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.
Praise God.
Now let the border patrol agents out of jail and we’ll know that you are an honorable man, Mr. Bush.
As if he could do again, whatever it was that he was supposed to have done.
Now, if Bush would only fire Fitzgerald, I’d be a happy man.
You can be a Bushfan all you want....
..not sure why you're getting so bent out of shape because I'm not (anymore).
But like millions of Americans, I once was.
I flat out trusted the guy...
..now he has lost my faith.
If that makes me deranged in your book, no amount of words will convince you otherwise.
HAHAHAHA!!! You are SO right; I love it, for that reason alone. I bet the olberidiot will be in high propaganda mode tonight.
It's really disheartening to read such ill-informed posts, one after the other and realize that this really is FR, even though it doesn't sound like it.
Where are the voices of reason I got used to way back when?
There are sufficient posts on this thread for you nattering nellies to learn that Libby and his lawyers DO NOT WANT a full pardon at this time as it would prevent them from filing an appeal in which Libby would have a chance to clear his name and not be branded a felon for the rest of his life and to bring out the real facts of the pseudo case - AND to bring out the lies of Mitchell, Russet etc - AND to expose Fitz for the Nifong he is. Heads may yet roll = and Libby's wont be one of them.
I can only conclude that those who yet - after all the times today's actions have been explained - bash Bush over this are either:
1: in a hurry and didn't take time to read the thread
2: will seize on any excuse, however untrue, to bash Bush
3: are DU sleepers
Court of Appeals denied Libby's Bond Appeal
"..Libby ``has not shown that the appeal raises a substantial question'' under federal law that would merit letting him remain free, the court said..."
Libby is still a convicted felon which will end his career as a lawyer plus all the expense. The entire prosecution was a crock. A pardon is the appropriate answer to something like this.
The pardon will come IF Libby’s conviction stands after appeals are exhausted. President Bush is way too smart to eliminate Libby’s chance of ultimately being found not guilty through the court system. Libby has no present need for a pardon — all it would do is eliminate the possibility that he could ever say he was found not guilty.
Ted Kennedy kills someone and is in the US Senate. This guy does basically nothing and has a federal conviction, and is in jail. Justice??? There is no such thing. I think I will continue to act on the revenge attitude.
I’m glad President Bush did the right thing. And I’m looking forward to reading through this thread, without the vitriolic harpies who used to dominate this topic. Ah, I love this fresh, clean air. It’s another beautiful day in the neighborhood!
As I leave the thread my last comment about your BDS is...watch Duncan Hunter. He disagrees with Bush on various things and upholds him on others. I’ve heard him say even in disagreement that the PResident is a good man. Leave ME out of it and watch how DH does it. I rest my case.
NordP
That was a pretty good slap
READ THE THREAD - it will explain why LIBBY his LAWYERS DO NOT WANT a full pardon at this time!
Sorry to other folk for shouting, but will these people stop, as another poster said, "knee-jerking" and bashing Bush -
Bush did EXACTLY what Libby and his lawyers wanted him to do at this time - read the thread and you could find out why.
I can double guarantee ya that there's a lot of nervous libRats out there contemplating a Libby appeal and what could spill out of it - there may be some people who WILL go to jail...and their names be libRats
And Sandy Burgler, John F. Kerry, (D-Hanoi), Nancy Pelosi (D-Syria), Harry Reid, John Murtha,Ted Kennedy...
Add you candidates.
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