Bush Commutes Libby Prison Sentence

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush commuted the sentence of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on Monday, sparing him from a 2 1/2-year prison term that Bush said was excessive. Bush's move came hours after a federal appeals panel ruled Libby could not delay his prison term in the CIA leak case.
That meant Libby was likely to have to report to prison soon and put new pressure on the president, who had been sidestepping calls by Libby's allies to pardon the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.

"I respect the jury's verdict," Bush said in a statement. "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."

Bush left intact a $250,000 fine and two years probation for Libby, and Bush said his action still "leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby."

Libby was convicted in March of lying to authorities and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative's identity. He was the highest-ranking White House official ordered to prison since the Iran-Contra affair.

Reaction was harsh from Democrats.

"As Independence Day nears, we're reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under the law. This commutation completely tramples on that principle," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said through a spokesman.

Libby's supporters celebrated.

"That's fantastic. It's a great relief," said former Ambassador Richard Carlson, who helped raise millions for Libby's defense fund. "Scooter Libby did not deserve to go to prison and I'm glad the president had the courage to do this."

A message seeking comment from Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's office was not immediately returned.

Bush said Cheney's former aide was not getting off free.

"The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged," Bush said. "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."



http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8Q4NJT80&show_article=1

 

From the man who never once commuted a questionable death penalty case as his time serving as Texas governor.
What a joke, this smells badly of further coverup. Bush says Scooter has and his family has suffered immensly. Well what about the career and the precidence this sets for protecting out intelligence agents? He did this souly for political gain.
Its a shame Bush is so far out of touch with the reality of American people. He doesnt read polls, but this stunt he is pulling will cost him another 7-10 job approval points.
Shame on you George W. Bush!

 

Clinton Pardon's List
The Associated Press
Saturday, Jan. 20, 2001; 1:52 p.m. EST

A list of the people pardoned or commuted Saturday before President Clinton left office, as released by the White House:


COMMUTATIONS:

Benjamin Berger

Ronald Henderson Blackley

Bert Wayne Bolan

Gloria Libia Camargo

Charles F. Campbell

David Ronald Chandler

Lau Ching Chin

Donald R. Clark

Loreta De-Ann Coffman

Derrick Curry

Velinda Desalus

Jacob Elbaum

Linda Sue Evans

Loretta Sharon Fish

Antoinette M. Frink

David Goldstein

Gerard A. Greenfield

Jodie E. Israel

Kimberly Johnson

Billy Thornton Langston Jr.

Belinda Lynn Lumpkin

Peter MacDonald

Kellie Ann Mann

Peter Ninemire

Hugh Ricardo Padmore

Arnold Paul Prosperi

Melvin J. Reynolds

Pedro Miguel Riveiro

Dorothy Rivers

Susan Rosenberg

Kalmen Stern

Cory Stringfellow

Carlo Anibal Vignali Jr.

Thomas Wilson Waddell III

Harvey Weinig

Kim Allen Willis


PARDONS:

Verla Jean Allen

Nicholas M. Altiere

Bernice Ruth Altschul

Joe Anderson Jr.

William Sterling Anderson

Mansour Azizkhani

Cleveland Victor Babin Jr.

Chris Harmon Bagley

Scott Lynn Bane

Thomas Cleveland Barber

Peggy Ann Bargon

David Roscoe Blampied

William Arthur Borders Jr.

Arthur David Borel

Douglas Chrles Borel

George Thomas Brabham

Almon Glenn Braswell

Leonard Browder

David Steven Brown

Delores Caroylene Burleson, aka Delores Cox Burleson

John H. Bustamante

Mary Louise Campbell

Eloida Candelaria

Dennis Sobrevinas Capili

Donna Denise Chambers

Douglas Eugene Chapman

Ronald Keith Chapman

Francisco Larois Chavez

Henry G. Cisneros

Roger Clinton

Stuart Harris Cohn

David Marc Cooper

Ernest Harley Cox Jr.

John F. Cross Jr.

Reickey Lee Cunningham

Richard Anthony De Labio

John Deutch

Richard Douglas

Edward Reynolds Downe

Marvin Dean Dudley

Larry Lee Duncan

Robert Clinton Fain

Marcos Arcenio Fernandez

Alvarez Ferrouillet

William Dennis Fugazy

Lloyd Reid George

Louis Goldstein

Rubye Lee Gordon

Pincus Green

Robert Ivey Hamner

Samuel Price Handley

Woodie Randolph Handley

Jay Houston Harmon

John Hummingson

David S. Herdlinger

Debi Rae Huckleberry

Donald Ray James

Stanley Pruet Jobe

Ruben H. Johnson

Linda Jones

James Howard Lake

June Louise Lewis

Salim Bonnor Lewis

John Leighton Lodwick

Hildebrando Lopez

Jose Julio Luaces

James Timothy Maness

James Lowell Manning

John Robert Martin

Frank Ayala Martinez

Silvia Leticia Beltran Martinez

John Francis McCormick

Susan H. McDougal

Howard Lawrence Mechanic

Brook K. Mitchell Sr.

Samuel Loring Morison

Charles Wilfred Morgan III

Richard Anthony Nazzaro

Charlene Ann Nosenko

Vernon Raymond Obermeier

Miguelina Ogalde

David C. Owen

Robert W. Palmer

Kelli Anne Perhosky

Richard H. Pezzopane

Orville Rex Phillips

Vinson Stewart Poling Jr.

Norman Lyle Prouse

Willie H.H. Pruitt Jr.

Danny Martin Pursley Sr.

Charles D. Ravenel

William Clyde Ray

Alfredo Luna Regalado

Ildefonso Reynes Ricafort

Marc Rich

Howard Winfield Riddle

Richard Wilson Riley Jr.

Samuel Lee Robbins

Joel Gonzales Rodriguez

Michael James Rogers

Anna Louise Ross

Gerald Glen Rust

Jerri Ann Rust

Bettye June Rutherford

Gregory Lee Sands

Adolph Schwimmer

Albert A. Seretti Jr.

Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw

Dennis Joseph Smith

Gerald Owen Smith

Stephen A. Smith

Jimmie Lee Speake

Charles Bernard Stewart

Marlena Francisca Stewart-Rollins

John Fife Symington III

Richard Lee Tannehill

Nicholas C. Tenaglia

Gary Allen Thomas

Larry Weldon Todd

Olga C. Trevino

Ignatious Vamvouklis

Patricia A. Van De Weerd

Christopher V. Wade

Bill Wayne Warmath

Jack Kenneth Watson

Donna Lynn Webb

Donald William Wells

Robert H. Wendt

Jack L. Williams

Kavin Arthur Williams

Robert Michael Williams

Jimmie Lee Wilson

Thelma Louise Wingate

Mitchell Couey Wood

Warren Stannard Wood

Dewey Worthey

Rick Allen Yale

Joseph A. Yasak

William Stanley Yingling

Phillip David Young

 

What does that post have anything to do with Scooter Libby? Not a single one of those people were the top aide to a high ranking government official who was found guilty of leaking classified information to the media at the cost of someone's career and potentially thier life for some political gain.
Bush, has pardoned 113 since he came into office. Neither of these have anything to do with Scooter Libby. Lets not turn this into a Clinton vs. Bush deal.

 

It just kills me the Republican audacity. Always about Clinton. No matter what crooked or evil thing the Bush administration does it's always somehow Clinton was worse and they're absolved from the crime. Every president pardons people and commuted sentences. That's not the point and everybody knows it. This was an inside job with Libby taking the fall for Vice President Cheney & Karl Rove. Then before even one single day in jail. Here comes the Republican get out of jail free card.

Remember Bush and the big big press conference standing at the Presidential podium going on about how he'd come down hard on anybody in his administration that leaked or covered up any leak about any CIA operatives name... lies all lies! There's our Homeland Security my friend!

The Bush administration is run just like Enron was. It's all crooked and as far as they're concerned the end always justifies the means. Whether it's Iraq or Libby, Gonzales or halting stem cell research it's just a travesty what this Republican President has done to the United States of America!

Well at least Cheney and Rove can rub their grubby little hands together tonight and say... We took care of it Scooter... thanks for takin' the rap for us.

I knew Bush would do this but I always thought he'd do it right as he walk out of office. It makes sense though for him to do it early like this. The Republicans always think the American people are stupid and short sighted. They're betting we won't even remember this come the next election.

WHAT DO YOU ALL SAY... LET'S ALL REMEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You cannot in ANY MANNER use fallacy in argument and attempt to hold on as valid. To list Clinton's commutes in reference to this uses so many fallacies it's surprising no one has pointed out 3 or 4. So let me do it.

Strawman - Present a misrepresentation of the opponent's position, refute it, and pretend that the opponent's actual position has been refuted. Problem: you are attempting use of Clinton's commutes as if our disagreement with Bush' commuting of this sentance has any bearing on the truth of the matter. The fact that Clinton, as most presidents have in the past, commuted any number of persons is related to Bush commuting the sentance of someone who is getting his hand held by our president rather than due to miscarriage of justice, or whatever reasoning any president has for commute. Please refrain from further use. Thid Bush has done something SICK AND DISGUSTING in the eyes of law. A true miscarriage, however, this wasn't a natural miscarriage, we'll call this the presidential support of aborting laws.

Another logical fallacy which is referred to by the obvious reasoning, "Wishful Thinking", here you ignore evidence in supporting your side of the argument. Libby did some dirty, bush didn't like his friend going to jail, bush commutes. This IS HOW IT HAPPENED, END OF STORY, no amount of bush support or patriotism CHANGES THIS. It's a disgusting aspect of current day politics that I believe should carry much more than the charges levied on mr. libby, not a pat on the back from the president.

Ignoratio elenchi. Using clinton's stats on commute as relevant to this. It is infact irrelevant and only serves as obfuscation to the truth at hand. Did clinton pardon a friend who committed crimes FOR CLINTON? Nope. As far as I've seen, no.

so far we have 3 fallacies in play, these while not invalidating the argument, do not serve to prove any thing you may submit, at worst it will make you yourself appear foolhardy and ridiculous in your assertions. You sir make an F in debate class. (look I just used ad hominem , but whether you failed or made the grade in your coursework is neither here nor there, here your arguments are all bogus in property)

Please review http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies and determine a better manner of evidenciary reckoning that makes SENSE not this omgifoundalistofclintoncommutesletspasteit. Because sir that fails....

 

who didn't see this coming?

more of the same. corruption and cronyism.

the people's rights and the rule of law mean nothing to this administration

 

Well you can look at it that way, I look at differently I guess. They are both crooked mofo's and I don't want another 4 years of Clinton or Bush. I've had enough of both, thank you!

I want change and someone else in the Whitehouse. So this could back fire on Hillary because of Bills pardons in the past, so you could say it does have some affect on Hillary. It wouldn't if she wasn't running for pres

 

Obama statement on Bush decision to commute Libby's sentence
| July 02, 2007
Barack Obama today released the following statement on President Bush's decision to commute the sentence of Scooter Libby.

"This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people's faith in a government that puts the country's progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years."


Wow, nice to see and hear for a change

 

Typical Obama. Platitudes and rhetoric, but nothing else. Get back to me when he does something worth noting.

As for the commutation of Libby -- who cares? This is such a non-issue to me.

 

It's reasonable to feel it might be time for someone other than a Bush or a Clinton in the Whitehouse. However if Hillary gets the nomination you have to look at the damage to be done to the country by a Republican President for 4 more years. Hillary on the other hand would be an extremely good president.

There is a pattern here that goes way beyond pardons or commuted sentences. As I said all presidents do this. But there are established Justice Department guidelines that presidents are supposed to, but not mandated to, go by when it comes to INTERNAL PARDONS AND COMMUTED SENTENCES.

Just look at the past and the trends are pretty apparent...

President Kennedy, President Clinton. Great presidents with a weakness for the ladies I'll grant you. But great administrations.

President Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and now Bush. These guys go way past any extra marital affairs. These guys break major laws and then when caught pardon each other.

The Watergate break in Nixon was all over it. Then when forced to resign his VP Ford becomes president and gives him a complete pardon.

Reagan all over the Iran Contra money for hostages, money to terrorists scheme. Uses plausible deniability and lets underlings take the fall.

Bush... well everyone knows Bush and Cheney played the country crazy to get us into Iraq. Now Bush commutes the sentence of Libby who was found guilty and sentenced by a jury led by a Republican judge and upheld by an Appeals Court. Not one single day in jail!

It's just so very obvious. Neither side is perfect that's for certain. But ones side is so likely to do things creating major damage to our country and then try to cover it up by any and all means. We have to do what we can to keep them from having controlling power.

 

kingbull,

Which of those people in your Clinton-pardoned-list obstructed justice? Who lied under oath to protect Clinton thus requiring Clinto to pardon him/her to ensure that they would keep their mouth shut about Clinton's alleged crimes?

The fact is that Bush, and the Republican Party in general, have shown that this is not a nation of laws but simply of privilege of power. The fact is that Libby obstructed the investigation into any underlying crime and so was prosecuted for that obstruction. In order for Bush and Cheney to remain uncharged required them to free Libby otherwise Libby might decide to talk to prosecutors because, after all, why should he sit in prison when Bush and Cheney are walking free and all he did was their bidding?

Freeing Libby is quid pro quo; Libby gets freedom and Bush gets silence. conservatives have shown once again that they cannot govern well.

 

Give me a break! If this was a liberal president and all else was equal you'd be calling for their blood! Unless you'd like to further extrapolate your non-issue stance.

 

Actually no. A President has the right to commute and pardon those who he sees fit. This is one of the benefit of the office of Presidency and I have no problem with it. I didn't have a problem with it when Clinton did it, and I don't when Bush does it.

Similarly, I believe that a President should have right to appoint anyone he wants to the Supreme Court. I didn't get mad and demand a "bipartisan appointment" when Clinton's turn for appointing justices came. It's part of being President. He won and it's his right.

One last thing -- I was also against Clinton's impeachment hearings.

 

USMC, there is no question that the President under his legal authority has that ability and the right to commute and pardon. But the outrage that is being shown has to do with the individual involved, and the crime that took place. I dont think anyone is really surprised that it happened. It is just the hypocracy shown and the perception is that this is a coverup job to protect Cheney and Scotter is just the fall guy. This disclosure ended the career and has potentially endangered a CIA covert officer, as a political move to discredit a dissenting voice, and one that turned out to be factual and it was the President who was wrong on the issue.
From a man who says he doesnt tolerate leaks in his administration and never commuted some very questionable capital murder convictions to go against that, and say that 30months in prison was to large a sentence and Scooter has suffered enough already is simply pathetic.
I wonder who is going to shell out the quarter million dollars to pay the fine.