Scooter Libby disbarred
Mar 20, 2008 at 1:45 PM by Political Chase
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has disbarred Scooter Libby.
Archive for the 'Scooter Libby' Category
The Bush Administration aka The Septic Tank
Jul 3, 2007 at 9:51 AM by Political Chase
Much can be said and debated over President Bush’s commutation of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s sentence yesterday. However, truthful and productive discourse are byproducts of a nation that is governed by the Rule of Law and by leaders that possess a modicum of humility. We are no longer a nation of laws and humility cannot be found in our lexicon. Instead we are a rogue nation governed by the Elite, that at best closely resembles John Edwards’ Two Americas.
Six years ago, two men, if they can be called such, each made a promise to this nation, although we weren’t in dire need of their profound promises. That notwithstanding, the promises were made. The most vile and sinister of the two said, “On the first hour of the first day (of his administration), George Bush will restore decency and integrity to the Oval Office.” His marionette, who has never succeeded at anything in his adult life without adult intervention, promised, “If elected, I pledge to usher in a new era of integrity inside the Oval Office.” I don’t see how this nation or the rest of the world can withstand another day of their decency and integrity. And sadly enough, they are not alone in their complicity.
For six years the Elite and their lieutenants were allowed to rape, pillage, and plunder by the majority members of those tasked to oversee; acting as Equals Among Equals. Oversight turned instead to genuflecting to the Elite’s pontification. The dominant Elite mesmerized the Equals Among Equals to where they became the equivalent of Pharises – boasting and praising their gods, the Elite, throughout the nation. And those that sang their praises the loudest received the holy sacraments of the Elite – campaign fund raisers and protection from the justice system, which is crumbling well enough on its own.
The Pharises intoxication with the Elite has come at a heavy price after six years of drunkenness, but they still wield an annoying level of power and have not yet felt the true sting of that ugly hangover. Genuflection to the Elite remains, but it is beginning to show signs of wear, however sobriety is not assured and if it was, it’s much overdue and cannot come fast enough. For all practical purposes, the Pharises still await word from the Elite as to when they may dine, sleep, and shit.
The Elite and Pharises collegially raise money to support convicted felons and dance in the streets when the Elite thumbs their noses at the Courts, setting felons free from dungeons they never occupied.
Rule of Law? Nowhere to be found in this barbaric state. Principles, ethics, integrity, and humility? None of that to be found either. Setting Scooter Libby free was a pimple on a gnat’s ass. That pimple may be sore to touch, but it is merely one symptom of what appears to be sepsis. The Elite have infected the entire system of government and it is in desperate need of infusions of antibiotics.
From the Sith Lords…
Jul 3, 2007 at 1:11 AM by Political Chase
Mitt Romney…
Nothing, but if you’d like information on “The Mitt and Bill Show” by all means, go here.
Rudy…
“After evaluating the facts, the President came to a reasonable decision and I believe the decision was correct.”
Nothing but maybe you’d like to try “The Daily News Candidate Challenge – John McCain.”
That’s it for the night. I’m beat. The Sith Lords will have to wait until tomorrow.
More statements…
Jul 3, 2007 at 12:57 AM by Political Chase
Rather than create multiple posts for statements, I’ll just post here and update accordingly. Wish I could say enjoy…
“Only a president clinically incapable of understanding that mistakes have consequences could take the action he did today. President Bush has just sent exactly the wrong signal to the country and the world. In George Bush’s America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush and his cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences. The cause of equal justice in America took a serious blow today.”
“Today’s decision is yet another example that this Administration simply considers itself above the law. This case arose from the Administration’s politicization of national security intelligence and its efforts to punish those who spoke out against its policies. Four years into the Iraq war, Americans are still living with the consequences of this White House’s efforts to quell dissent. This commutation sends the clear signal that in this Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice.”
John Dean (DNC, not as in Watergate)…
“Once again President Bush and the GOP have undermined a core American value: equal justice under the law for every American. By commuting this sentence, President Bush is sending a clear message that the rules don’t apply to the Bush White House or loyal Republican cronies. After promising that anyone who violated the law would be ‘taken care of,’ President Bush instead handed Scooter Libby a get out of jail free card. Though Libby was convicted by a jury of lying about a matter of national security, President Bush is sparing him the consequences ordinary Americans would face. This conviction was the first moment of justice in a Bush Administration void of accountability. It’s a sad day for America when the President once again puts protecting his friends ahead of equal justice under the law.”
Hours after a federal appeals court ruled that I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby would have to begin serving his prison sentence while appealing his conviction for crimes of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators, President Bush commuted his sentence.
Last week Vice President Cheney asserted that he was beyond the reach of the law. Today, President Bush demonstrated the lengths he would go to, ensuring that even aides to Dick Cheney are beyond the judgment of the law.
It is time for the American people to be heard.
I call for all Americans to flood the White House with phone calls tomorrow expressing their outrage over this blatant disregard for the rule of law.
202-456-1414
Remind George Bush what he told staffers during a swearing in ceremony for White House staff back in January 2001:
“[We] must remember the high standards that come with high office. This begins with careful adherence to the rules. I expect every member of this administration to stay well within the boundaries that define legal and ethical conduct. This means avoiding even the appearance of problems. This means checking and, if need be, double- checking that the rules have been obeyed. This means never compromising those rules. No one in the White House should be afraid to confront the people they work for, for ethical concerns, and no one should hesitate to confront me as well. We are all accountable to one another. And above all, we are all accountable to the law and to the American people.”
George Bush addressing staff:
Dodd’s statement is on a continous banner. If you have any interest, click here.
This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people’s faith in a government that puts the country’s progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years.
Nothing available. I suppose his Articles of Impeachment might get a boost tomorrow.
Breathtaking arrogance…Administration clearly thinks it is above the law.
“It’s a sad day when the President commutes the sentence of a public official who deliberately and blatantly betrayed the public trust and obstructed an important federal investigation,” said Governor Richardson. “This administration clearly believes its officials are above the law, from ignoring FISA laws when eavesdropping on US citizens, to the abuse of classified material, to ignoring the Geneva Conventions and international law with secret prisons and torturing prisoners.
There is a reason we have laws and why we expect our Presidents to obey them. Institutions have a collective wisdom greater than that of any one individual. The arrogance of this administration’s disdain for the law and its belief it operates with impunity are breathtaking.
Will the President also commute the sentences of others who obstructed justice and lied to grand juries, or only those who act to protect President Bush and Vice President Cheney?”
Nothing available, but I didn’t look in the section about abandoning the war on drugs.
Patrick Fitzgerald’s Statement
Jul 3, 2007 at 12:12 AM by Political Chase
Via Jane Hamsher.
We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.
We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as “excessive.” The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.
Although the President’s decision eliminates Mr. Libby’s sentence of imprisonment, Mr. Libby remains convicted by a jury of serious felonies, and we will continue to seek to preserve those convictions through the appeals process.
Scooter Libby - The Designated Defendant
Jul 2, 2007 at 9:56 PM by Political Chase
The Political Chase joins Jonathon Turley of George Washington University Law School commenting on President Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s sentence.
Pelosi: Bush Failed to Uphold the Rule of Law
Jul 2, 2007 at 7:02 PM by Political Chase
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) issued the following statement on the commutation of Scooter Libby’s sentence by President Bush.
A Betrayal of Trust of the American People
The President’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence does not serve justice, condones criminal conduct, and is a betrayal of trust of the American people.
The President said he would hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case. By his action today, the President shows his word is not to be believed. He has abandoned all sense of fairness when it comes to justice, he has failed to uphold the rule of law, and he has failed to hold his Administration accountable.
Conyers: Bush Decision Inconsistent with Rule of Law
Jul 2, 2007 at 6:49 PM by Political Chase
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) released the following statement on President Bush’s commuting Scooter Libby’s sentence.
“Until now, it appeared that the President merely turned a blind eye to a high ranking Administration official leaking classified information. The President’s action today makes it clear that he condones such activity. This decision is inconsistent with the rule of law and sends a horrible signal to the American people and our intelligence operatives who place their lives at risk everyday. 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.” (Emphasis added.)
President’s Statement on Scooter Libby
Jul 2, 2007 at 6:14 PM by Political Chase
This is the President’s statement released from the White House.
Bush has no legal justification for this action. Plain and simple – George Bush did Dick Cheney’s bidding.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Monday, July 2, 2007; 5:53 PMThe United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today rejected Lewis Libby’s request to remain free on bail while pursuing his appeals for the serious convictions of perjury and obstruction of justice. As a result, Mr. Libby will be required to turn himself over to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his prison sentence.
I have said throughout this process that it would not be appropriate to comment or intervene in this case until Mr. Libby’s appeals have been exhausted. But with the denial of bail being upheld and incarceration imminent, I believe it is now important to react to that decision.
From the very beginning of the investigation into the leaking of Valerie Plame’s name, I made it clear to the White House staff and anyone serving in my administration that I expected full cooperation with the Justice Department. Dozens of White House staff and administration officials dutifully cooperated.
After the investigation was under way, the Justice Department appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald as a Special Counsel in charge of the case. Mr. Fitzgerald is a highly qualified, professional prosecutor who carried out his responsibilities as charged.
This case has generated significant commentary and debate. Critics of the investigation have argued that a special counsel should not have been appointed, nor should the investigation have been pursued after the Justice Department learned who leaked Ms. Plame’s name to columnist Robert Novak.
Furthermore, the critics point out that neither Mr. Libby nor anyone else has been charged with violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act or the Espionage Act, which were the original subjects of the investigation. Finally, critics say the punishment does not fit the crime:
Mr. Libby was a first-time offender with years of exceptional public service and was handed a harsh sentence based in part on allegations never presented to the jury.
Others point out that a jury of citizens weighed all the evidence and listened to all the testimony and found Mr. Libby guilty of perjury and obstructing justice. They argue, correctly, that our entire system of justice relies on people telling the truth. And if a person does not tell the truth, particularly if he serves in government and holds the public
trust, he must be held accountable. They say that had Mr. Libby only told
the truth, he would have never been indicted in the first place.
Both critics and defenders of this investigation have made important
points. I have made my own evaluation. In preparing for the decision I
am announcing today, I have carefully weighed these arguments and the circumstances surrounding this case.
Mr. Libby was sentenced to thirty months of prison, two years of probation, and a $250,000 fine. In making the sentencing decision, the district court rejected the advice of the probation office, which recommended a lesser sentence and the consideration of factors that could have led to a sentence of home confinement or probation.
I respect the jury’s verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby’s sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.
My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting.
The Constitution gives the President the power of clemency to be used when he deems it to be warranted. It is my judgment that a commutation of the prison term in Mr. Libby’s case is an appropriate exercise of this power.
This post was revised at 6:29 PM, for legibility and to add the official White House date and time. No content was changed.
BREAKING: BUSH COMMUTES LIBBY PRISON SENTENCE
Jul 2, 2007 at 6:05 PM by Political Chase
George Bush commuted Scooter Libby’s sentence because it was “excessive.”
Now we know why Libby and Cheney never testified. Are we supposed to believe Bush did not plan to do this from the beginning?
Comments later.
Appeals Court Denies Libby Sentence Delay
Jul 2, 2007 at 3:52 PM by Political Chase
Sooner is better than later according to a federal appeals court. The court denied I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, or now known as Inmate 28301-016, a motion that would allow Libby to remain free while his case is pending appeal. Libby will have to start serving his 30–month sentence in the next few weeks for obstruction of justice, perjury, and making false statements in the Valerie Plame Wilson CIA leak case.
Christy Hardin Smith at firedoglake has a copy of the order.
Inmate Scooter Libby
Jun 28, 2007 at 3:33 PM by Political Chase
Scooter Libby’s (aka 28301-016) “My Space”
This is just a small part of the page from the Bureau of Prisons. You can see the whole page here.
H/T - TPM
Be Careful What You Ask For
Jun 9, 2007 at 12:33 AM by Political Chase
This is a classic. Go ahead and mark it down. This brief (no pun intended), but memorable enlightment comes from Emptywheel.
Robert Bork and a few of his well-heeled legal buddies submitted an Amicus Brief to Judge Reggie Walton regarding Scooter Libby’s matter. Emptywheel aptly notes the remarkable productivity of Bork and his friends (12 lawyers) coming to an agreement within 72 hours.
As Emptywheel suggests, it is obvious these highly skilled lawyers got well ahead of the curve, because there is no way in hell 12 lawyers agreed on an Amicus Brief and submitted it to the court within 72 hours. Judge Walton apparently was not fooled or overly amused by their stunt. This is the footnote in Walton’s order allowing Bork and company to submit their brief.
It is an impressive show of public service when twelve prominent and distinguished current and former law professors of well-respected schools are able to amass their collective wisdom in the course of only several days to provide their legal expertise to the Court on behalf of a criminal defendant. The Court trusts that this is a reflection of these eminent academics’ willingness in the future to step to the plate and provide like assistance in cases involving any of the numerous litigants, both in this Court and throughout the courts of our nation, who lack the financial means to fully and properly articulate the merits of their legal positions even in instances where failure to do so could result in monetary penalties, incarceration, or worse. The Court will certainly not hesitate to call for such assistance from these luminaries, as necessary in the interests of justice and equity, whenever similar questions arise in the cases that come before it.
Master of epistolary art, indeed. Did Walton let those “scholarly” boys have it or what? So what’s Bork et al going to say when Walton issues an order from the bench a year from now, engaging their pro bono services for who knows what? Yes your Honor is about all they can say. I suppose they might reconsider the next time they feel compelled to intervene without being asked.
Late Update: MSNBC has an article on the brief the 12 lawyers submitted to Judge Walton.
Libby Faces Sentencing Today
Jun 5, 2007 at 1:11 PM by Political Chase
I. Lewis ”Scooter” Libby has arrived at the courthouse for sentencing in the CIA leak case.
Whatever sentence is handed down today, don’t expect Libby to walk out handcuffed and in shackles. He will probably be given a self-surrender date, which will allow him to remain free and report to prison on a date determined by Judge Walton. While Libby remains free, which will be weeks, his lawyers will have 10 days to file any appeals for the sentencing or trial. If Judge Walton gives Libby a sentence that does not put him behind bars, I doubt Libby’s lawyers will appeal the decision and conversely if ordered to jail, they will surely appeal.
So, there will be no perp walk or frog march today.
Libby Wants Probation
Jun 1, 2007 at 1:05 AM by Political Chase
I bet he does.
Scooter Libby’s lawyers are “urging” Judge Walton to give Libby probation and community service. Now get this. According to the Times, his lawyers base their request on “his long record of public service.” They characterize Libby as a “distinguished public servant. Generous mentor. Selfless friend. This is the rich portrait of Mr. Libby that emerges from the description of him in more than 160 heartfelt letters submitted to the court on his behalf.”
I can just see Ted Wells crying again. And I bet Valerie Wilson is not one of the persons sending a cry-me-a-river letter.
Judge Walton is known for handing down stiff sentences, but will he cave in from the pressure of Darth Vader himself?
Libby’s sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday.
