Fast-forward to the Scooter Libby case. After praising the work of Patrick Fitzgerald, a man Bush himself appointed, the president also gave the jury its props, while at the same time taking issue with the federal judge's sentence (another man Bush appointed). "I respect the jury's verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive."
Then, on the same day that Bill Clinton made his debut on the campaign trail, Tony Snow took to the microphone and tried to assure us that a $250,000 fine and a couple of years probation are still a very harsh punishment for Libby. "No mere slap on the wrist," Snow said. Really? How much is left in that legal defense fund again?
But the president wasn't through with his bag of tricks. Today he announced that he might yet pardon Mr. Libby. No promises either way, you see, because there is a major catch. The snag? Scooter hasn't formally asked him to yet. Mr. Snow explained:
"The reason I will say I'm not going to close a door on a pardon is simply this: that Scooter libby may petition for one," Snow said. "But the president has done what he thinks is appropriate to resolve this case. There's always a possibility--or there's an avenue open--for anybody to petition for consideration of a pardon."And from that same press conference, the following exchange:
PRESS: "If there are more than 3,000 current petitions for commutation--not pardons, but commutation-- in the federal system, under President Bush, will all 3,000 of those be held to the same standard that the president applied to Scooter Libby?
SNOW: "I don't know."
Once again, politics, after a time of tarnished ideals, can be higher and better. Next!
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. I hope so. The political show trial was a Schumer set up/ The scope of the investigation should have ended after Fitzgerald found out that it
was Armitage that leaked thre name. It was a perjury trap.
Let's not forget that there was some bad blood between and Fitzgeral and Libby anyway (Libby
beat him in a high profile case). Also Schumer, lobbied the AG (probably illegally) for a
special prosecutor even though everyone knew that the so-called leak was not a crime in this particular case. Schumer was also the one that said politics should have nothing to do with the AG offices. What political hacks. If the so called leak was a crime Wilson, and Armitage would both have been charged. This was simply a ruse to get at the administration, and anyone who can't see it for what it is is a fool. Well well I wish there was this much uproar when Hillary's bubba pardoned 140 major criminals, including his brother in law, FALN terrorists, and heavy duty cash contributors. I think a full pardon is in order if for no other
reason than to listen and laugh at the hypocrites in the DEMOCRAT party that supported the perjury of the CLINTON's, the theft and destruction of classified documents by Berger to cover Clinton;s
trail,and those infamous lost billing records, that were found on a table in Hillary's own residence..The sight of that pig Hillary,
talking about justice is a joke. I have a rememberance of those two carpetbagging thieves, who couldn't even leave the White House without stealing everything that wasn't nailed down. What crap. I
think the DEMOCRATS should leave this one alone...it might bring up a re run of the most corrupt and tawdry pair to inhabit the White
House. Bad enough we have to hear that "nails on a blackboard voice"of the thigh master.
joem at 9:36PM on Jul 3rd 2007
2.
Was this the same President Bush that said he "hated leaks and leakers" and would fire anyone caught doing so ? Apparently not - the President also said he wouldn't comment on the case while it was under appeal. Well IT STILL IS under appeal but that didn't stop the President from commuting Libbys sentence WITHOUT ever receiving a request from Libby to do so. Interesting. Also interesting is the fact that a skilled attorney like Libby chose not to testify on his own behalf in his trial. But then again there are those who want you to believe that the Republican appointedJustice Department, a Republican appointed special prosecutor, and a Republican appointed judge were all in on some goofy conspiracy against Libby. Sure they were - and these pathetic attacks on Fitzgeralds character show just how desperate these pathetic apologists are.The cloud hespoke about is still there and is getting darker. Some want to believe that lying before a grand jury and obstructing justice are no big thing - God help this country when those people are in the majority here. May that dark day never happen.
max at 11:11PM on Jul 3rd 2007
3. Mr. Knowles "knows less" about B.J. Clinton. He lost his law license for his conviction of perjury (lying under oath). He was impeached, but acquitted and remained in office. I hope he corrects his diatribe and votes for Billary.
Johnny at 12:09AM on Jul 5th 2007