Scooter Libby's sentence commuted

[The Nihilist]

Has this administration no shame? W commutes the sentence of a man who perjured himself to cover that the administration leaked confidential information to punish a man for telling the truth. That's it. I'm rioting. Everyone go put on your riot clothes.

 

[Ryal Kane]

I'm in NZ. And I don't have riot clothes.

It's unsurprising and sad.

From an ethical standpoint it's a clear conflict of interest, Thw White House overriding a case that involved the White House.

How do toher's feel about this, or about other conflict of interest situations they might have found themselves in?

 

[NeTrips]

I think it was the right thing to do. Take a look at the sentences of several other high profile perjurers for comparison: Martha Stewart, Bill Clinton, and former MA House Speaker Tom Finneran. The sentences for all are nowhere even close to that doled out to Libby.

Now I just pray that President Bush either commutes or pardons the three border patrol agents....

 

[The Nihilist]

I think it was the right thing to do. Take a look at the sentences of several other high profile perjurers for comparison: Martha Stewart, Bill Clinton, and former MA House Speaker Tom Finneran. The sentences for all are nowhere even close to that doled out to Libby.

Now I just pray that President Bush either commutes or pardons the three border patrol agents....

So the answer is no, and his supporters don't either. I'll give you this, though, NeTrips, at least you're not denying the president is a part of the executive branch or anything.

 

[MachZer0]

I think it was the right thing to do. Take a look at the sentences of several other high profile perjurers for comparison: Martha Stewart, Bill Clinton, and former MA House Speaker Tom Finneran. The sentences for all are nowhere even close to that doled out to Libby.

Now I just pray that President Bush either commutes or pardons the three border patrol agents....

Don't forget that Libby has the case under appeal and yet was denied a delay in serving the time while he appealed. That alone was a good reason to commute the sentence.

 

[The Nihilist]

Don't forget that Libby has the case under appeal and yet was denied a delay in serving the time while he appealed. That alone was a good reason to commute the sentence.

No. The Supreme Court disagreed with you on another case that was essentially identical to Libby's situation about a week before his appeal was denied. Nothing about the ruling was irregular.

It's also worth noting that the prosecutor, the judge in the case, and the panel that denied Libby's appeal were all Bush appointees.

 

[KittyPryde]

Mr. President doesn't seem to care much for his legacy.
This isn't the first time such conflict of interest has turned my stomach.

 

[The Nihilist]

Don't say that, KittyPryde. W cares very much to establish his legacy of total contempt for the law and the American people.

 

[NeTrips]

Presidential pardons are legal. Is it being implied that this executive right should be withheld from select people? Is it more honorable to sell pardons ala Clinton?

 

[Yusuf Evans]

It's nothing worse than what other politicians have done in the past. It's sad, yes, but it happens. Pardoning a Libby was bad, but the judicial system in the US is even worse.

 

[Hnefi]

The executive branch can override the judicial branch in the US? What the...

 

[NeTrips]

The executive branch can override the judicial branch in the US? What the...

check out this link http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/pardons0a.htm

it give a good legal background, history of usage by former presidents, and some applicable case law.

It is a concept derived from Grace.

Constitutional Basis

The President's pardon power is established under the United States Constitution, Article II, Section 2:
The President ... shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. Although the original versions of the New York and Virginia Plans that provided the frameworks for debate at the Constitutional Convention included no provisions for pardon, revisions to both plans eventually did. Scholars have suggested that the basic idea, when presented, was not controversial and therefore prompted little debate. The Virginia Plan pardon clause, inserted by John Rutledge, lodged the pardon power with the new executive branch. Alexander Hamilton supported this strategy in Federalist 74, writing, 'It is not to be doubted, that a single man of prudence and good sense is better fitted, in delicate conjunctures, to balance the motives which may plead for and against the remission of the punishment, than any numerous body whatever.' Reflecting on recent American experience, he added that, 'in seasons of insurrection or rebellion, there are often critical moments, when a well-timed offer of pardon to the insurgents or rebels may restore the tranquility of the commonwealth.'

 

[CSmrw]

Has this administration no shame? W commutes the sentence of a man who perjured himself to cover that the administration leaked confidential information to punish a man for telling the truth. That's it. I'm rioting. Everyone go put on your riot clothes.

No. None. Was there a question about this?

 

[JustOneWay]

That alone was a good reason to commute the sentence.

Absolutely. Bush could not afford to let Libby spend one day believing he was going to prison....it may have made Libby remember all that he was unsure about Bush and Cheney.

 

[NeTrips]

And I love the lib media gaff saying Libby was the highest ranking white house official to be convicted since Iran-Contra.

Anyone remember Cisneros?

 

[The Nihilist]

Presidential pardons are legal. Is it being implied that this executive right should be withheld from select people? Is it more honorable to sell pardons ala Clinton?

Get over Bill Clinton. The issue is not the pardon, Libby wasn't pardoned. The issue is that if you're a friend of W, the law doesn't apply to you. And it's not just this. Before W, the United States was regarded as a country of laws. This administration has no regard for international law, no regard for the constitution, and no regard for American citizens. Our most precious rights are routinely trampled by the current administration, and I'm thinking specifically the denial of habeas corpus to Jose Padilla and the warrantless wiretaps. How are these people still in power?

 

[Jetgirl]

It was a good decision, pardoning him would have implied that he actually did something wrong, rather than fail to have a photographic memory on the stand, in a trial where the prosecuter's witnesses were purjuring themselves left and right, and the "crime" that started the entire debacle never happened.

But I always found riot clothes to be sexy, so go right ahead if you feel the need.

 

[NeTrips]

Get over Bill Clinton. The issue is not the pardon, Libby wasn't pardoned. The issue is that if you're a friend of W, the law doesn't apply to you. And it's not just this. Before W, the United States was regarded as a country of laws. This administration has no regard for international law, no regard for the constitution, and no regard for American citizens. Our most precious rights are routinely trampled by the current administration, and I'm thinking specifically the denial of habeas corpus to Jose Padilla and the warrantless wiretaps. How are these people still in power?

It would have been more honorable had he sold the commutations?

International law? As citizens of the US, we should have the utmost regard for the constitution as pur source of law (I'll leave the bible out of this discussion so we can focus on governments alone). Since when did we as citizens pledge allegiance to international law? Gotta love the international criminal court. They don't care if you're even a signatory, you are under their jurisdiction.

 

[The Nihilist]

It would have been more honorable had he sold the commutations?

International law? As citizens of the US, we should have the utmost regard for the constitution as pur source of law (I'll leave the bible out of this discussion so we can focus on governments alone). Since when did we as citizens pledge allegiance to international law? Gotta love the international criminal court. They don't care if you're even a signatory, you are under their jurisdiction.

I agree with you on the international criminal court, and I agree with what you say about the constitution. It's a shame the president doesn't.

 

[ChaliceThunder]

I think it was the right thing to do. Take a look at the sentences of several other high profile perjurers for comparison: Martha Stewart, Bill Clinton, and former MA House Speaker Tom Finneran. The sentences for all are nowhere even close to that doled out to Libby.

Now I just pray that President Bush either commutes or pardons the three border patrol agents....

None of THEM compromised national security, nor did they lie to protect the VP.