Dan Henninger argues for a pardon for Scooter Libby.
"A Washington press corps for whom leaks have become the oxygen of life spent three years writing about who leaked Valerie Plame's name to Robert Novak. Of all the serious and genuinely damaging leaks during the Bush presidency, this was the only one the press chased. Why? This one was different. This leaker was thought to be a top Bush aide, perhaps even the vice president. Once named, this aide could be demolished by a prosecution.
"That proved true. Scooter Libby was demolished."
Henninger forgets to mention that it was Asst. Sec. of State Richard Armitage who first leaked Plame's name. He was charged with nothing because mentioning Plame's name to a reporter wasn't a crime.
Libby was indicted for and convicted of perjury, for supposed lying to Patrick Fitzgerald's investigators about conversations he had with the press. Libby's defenders
said he simply recalled events differently than NBC's Tim Russert, who became the main witness against him.
The prosecution and persecution of Libby in retrospect was a disgrace. It was driven by heavily partisan fervor and inept and injudicious prosecutors. A pardon is warranted.
Maybe Obama should offer to pardon Libby, if Libby admits that Cheney orchestrated the entire Plame leak?
ReplyDeleteYep. The Lib Media was out for Repub blood. When all the while it was the Lib New York Times that should have been charged for printing sensitive national security secrets.
ReplyDeleteThis witch hunt of Repubs is likely to continue as the LibDems are presently agitating for endless investigations of the Bush administration in hopes of avenging their hurt feelings and petty personal dislike of our Prez and Vice Prez (-not much “unity” in that).
Before next Tuesday Bush should just issue a sweeping preemptive pardon for every member of his administration and put an end to the partisan LibDem games.
Issuing the pardon means admitting the committed crimes that need to be pardoned (but shouldn't be pardoned).
ReplyDeleteNah. No admission of any guilt needed because there were no "crimes" committed. It'd be just to head off the Hurt Feelings LibDem divisive games, is all.
ReplyDeleteNope. Wrong again. The Presidential pardon is for Federal Crimes. "The pardon power of the President extends only to offenses cognizable under U.S. Federal law."
ReplyDeleteSo, in order to issue the pardon, it has to be for a recognized crime, thus acknowledging that the actions being pardoned were a crime.
You two sound like complete idiots.
ReplyDeletePresidential pardons can be granted for any reason from mercy to doubt about guilt.
The Libby prosecution was driven by the press and an over zealous prosecutor.
That Libby was convicted by a Washington D.C. jury, possibly biased against the Bush Administration, should also be taken into account by the president.
In any case, there was no underlying crime, that is, the leaking of Valarie Plame's name was NOT a crime because she was not a covert CIA agent working overseas in the past five years. She was an analyst.
Her husband outed her by vainly insinuating himself in a political fight over the war.
It's time to move on. And a pardon for Libby, though it would outrage leftists, we be a good and fair start.
You two sound like complete idiots.
ReplyDeleteDon't include me with that idiot. You just agreed with me, Mr. Fake and balanced. Lol...
The President of the United States made his farewell address on TV tonight after eight years in office and there was not a single advanced peep about it the Daily Times. Gee, why would that be? Never mind, we know why…
ReplyDeleteLiberals are un-American. They f***ing suck. It will be good when the Libs “news”papers go under.
Gil,
ReplyDeleteYou posted this one intentionally just for the reactions - and you caught two of us just like a rat to a trap! Are you using this blog as research towards a Thesis studying political extremists?
Plame's covert identity was still a classified secret at the time of the leak. And it's clear that the CIA wanted to maintain such a valuable asset. The revelation of her status also compromised the current status of operatives, covers, and missions that she had been associated with.
ReplyDeleteJust one more example of Bush, Cheney and neocons like you sacrificing loyal Americans at the alter of loyalty to failed policies.
Diano:
ReplyDeleteIt was the Armitage fellow that leaked her name. he is a career State Department bureaucrat. It was not Rove. Gil is right, a President has the absolute cnstitutional power to pardon for any reason at any time.
C. Scott Shields, Esquire
www.cscottshields.com
Diano:
ReplyDeleteYou obviously don't understand the reality of what happened with Valerie Plame. All of these neocons you refer to never outed her. It was a career bureaucrat from the State Department. Scooter should be pardoned, as should Campeon and Ramos. I hope they all are!
C. Scott Shields, Esquire
www.cscottshields.com
I guess that includes the power to cover up corruption (and treason) in his own administration.
ReplyDeleteOnly 3 more days with the disgrace/stain on this nation of Bush in the White House.
Can anyone else believe that the petty Bush-haters are still crying like angry children about this Plame thing? LMAO...
ReplyDeleteCan anyone believe that the flag-waving phony patriots are still crying to pardon Libby for his loyalty in covering up treason?
ReplyDeleteCan anyone believe that the truly treasonous Lefties insist on projecting their treason onto others?!
ReplyDeleteNo one believes that, because there aren't any treasonous Lefties around these parts. Just hypocritical, sad, defeated, treasonous neocons.
ReplyDeleteSomething good Bush did: not giving Libby a full pardon.
ReplyDeleteSomething great: not pardoning the torturers