No jail time for Libby. Let me repeat that. Bastard gets no jail time:
President George W. Bush commuted Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s prison term in the CIA leak case, saying the 2 1/2 year prison term was “excessive.” […]
“My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby,” Bush said in a statement. “The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long- lasting.”
The president’s action means that Libby’s conviction still stands and he is still required to pay the $250,000 fine ordered by a federal judge.
Hell, Fred Thompson will pay Scooter’s fine for him. This is such bullshit. I’m so fucking mad, I don’t care that I’m being a foul mouthed dirty fucking hippy blogger. Bastards, each and every one of them. I hope Valerie and Joseph Wilson sue him for every cent he’s worth.
out the door pardon in 09….book on it.
motherfuckers!…all of ’em!
lTMF’sA NOW!
No surprises here.
Impeachment time.
And in the meantime, I absolutely hope Plame sues his ass for every cent she can.
But it’s just ridiculous, these people. Why are so many of our citizens just gonna sit there and take it??
Linkage to George’s full statement here
And by “excessive,” I mean that I fail to see why he has to go to prison at all.
But hey…I left that tough fine for
himhis friends to pay off. Probation, too.I’m not at all surprised. You get taken care of nicely when you don’t snitch.
Less time than, say, Paris Hilton served.
Effing A-holes.
She may not have gone to jail at all if she worked at DoJ.
Just because I knew this would happen doesn’t make it better. This is a complete criminal cabal, simple and plain. He just wipes his ass with the Constitution and keeps it moving. No conscience. No morals. Just an insane sense of entitlement.
He does it because he knows the Dems won’t do anything about it. What the fuck does he care, as long as he can go play at Camp David?
And he also does it because he knows that most other people cared more about Paris Hilton going to jail than Scooter Libby–someone representing tons more power than some celebrity.
Even having expected this, it makes me so angry and disgusted I could scream.
And I suppose our ‘librul’ media is fawning all over the wisdom of the Decider. (I haven’t turned it on.)
Even having expected this, it makes me so angry and disgusted I could scream.
I know. I feel the same way. Never once are these types held responsible for anything that they do.
omerta
silence is indeed, golden.
lTMF’sA
He–W– doesn’t respect shit? WTF about the “rule of law” B.S. being the cornerstone of the Republican Party.
as bush yanks the one lever Fitzgerald had left to finally get the truth out of these traitorous bastards we finally get at the truth about how willing bush is to cover up a the conspiracy of treason… And thus admits his own guilt in this treasonous crime IMHO.
.
The Huffington Post – The ONLY reason to send Libby to jail during his appeal is to pressure him to sing, and the ONLY incentive to pardon him if he is forced to go to jail is to buy his silence. For all those who say Libby’s misstatements were the product of pressure and faulty memory, note this and note it well: Libby’s lies were not random, as they would have been if he had just “misremembered”. They were all carefully designed to obstruct the investigation from reaching the vice president.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."If it were just about obstructing future action against cheney… That was already accomplished by Libby.
This is about it going up to the POTUS.
If bush were not playing CYA he would never have yanked this lever out of Fitzgerald’s hands.
here
Fitzgerald should have mentioned that bush just through more sand in the umpires eyes.
ARRRRGH!
When you say that this has made you mad I can’t help but to pity you. This is not the kind of thing that you should allow to fill you with negative energy. Just think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts!
Yeah I’ll just go take 40 mg of valium and chill. Happy, happy, happy …
Another moral victory…
serenity now….insanity tomorrow
Oh my fucking joy! The Benedict Arnold Administration and not a god damned patriot in the Democratic party willing to take serious action against them.
Happy Fucking Joy Joy!
Correction… There is Kucinich and the few that have signed onto his Impeachment cause.
They all have staff in. Tell them to impeach Cheney. We have plenty of reason, plenty of ammo.
They cannot spit on the constitution like this.
Yep. And while they’re at it on another track, Scooter’s law license should be snatched.
I guess you missed Pelosi’s statement yesterday or day before that the Dem’s won’t be doin no impeachin. They want to “build the record” of all the crimes and misdeeds to beat the repubs over the head with during the 08 election cycle. Convinced, she says, that is the only way the Dems will win.
So crimes don’t matter, treason doesn’t matter, lies and conspiracies don’t matter, in fact the constitution doesn’t matter as long as the Dems get elected in 08.
So much for integrity!
Orange Place link
And that is why we are stuck with this thuggish, criminal cabal acting with absolute impunity–because they can. Dems are too spineless to act, and they know it.
Build the record. Yeah. I’m sure that’s the way to do it.
People see the record already. Hell, we smell it. ITS PUTRID SCENT STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN!
Thanks much, Nancy. You too, Harry. Maybe Richard Cohen will write an earnest column
patting them on their headsextolling their courage and restraint.Just…damn.
I hear ya. It is beyond disgusting. I don’t know how we do what we need to do to get our country back. It isn’t going to be easy, and it will take decades. I hope the 20-40 somethings are up for the fight. I’m at the long end of my fighting. 45 years at it is about all I have to offer.
I don’t know. For my entire life, starting with Nixon, these people have ruled with near absolute impunity. They never pay a price. They are never held accountable. They skate, and they are rewarded. Richly. Emphasis on “rich.” If things have not changed (in terms of the crooks being held to account–and I mean the crooks who really count on the executive level) in 20 or 30 years, I don’t think things ever will.
The dirty f—er had the nerve to make his pronouncement from the family compound with Daddy around the corner. And Daddy-dear ought to have a jail fall on him for lots of reasons, not the least for Caspar Weinberger. (Who, the obit notes, had a job created for him as a “special” counsel at the Bechtel Corp. It just never ends.)
I’d say they are rotten to the core, but it’s not clear that they have a core. Only avarice.
Well this certainly isn’t any freaking surprise not that it makes me any less pissed off..wonder now if Obama and others might rethink their anti-impeachment attitude..nah, probably not.
Nice of bush to take time out of his concern for the flooding and fires that are devastating areas of the country…to spare a minute for old Scooter-oh wait he doesn’t know about the fires and floods, my bad.
Not to mention that this same asshole had no problem putting to death mentally disabled and/or innocent black men. But, one rich white guy gets to walk. My blood is boiling. It’s going to be a three martini evening!
I’ll drink to that.
pour me one too! Or two too!
Or three, since I’ll have the day off.
I mean, surely you all expected him to pardon Libby – right? It just goes without saying that presidents with nothing to lose pardon their old buddies – just ask G. Gordon Liddy – hey….that rhymes with Libby!
This is sorta like amnesty, isn’t it?
Libby will have an AEI chair shortly.
Not surprised in the least.
So it’s time to flip this on its head with a little political jujitsu. Right now, Bush’s decision just became the problem for every GOP Presidential candidate, Senator, and Representative (as well as Joe Goddamn Lieberman.)
How many of these men and women will now go on record as defending the President’s decision? Guess what, GOP? The President just killed your re-election chances. What do you have to say about it? 12 months from now, what will you have to say about it when you’re getting killed in the re-election polls?
Let’s hear from the rest of the GOP why this was in the best interests of the United States of America. Go on.
I fully expect David Broder to write a column tommorow about how wonderful and compassionate George Bush is, and how this “compromise” commutation” can only be good for the country and the GOP because it puts the matter to rest so we can all just move on.
Count on it.
Doesn’t a pardon of Libby demoralize our troops in Iraq. What is the U.S. fighting for in Iraq, if a traitor to our country is given a pardon during a “time of war.”
Republicans can’t be traitors. Only Democrats can be traitors. I think it’s in the Constitution somewhere.
So technically Scooter is a freedom fighter??
Yep — Fighting against the tyranny of the US criminal justice system and the CIA. And activist judges, don’t forget them …
Yep…that Scooter changing the diaper of the American Justice system.
Not to pick nits. . .but he wasn’t pardoned. His sentence was commuted. There is a difference. However, I think in the end it will come out that it will all be wiped out.
Before all of these idiot pundits start talking about the commutation being an [elegant compromise], they may first want to talk to someone in their legal departments, first.
The commutation means that Scooter’s 5th Amendment rights are still left intact, and as such, he’s not subject to Congressional subpoena.
And a combination of common sense and reading their own damned papers will show that Libby will not pay one damned dime because he has a legal defense fund. What idiots!
Oh, but I forgot: they don’t give a rat’s ass about truth, just a place in the royal court.
Screw Broder. The American people will understand one thing:
Even Paris Hilton had the grace to serve some of her jail time. Not this Scooter punk.
The Dems are rocking this one hard, too. John Conyers has an excellent point:
“Now that the White House can no longer argue that there is a pending criminal investigation, I expect them to be fully forthcoming with the American people about the circumstances that led to this leak and the President’s decision today.”
Indeed. Ms. Perino, if you’ll be so kind as to answer that for us?
bush commutes Libby’s sentence, a traitor that is trying to cover up a conspiracy to commit treason, and any of you who still don’t think these actions are necessary?
Get this Action Banner for your own web page
You are lying to yourselves if you think that anything less will stop these traitorous criminals in the White House.
This happened because Bush is a criminal, but also because our airwaves are in the hands of corrupt men.
I am a recent convert – I used to be a brainwashed conservative talk-radio junkie. Do you know what made me realize I was wrong? The conservative talk-show hosts! I think it was Jesus who said that the truth will set us free – well, the truth came straight from the horses’ mouthes – they have shown the world that they are unforgiving and hateful peoplel.
an exerpt from Kurt Vonnegut’s “a man without a country”
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be given mercy.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
These are not exactly the pillars of the Republican party.
In a move clearly designed by Karl Rove, this Solomon like decision, splits the baby. Mr. Bush’s 30%’ers badgered him, and the public for a Presidential Pardon, but to do so would have opened a floodgate of criticism. In the past “Friedman” or so, the news, and the polls have turned against this administration, placing any decisions made under intense scrutiny.
Leaving the conviction to stand, gives Mr. Bush, some leeway in defending his decision. “But I didn’t pardon him”
Mr. Bush’s critics fully expect a pardon at the end of term.
We all know that if the shoe was on the other foot, they would be demanding Scooter’s execution for treason. That G.W. has the gall to pull this stunt is….well it’s despicable. If Congress lets this stand, then hope has left the building.
I make the rules because I say so, and no one is lifting a finger to stop me.
Martha Stewart, Lil Kim, and Leah Fastow served their time. Not for the greater good. Their treatment put them in their “place” but they did it. Imagine the outcry on Page Six if they’d been given a deal.
Scooter is a special case. Scooter is a patriot. (This will no doubt be the lazy summertime defense of those fast talkers in White House.)
So how are you all feeling about the current crop of Dem pretenders and their definition of patriotism right now? Are you ready to demand some definitive answers from the money raisers who are supposed to make it better?
Our long national nightmare is over.