It is over, Scooter....

[FUNdamental]

Anybody who doesn't think Scooter Libby didn't lie to prosecutors hasn't been paying attention for the last three years, however, it is becoming more apparent Scooter is being thrown under a bus by his former colleagues to make this whole ugly mess just go away before more damage is done to this severely wounded and embarrassed administration.

Friday, Ari Fleischer, who, it appears, was actually privy to something this time, testified he had conversations about Ms. Plame with Scooter days before the now famous conversation with Tim Russert. Yesterday, the man who was at least "partially" responsible for the re-insertion of the famous 16 words in the State of the Union address (after the [incompetent] CIA removed the claim due to it being completely bogus), David Addington, admits a conversation with Libby where the frightened Scootster said "I just want to tell you, I didn’t do it,” Addington added “I [then] didn’t ask what the ‘it’ was.” Earlier, Addington stated he gave Libby a highlighted copy of the federal law barring disclosure of the identity of covert agents.

The damage to the White House reputatation and its trustworthiness is incredible. For the admistration to secretly attempt danger on a family, and claim that the administration's ineptitude and arrogance in not reading a report handed to them is the fault of the researchers at CIA is unfathomable. To smear Mr. Wilson because the Vice President didn't know Mr. Wilson was personally assigned to a mission, an assignment mind you, the Vice President asked the CIA be done. Remember, Mr. Cheney told the CIA to look into the yellowcake claims; the CIA sent Mr. Wilson. Is Mr. Wilson a liar because the Vice President didn't know the name of the person the CIA assigned? Give it up, Scooter, go to jail. Then, write a tell all that points fingers at all on the misuse, fabrications and abuse of information at the highest levels of government including the sitting [Vice] President, Dick Cheney. Memo to Scooter, the past few days have proven there is no loyalty left for you in this administration. Write the book. History will forgive you the way history forgave Chuck Colson.

[whitequeen96]

OMG, and have you seen the latest? Cheney's handwritten notes link the POTUS to being part of this! It's just appalling! "Moral issues" indeed! What morality is there in this administration?

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[mrbowler]

Reporter says Rove first to leak CIA info.

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"White House adviser Karl Rove told a reporter that an administration critic's wife worked at the CIA, days before her name was made public, the reporter testified Wednesday.
Vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby then confirmed Valerie Plame's CIA status a day later during an "off-the-record" conversation, former Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper said."

[FUNdamental]

Originally Posted by mrbowler

Reporter says Rove first to leak CIA info.

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"White House adviser Karl Rove told a reporter that an administration critic's wife worked at the CIA, days before her name was made public, the reporter testified Wednesday.
Vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby then confirmed Valerie Plame's CIA status a day later during an "off-the-record" conversation, former Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper said."

They were all leaking this information. It was even put into a memo form and distributed on Air Force One with the [Vice] President's full knowledge.

[FUNdamental]

Republican “Super Ranger” lobbyist Richard Hohlt is such a good source that after Robert Novak finished writing his column naming Valerie Plame, Novak testified he did something most journalists rarely do; he gave the “Super Ranger” an advanced copy. What Novak didn't tell the jury is what the lobbyist then did with it; Hohlt has confirmed with NEWSWEEK that he faxed the forthcoming column to mutual friend Karl Rove (one of Novak's sources for the Plame leak), thereby giving the White House a heads up on the bombshell to come.

What more do we all need to know? We know now that the column was at least tacitly cleared with Rove in advance of publication. Is their any doubt Rove, Novak, Libby, Hohlt, the patsy Ari, and Cheney, were all literally on the same page and working together to try and discredit a guy who was telling what turned out to be the truth?

[mrbowler]

Libby Found Guilty in CIA Leak Trial:

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Once the closest adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was convicted Tuesday of lying and obstructing a leak investigation that shook the top levels of the Bush administration.

He is the highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandal since National Security Adviser John Poindexter in the Iran-Contra affair two decades ago.

In the end, jurors said did not believe Libby's main defense: that he hadn't lied but merely had a bad memory.
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"Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said the verdict closed the nearly four-year investigation into how the name of Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, and her classified job at the CIA were leaked to reporters in 2003 - just days after Wilson publicly accused the administration of doctoring prewar intelligence. No one will be charged with the leak itself, which the trial confirmed came first from then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage"
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Libby could face up to 25 years in prison when sentenced June 5, but federal sentencing guidelines will probably prescribe far less, perhaps one to three years. Defense attorneys said they would ask for a retrial and if that fails, appeal the conviction.


Libby was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice, two counts of perjury to the grand jury and one count of lying to the FBI about how he learned Plame's identity and whom he told.

[whitequeen96]

And now there's talk of a pardon! These people have absolutely no sense of shame - outrageous!

[mrbowler]

Originally Posted by whitequeen96

And now there's talk of a pardon! These people have absolutely no sense of shame - outrageous!

These pardons are a revolving door for many Presidents Past. Although I do believe we need to hold elected officials of government to a higher standard.
Will be interesting to watch how long they can delay-I would imagine that they would want to hold off until Dec. 2008..if earlier there is a small chance of actually doing time.

With Clinton you had Marc Rich & Hugh Rodman who accepted $400,000 to
get two felons pardons. Then of course Ford pardon of Richard Nixon, and then of course Oliver North(Reagan/Bush Sr.) Im sure many others that I don't recall. It's all part of the game/show

Although President Bush stated in Feb. 22nd 2001 Press Conference:

"Should I decide to grant pardons, I will do so in a fair way. I will have the highest of high standards."
-----------------------------------------------------------
The real question is what is definition of a high standard is??


The presidential power to pardon is granted under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution.

"The President ... shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."

No standards, and only one limitation -- no pardons for the impeached.
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I think that the best play is Libby get 1-2 years, but Bush then grants commutation of the sentence after a small amount of timed served.

"While Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution places no limitations on the president's power to grant or deny pardons, the Justice Department's U.S. Pardon Attorney prepares a recommendation for the president on each application for presidential "clemency," including pardons, commutations of sentences, remissions of fines, and reprieves"
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[FUNdamental]

According to the Justice Department's "rules governing petitions for executive clemency," Libby would be subject to "a waiting period of at least five years after" he completes his prison sentence. Or, in the event that no prison sentence is imposed, Libby could not petition for a pardon "until the expiration of a period of at least five years after the date of the conviction."
Therefore, as a March 7 Newsweek "Web-exclusive commentary" noted, the possibility of a pardon for Libby would be "a nonstarter" if Bush adheres to the Justice Department regulations. But, hey, rules and regulations have never been a top priority in this administration.

[mrbowler]

Originally Posted by FUNdamental

According to the Justice Department's "rules governing petitions for executive clemency," Libby would be subject to "a waiting period of at least five years after" he completes his prison sentence. Or, in the event that no prison sentence is imposed, Libby could not petition for a pardon "until the expiration of a period of at least five years after the date of the conviction."
Therefore, as a March 7 Newsweek "Web-exclusive commentary" noted, the possibility of a pardon for Libby would be "a nonstarter" if Bush adheres to the Justice Department regulations. But, hey, rules and regulations have never been a top priority in this administration.

I believe the Pardon Attorney working with Attorney general determine a pardon request-not sure if these are rules or guidelines in which the Justice Dept. should follow, and would imagine they need to examine previous case law. Bush is not required to follow the rec. of the Pardon Attorney I believe.
I believe my earlier example/suggestion could be a path to take. I wonder how this will compare to the recent border guards case???

"Section 2. The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment"

[mrbowler]

Advisory nature of regulations: 1.11

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The regulations contained in this part are advisory only and for the internal guidance of Department of Justice personnel. They create no enforceable rights in persons applying for executive clemency, nor do they restrict the authority granted to the President under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution.

[mrbowler]

Remember the applicant would be Scooter Libby. Is a petition for submission required or can the President pardon without a request? TIA

[whitequeen96]

If Scooter Libby isn't pardoned, he might write a tell-all book and expose all sorts of nefarious deeds. Therefore, I feel certain that if he doesn't die or commit suicide, he'll get a pardon. Should we set up bets?

[mrbowler]

Originally Posted by whitequeen96

If Scooter Libby isn't pardoned, he might write a tell-all book and expose all sorts of nefarious deeds. Therefore, I feel certain that if he doesn't die or commit suicide, he'll get a pardon. Should we set up bets?

Based on past experience I'm sure betting on a Pardon is the safe bet..You can actually bet with places which I will not post. I have no idea as to what he legally could or couldn't write about-the odds seem to indicate that a pardon would most likely occur after 2007. I read he will be sentenced June 5th-his lawyers will request he remain free while legal challenges continue.

Also you still have the Civil Lawsuit pending against Libby, Cheney, Armitage and others.

I bet Hillary will remain very quiet on this topic

[mrbowler]

Just a update on Scooter.....I have picked Dec. 24th 2008 as "pardon day"

If given no jail time then no need for a pardon.....sweet


Some good wording aka spin:
"Mr. Libby endured a very public fall from grace," his attorneys wrote, in arguing that prison was unnecessary to deter Libby or others from such crimes. "These dire consequences are likely enough to the warn the public . . . that it is important to take FBI and grand jury investigations very seriously."


Libby's Lawyers Argue Against Prison as Fitzgerald Seeks 30 Months:

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