Posted on 07/02/2007 3:23:03 PM PDT by Baladas
I. Lewis Libby, the former top aide to Dick Cheney who was convicted in March of lying to a Grand Jury and obstructing justice will have to go to jail during his appeal. A three judge federal appellate panel decided that Libby stands little chance of winning an appeal, so he will have to go to jail.
Master bloviator Rush Limbaugh, obviously a man who respects the rule of law and the US Constitution, is doing the Texas George two-step in calling for George W. Bush to pardon Libby. Today Limbaugh, who himself escaped jail, then spent a couple of hours detained by US Customs officials on suspicion he was carrying Viagra without a valid prescription last year, opined "I don't see how it could lower his standing in the polls."
Seriously, WND is reporting that Limbaugh weighed the seriousness of a Libby pardon by Bush's standing in the polls. He apparently had no thought whatsoever for such a pardon firmly confirming to many Americans just how corrupt and above the law the Republican party believes it is.
The Republicans are already looked at by many here and abroad as people who support policies with questionable legality, and with supporting a GOP branded President and Vice President who are, according to Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, "stonewalling" and will likely be charged with contempt of Congress due to a lack of cooperation in the ongoing investigation into the political hiring and firing of US State Attorneys.
A Libby pardon could really cause lasting damage to the Office of the President in addition to the damage it will inflict on the Republican Party. In a detailed assessment of executive clemency power in the wake of Clinton pardons, Daniel T. Kobil, an expert on clemency power and Professor of Law at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio testified before the Committee of the Judiciary, the Subcommittee of the Constitution in February 2001:
"Historically, clemency has been used to equalize disparate sentencing that creates an impression that our system of justice is arbitrary, as where one individual receives a far harsher sentence than an accomplice who is more culpable. Similarly, clemency has been properly used to diminish the punishment imposed on those who were not entirely responsible for their actions because of mental retardation, brain damage, or other infirmity."
Libby fits neither of those criteria, he was convicted of multiple felonies and has been told in no certain terms by this latest decision from a three-person federal appeals panel that he will likely not prevail in an appeal. In other words he is a guilty convicted felon. And surely the Chief Executive would not use clemency power based on the second premise.
Pardons by former President Clinton were widely reviled by "conservatives" and roundly condemned, Republicans sought "veto" power over a granted pardon then and veto power was also sought after Former President Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon, both efforts of course failed.
Today the Bush White House has increasingly been considered to be Nixonian in secrecy and a Bush pardon of Libby would be another negative and lasting legacy for Republicans. Although not at all a positive legacy, a Bush pardon for Libby, especially if it came before Libby actually serves his sentence and shows some remorse, would be another disaster for the Republican Party, already reeling from Tom Delay, Mark Foley, Jack Abramoff, protecting those that leaked the name of a covert CIA Agent working on WMD intelligence in time of war, Alberto Gonzales, a visit to the near death bed of former Attorney General John Ashcroft trying to strong-arm him into a wire-tapping program of questionable legality, the Iraq War, the inadequate federal response to Hurricane Katrina, an ignorant Middle-East policy and again, where is Osama bin Laden?
After all, the GOP is already saddled with all that and more, plus Ann Coulter as their national mouthpiece. A pardon for Libby privileging him from complying with the law would be utterly disastrous for the Republicans in the next few election cycles. How much scandal can the party take before a break out of a third party platform or candidate?
LOL, he thinks the Libby decision is going to ruin the GOP.
Sure. That’s what we thought about the Marc Rich pardon.
I support the President’s decision but I suspect his vocal conservative base will not raise the same energy defending him on this that they expended roasting him on immigration.
The trial and prosecution of Libby was an absolute political sham.
Full Throat, is that a porno, what the hell does that mean?
Don’t make me read the article!
This was a witch hunt and he is Innocent of these fabricated charges.
Nonsense! Fitzgerald should be serving out Libby’s term.
[[A Libby pardon could really cause lasting damage to the Office of the President in addition to the damage it will inflict on the Republican Party.]]
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Nooooooooooo, I think having sex in the oval office and then lying about it to the whole world and then lying under oath to a grady jury tops this one. Most people don’t even know who the hell Scooter Libby is nor do they care. Everybody sure the hell knew who Bill “Fellation” Clinton, the leader of the free world was though.
Also the sentencing and appeal.
“Nonsense! Fitzgerald should be serving out Libby’s term”.
Along with Armitage, Powell, Novack and Wilson.
Agreed.
Judge Dismisses New York Times Lawsuit
AP via SFGate | 7/2/7 | DEEPTI HAJELA, Associated Press Writer
Posted on 07/02/2007 4:39:23 PM PDT by SmithL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1859892/posts
Gee, I don’t think this writer remembers the rapist.
"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
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