The End of the Line for the Sandy Berger Investigation

National Review Online ^ | 5/18/07 | Byron York

[eric_da_grate]

By giving up his law license, Berger avoids more questions.

By Byron York

There’s been some confusion in the last few days about the latest development in the classified-documents-theft-and-destruction case of former Clinton national-security adviser Samuel Berger.

When Berger announced that he had agreed to give up his law license, some readers wondered, perhaps hopefully, whether that meant the Justice Department was still pursuing the case — prosecutors still have the right to subject Berger to a polygraph examination, even after his guilty plea, $50,000 fine, agreement to perform community service, and three-year ban on handling classified material — or that perhaps Berger was under some sort of pressure from congressional investigators.

The answers are no and no. Berger’s voluntary disbarment has nothing to do with the Justice Department or Capitol Hill.

It is entirely the result of Berger’s desire to head off an investigation by the District of Columbia Bar. By giving up his license voluntarily, before an investigation was set to begin, Berger effectively closed another probe into his activities.

[al baby]

He should be shot for treason

[doc1019]

He has agreed to take a polygraph … ?

[KarlInOhio]

I will never understand why Sandy Burglar wasn't waterboarded, much less hooked to a lie detector. It's just an example of the Washington power structure of both parties protecting their own.

More and more politics looks like pro wrestling. Lots of posturing and shouting in the ring, but the hits are fake and they all go back to the same locker room together after the "fight".

[Anti-Bubba182]

"..“We had more questions for him,” says one GOP aide. But Republicans are now in the minority, and there is no chance that Democratic chairman Henry Waxman will pursue the matter. For its part, the Justice Department, wracked by internal scandals, has shown no interest in further investigation. So now, with his decision to give up his law license, Berger has apparently shut off the last chance for anyone to learn more about the case..."

Elections have consequences.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Yeah but Bush lied... < /S >

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The silence is deafening.

[Eagles6]

save

[doug from upland]

The reason is NOEL HILLMAN. He is the SOB who prosecuted David Rosen instead of Hillary and Andrew Grossman for her finance fraud. He had all the evidence. Hillman was reward with a judgeship. The Clintons and Bushes have mutually assured destruction against each other. The Bush justice department will never do anything to the Clintons.

[mcshot]

Good explanation and summary.

[Sender]

Well, so what? I mean, who hasn’t illegally stolen embarrassing, classified documents in his pants and socks and left them under a trailer dead drop?

[eric_da_grate]

It's insane to think that a former high-ranking official can confiscate and destroy highly sensitive national security documents like this and only suffer a petty fine, at worst. The rest of us would be sitting in a cold, dark dungeon for such a heinous crime as this.

There's no interest, not even a mild curiousity, to seek the truth about Berger's motives from people who are supposed to take these matters very seriously into prosecuting this brazen theft and destruction of information.

[Digger]

He should be shot for treason\

Not so fast. It was this corrupt Bush admiistration that let him off. This corrupt "Two-Party Cartel" screwed us. Plenty of blame to go around. ( Do you know it was this administration that pushed for a lenient sentence) Bush has sold every TRUE conservative out.

[common denominator]

If Berger should be shot for treason, what should happen to the people in the Jusitce Department and the White House who protected him?

[hosepipe]

[.. If Berger should be shot for treason, what should happen to the people in the Jusitce Department and the White House who protected him? ..]

Exactly.. Torture?.. Truth serum?.. severe b!tch slapping?..

[M203M4]

Dare anyone say...amnesty?

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

same...

[eric_da_grate]

"...what should happen to the people in the Jusitce Department and the White House who protected him?"

Here's Berger's Response:

"Three years ago, I pleaded guilty and accepted the penalties sought by the Department of Justice. "I recognized then that my law license would be affected, and I have decided to voluntarily relinquish my license. While I derived great satisfaction from years of practicing law, I have not done so for 15 years and do not envision returning to the profession. I am very sorry for what I did, and deeply apologize."

So that's good enough for everybody else, too. Berger holds all the cards. Since he never intends to work as a lawyer again, he's exempted from having to account for himself. We're supposed to accept this apology and forget about it.

Nobody's curious as to wether he'd already considered the consequences ahead of time when he decide to steal and destroyed these documents. Nobody cares exactly why he stole and destroyed them. Nobody cares why he'd risk it in the first place.

Except us.

[pankot]

And remember, this clown was Clinton’s right hand man.

[Digger]

I will never understand why Sandy Burglar wasn't waterboarded, much less hooked to a lie detector. It's just an example of the Washington power structure of both parties protecting their

Amen bro!!