Absolutely we are a "better society" when the President exercises his Executive Power; we would be an even better society if we could somehow arrest, try, and sentence Richard Armitage for the crime that prompted this whole Plame-Game episode but I guess that isn't possible! Prosecutor Patrick Fitizgerald went on a fishing expedition throughout the Vice Presdient's office all while knowing of Armitage's guilt yet somehow suspecting that either Cheney, Rove, or Libby was involved. News for you and Fitz: all were innocent. When special investigations are established and initiated, as they were in the Plame episode, the American public expect that the prosecutor will bring the guilty to trial. Who did Fitz bring to trial? The guy that leaked Plame's name, or someone else? In light of such insanity as both Fitz and Armitage exhibit, it is both correct and important for a "better society" that the President commute the sentence of Mr. Libby, an innocent bystander to this whole affair. Later next year the president can rightfully issue Mr. Libby a full pardon so he can regain his name and reputation. I only wish that the Executive Powers of the President were broadened to not only include the ability to commute sentences but to extend them as well, as Armitage needs some time behind bars since he seems the guilty one here, as a way of bettering society!
More than one person leaked the information to more than one journalist. Libby leaked it to Judith Miller before Novak's column was published. Hey, a court found Martha Stewart guilt of obstruction but not of insider trading. I guess Bush should have commuted her sentence, too, right?
Eliminating the 9th Circuit and firing about half the state and federal judges would be a good first step! Insofar as "eliminating the courts," no I didn't say that, but extending the Executive Powers would also be a good step as recommended. Learn to read please...
It's great to see you are so willing to give Hillary all of that power. And I read in between the lines. Since Armitage is not currently in jail nor on trial, it's seems like the logical step to be made from your statement is that you want the president to have the ability to imprision people.
No but Clinton would've if she paid him. Please tell me you're outraged over Clinton's pardons of convicted felons. No? Then shut up! No lefty-lib has the right to say a word about Libby's non-pardon.
I thought the Rich pardon was outrageous. So what? At least Bill had the good form to pardon them at the very end of his term - that's what's called a mulligan in politics (kinda like Bush Sr.'s midnight pardons of the Iran Contra perps).
Of course I was outraged! How couldn't I have been? Clinton needs to shut his mouth on this issue. Berger got off easy, too. That doesn't absolve Bush. Several people leaked her status to several reporters, and Libby got caught trying to throw a wrench in the investigation. Bush, who never, ever displayed this much concern over the judicial process while reviewing death penalty cases in Texas, commuted his friend's sentence.
I don't recall Clinton pardoning or commuting the sentence of anyone who lied to a grand jury numerous times to cover for the Executive Branch. There was an obvious quid pro quo in Libby's case.
That would have been beneath him... Bubba saved his pardons for hardened convicts...You should read this: "On November 21, 2000, Clinton pardoned 11 convicts. They had been convicted of bribing union officials, making false statements to a government agency, and dealing cocaine..." And if you are upset about this Libby prison sentence commute by the President, you must have been real pissed when Clinton pardoned this convict: "Clinton even pardoned long-time Chicago Democrat Congressman Dan Rostenkowski, who had been convicted in 1996 of mail fraud and who had been accused of using public money to pay people on his payroll who did little or no work." As FeverNova1 said so well: "No lefty-lib has the right to say a word about Libby's non-pardon." Shut up Claymore! Just shut up will you? "But Clinton’s most egregious misuse of the presidential pardon power came on January 20, 2001–the final day of his presidency. He pardoned 140 and granted clemency to 36..."
Susan McDougal: U.S. District Court Judge Susan Webber Wright sentenced her after McDougal refused to answer three questions from Whitewater prosecutors before the grand jury empaneled by Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr to investigate the Whitewater deals. McDougal received a full Presidential pardon from outgoing President Bill Clinton in the final hours of his presidency in 2001. Not lying per se, but just don't go there.
Did you even look at the link I provided for all of you libs that have a convenient memory? Although Bill obviously had a soft spot for drug dealers and tax evaders, I do believe that he himself lied under oath in order to cover for the Executive Branch. I’m surprised you’re even making an attempt here. At least you admit that Clinton did not commute anyone's sentence. He only gave full pardons.
Maybe if Scooter Libby's attorney had fallen asleep during the trial, then Bush would have let the sentence stand.
This vaguely sounds familiar, but please explain which murderer's attorney are you referring to and why you are linking all Texas death penalty cases to it.
He lied under oath about a personal matter, for which he was impeached, although the Senate failed to convict. You can't scream about the rule of law in Clinton's case and then say that a duly tried and convicted man gets to go free because of some bullshit about the sentence being "overly harsh".
From an article that appeared a few years ago in The Atlantic Monthly: The entire article is worth a read. It's worth noting that similar cases in Illinois led the Republican governor to put a moratorium on death penalty cases. If you read the article, you'll see that with one or two exceptions, Bush made these life-or-death decisions based on almost no knowledge of the cases at hand. Evidently, a death sentence is kosher for somebody whose lawyer slept through the trial, but a short stint in the hole is too severe for a patsy who lied in court and obstructed a high-profile investigation. If Bush wants to pardon Libby, then he should have the cojones to actually pardon him. This second-guessing of the court and judge demonstrate how deplorable Bush is as a person.
The commutation of Libby's sentence is a shrewd move, if you're Bush. As long as the appeals process is alive, Libby cannot be compelled to testify (i.e., he gets to claim the Fifth) if Fitzgerald decides to convene another grand jury. That is, unless Fitzgerald offers a grant of immunity for future testimony. If pardoned, Libby doesn't get that shield.
Testify, about what? Armitage already admitted to 'outing' Plame. Fitzgerald had his chance to prosecute him, and he didn't.