have never been indicted in the first place.
Both critics and defenders of this investigation have made important points. I have made my own evaluation. In preparing for the decision I am announcing today, I have carefully weighed these arguments and the circumstances surrounding this case.
Mr. Libby was sentenced to thirty months of prison, two years of probation, and a $250,000 fine. In making the sentencing decision, the district court rejected the advice of the probation office, which recommended a lesser sentence and the consideration of factors that could have led to a sentence of home confinement or probation.
I respect the jury’s verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby’s sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.
My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting.
The Constitution gives the President the power of clemency to be used when he deems it to be warranted. It is my judgment that a commutation of the prison term in Mr. Libby’s case is an appropriate exercise of this power.
RIGHT !! I pray heavenly justice meted out slowly to them for their obfuscation and deceit.
I wonder why Demos seem to feel that they are so sophisticated?
They are blindingly provincial and ignorant.
DUh is going nucking futs! Laughed my ass off!
He was surprisingly subdued ..
Golly , I know President Bush is supposed to be the blame of everything that happens anywhere in the world, but just dam* -
Oh, I know, we would be SO much better off now if only Gore had won the first round and Kerry won the last one - well, buck up, Guenevere, maybe Hitlery or Obama will make it in 2008 -
my pardons to other readers of this post for the shiver I just sent up your spines.
It is beside the point that he is a wealthy man.
He’s delusional. He’s been wrong about virtually EVERYTHING in re: the so-called Valerie Plame leak investigation.
This sentence was within the sentencing guidelines and not at all extreme.
It makes it look like Bush is afraid of what Scooter might say to the feds or in a book .
This way Scooter owes him and will say nothing.
I will bet that a full pardon is granted when Bush leaves office IF scooter keeps his mouth closed.
Once again Bush has no respect for the rule of law
I'll agree with that. The same principle led me to give him due credit for the VETO on government funding for embryonic stem cell research.
I can't bestow the warmth to the man that I used to, nor am I inclined to do so, but I can step up and admit when he does something right and defend that action and be happy when a form of justice prevails. Such is the case here. Libby didn't deserve a day in jail. And Bush denied the liberals that unjust glee. In that he did well.
And now Libby can be with his family in some peace. One of Levin's callers had a good idea. Donating to Libby's defense fund so he doesn't have to pay a dime. Think I'm going to contribute a little tonight.
No, he couldn't have. Like I said, the POTUS is not a dictator - he cannot dictate to the DOJ - it's one of those checks and balances things - you may have heard about???
Me too.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Too freakin’ funny. Hey, you, DU is THATaWAY.
Now don't that have a nice ring...
"Until now, it appeared that the President merely turned a blind eye to a high ranking Administration official leaking classified information. The President's action today makes it clear that he condones such activity. This decision is inconsistent with the rule of law and sends a horrible signal to the American people and our intelligence operatives who place their lives at risk everyday. Now that the White House can no longer argue that there is a pending criminal investigation, I expect them to be fully forthcoming with the American people about the circumstances that led to this leak and the President's decision today."
Update:
According to a senior aide at the House Judiciary Committee, the committee is planning a hearing on the commutation, "as early as next week."
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003581.php
“I am proud of my President today....Sandy Berger gets a slap on the wrist for stealing and destroying classified material and Scooter Libby gets 3 years for different recollections with regards to a he said/he said conversation with a slime reporter (if you want to call Tim Russert a reporter). But what does one expect - Berger is a Dim and Libby is a Republican.”
Anytime someone mentions disparity in dispensing justice, I use the two examples you cited. There is no comparison between sincerely having a memory lapse in regard to the content of and the order in which two conversations took place years before and a true criminal who STOLE/HID/RECOVERED/DESTROYED Top Secret documents that, I truly believe, would have been harmful to the clinton administration if presented before the 9/11 Hearing Committee.
I hope that ALL of the people who should have been made to provide sworn testimony during the first trial will be forced to do so during the appeal.
EODGUY
May I show you your post?
To: Kaslin
You’re on the wrong forum...There’s no hate here for GWB..We simply disagree with him and are unwilling to go along with him when we know he’s wrong..NO AMNESTY, BUILD THE D@M FENCE..That’s what he must continue to hear !!
402 posted on 07/02/2007 6:20:34 PM CDT by bestrongbpositive
Whoooooops
In this case, it's true!
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