Posted on 03/08/2007 2:12:21 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
If some people imagined a verdict in the criminal trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. would calm the political passions surrounding his fate, they may have forgotten two words with a combustible history: presidential pardon.
The 11 jurors had barely pronounced Mr. Libby guilty of obstruction of justice and perjury on Tuesday when a new donnybrook broke out.
“Now President Bush must pledge not to pardon Libby for his criminal conduct,” declared Senator Harry Reid, the Senate majority Leader, a stance echoed by other Congressional Democrats, editorial writers and bloggers on the left.
On the right, The Wall Street Journal thundered in an editorial today, “The time for a pardon is now” — a point of view shared by The Weekly Standard, The National Review and conservative admirers and friends of Mr. Libby. Many of the calls for his pardon demanded immediate action, instead of a wait for appeals to wend their way through the courts.
President Bush has avoided comment on the pardon question, telling an interviewer today from the Spanish-language version of CNN that in view of Mr. Libby’s plans to seek a new trial and, if necessary, to appeal his conviction, “it’s inappropriate for me, or the administration, to be issuing comments about this serious matter.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Bush doesn't have the loyalty; he'll let the appeals process go on hoping he can avoid upsetting the people who already despise him.
Sad.
My, oh my. They didn't have a problem with clinton's pardons but they want the Pres. to PLEDGE not to give a pardon to Libby? I doubt that Pres. Bush would pardon him, but I sure hope he has the balls to tell reid to go pound salt in the meantime.
Because they are gutless wonders.
I was amazed as everyone else when these jurors started appearing telling everyone Bush should pardon Libby, or that they "felt sympathy" for Libby, or that he was a "fall guy."
If they had reasonable doubt, they should have voted not to acquit.
In short - they didn't do their jobs, and now they want someone else to do it for them.
The above is a perfect definition of liberalism.
Then stand back, exploding heads can be messy.
Will President Bush do this. Uh, nope. The Bush inner wimp has completely taken over the shell of a man.
Boy, ol' Jenine Garafalo sure has put on some weight, hasn't she?
I wish the Bush administration had done more initially to head of a Libby persecution..er, prosecution, they look weak and ineffective and even, as some have said, disloyal.
But, to pardon Libby now, before the appeals process has had a chance to rectify this miscarriage of justice and perversion of public opinion, would be a mistake that would only serve Bush's enemies and hurt Republicans in 2008.
This case has a pretty good chance of being overturned on appeal and a pardon now would just make it look like he really was guilty of something.
"I hope that Libby wins in the appeal process and that it does more to expose the sham that Libby was put through."
Any chance that the Wilson/Plame civil suit will expose them and their motives in this tragic case?
I agree. I think Libby will win on appeal, but if there's any justice, the judges on the appeals court will sanction Fitzgerald and the judge for misconduct.
I hope you are right on that; NBC/Fat Dim filed a false affidavit with Fitzy's knowledge. This is a sham trial, and Judge Ito (oops, I mean Walton) should really be ashamed of himself for how he handled this case.
Free Scooter
The juror who worked with Woodward and was Russert's neighbor should have been kicked off the jury. That alone is grounds for overturning the verdict, IMHO.
The Democrats plan is to detroy and bankrupt by legal fees, ALL Republicans so that none will want to run or serve....then the Dems get the whole shebang. It's working...
I think the Democrats are keeping the "pardon" angle in the headlines in order to keep the "leak" story in the headlines.
"Hi! I am a Lawyer! A Democrat? You betcha! Who else was on the jury? A few Journalists. Whaaaat? You don't think this was fair? Well, tough!"
Exactally why I still say Bush must invoke the pardon now. Not tomorrow or after the appeal, but he must send a message to the RATS, this sh@@ stops. Bush must show leadership and get the ball rolling that a real fight is on with the MSM, Hollywierd, and the liberal RATS. The real fight on terrorist around the world is not as important as saving what is left of America. We are being destroyed from within.
Just read your post. You got it right!!
Thank you. I agree with myself 100% of the time. ;^)
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