Bush spares Libby from 2 1/2-year prison term

[Caladan 19]

Pelosi went to Syria with three Republican Congressmen. That's right, it wasn't her committing treason, but a bipartisan Congressional field trip!

Beyond that, it's pretty clear that Libby's a fall guy, and so I am on the one hand glad that he isn't going to serve such a harsh sentence. On the other hand, this administration no longer has the decency to even pretend it's following the rule of law.

The only reason they didn't pardon him is that they still need Libby to be able to plead the Fifth.

[bostonparis 0]

What about the mandatory minimum and maximum sentencing?

[Ban Hammer 14,293]

What about the mandatory minimum and maximum sentencing?

good point. i believe pelosi should stay in syria for at least 2 decades

[one...two...tree 2,762]

What about the mandatory minimum and maximum sentencing?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Pelosi went to Syria with three Republican Congressmen. That's right, it wasn't her committing treason, but a bipartisan Congressional field trip!

Beyond that, it's pretty clear that Libby's a fall guy, and so I am on the one hand glad that he isn't going to serve such a harsh sentence. On the other hand, this administration no longer has the decency to even pretend it's following the rule of law.

The only reason they didn't pardon him is that they still need Libby to be able to plead the Fifth.

Agreed. Cheney sticking the toe of his shoe out from under the curtains he hides behind is about as close as anyone has gotten to revealing the goings on in his secret, apparently "unaccountable" office.

[rclouse 0]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

Whether or not Libby shielded Cheney, or breached national security himself, will never be fully realized.

As a public servant, you are obligated to keep classified information a secret.

Remember former CIA director John Deutch? His clearances were stripped, when it was learned that he mishandled classified material. No leaks, just sloppy operational security.

Libby was involved in a leak.

Having personally worked in an environment requiring a clearance for 20 years now, the gravity of these leaks/compromises of information can be extremely damaging.

I believe he should "do the time", as a lesson to others in high political office who believe they are immune to jail.

There was never anyone including Libby convicted of leaking Plames name. That is because she wasn't covert. The original crime never happend. Libby was convicted of lying under oath. Be it a faulty memory of an out right lie he still didn't leak anything. If you think that lying under oath is something that should land you in jail then I wouldn't mention that around Bubba Clinton.

"The best argument the hypocritical Libby supporters can muster is that there was “no underlying crime.” This is a hollow argument of course because the prosecutor was unable to pursue anyone as a proper suspect because of the lies of Lewis Libby. That is why it is illegal to lie to a prosecutor under oath. That is why it is illegal to obstruct justice, because by doing so, justice itself is prevented. Someone or multiple persons deliberatively leaked the identity of Valerie Plame and because Libby lied, those people are never held accountable. Thus the prosecutor correctly went after the liar; the traitor. Convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced by a Republican judge, Libby deserved the sentence he received. He tried twice to defer his jail time while his appeal went forward but two more Republican judges said no. George Bush apparently does not care about any of that though, as long as his boy gets off."

Entire article here.

[GaryC 7]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

Whether or not Libby shielded Cheney, or breached national security himself, will never be fully realized.

As a public servant, you are obligated to keep classified information a secret.

Remember former CIA director John Deutch? His clearances were stripped, when it was learned that he mishandled classified material. No leaks, just sloppy operational security.

Libby was involved in a leak.

Having personally worked in an environment requiring a clearance for 20 years now, the gravity of these leaks/compromises of information can be extremely damaging.

I believe he should "do the time", as a lesson to others in high political office who believe they are immune to jail.

There was never anyone including Libby convicted of leaking Plames name. That is because she wasn't covert. The original crime never happend. Libby was convicted of lying under oath. Be it a faulty memory of an out right lie he still didn't leak anything. If you think that lying under oath is something that should land you in jail then I wouldn't mention that around Bubba Clinton.

"The best argument the hypocritical Libby supporters can muster is that there was “no underlying crime.” This is a hollow argument of course because the prosecutor was unable to pursue anyone as a proper suspect because of the lies of Lewis Libby. That is why it is illegal to lie to a prosecutor under oath. That is why it is illegal to obstruct justice, because by doing so, justice itself is prevented. Someone or multiple persons deliberatively leaked the identity of Valerie Plame and because Libby lied, those people are never held accountable. Thus the prosecutor correctly went after the liar; the traitor. Convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced by a Republican judge, Libby deserved the sentence he received. He tried twice to defer his jail time while his appeal went forward but two more Republican judges said no. George Bush apparently does not care about any of that though, as long as his boy gets off."

Entire article here.

:lol: Some sour grapes??? :lol:

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Indeed. Watch someone get jailed for obstructing justice in say... a terrorism investigation, then claim that no crime was committed..

It is generally illegal to lie or conceal material facts from law enforcement officials or their representatives. This was an FBI and Justice Dept investigation after all...

[almaty 19]

Indeed. Watch someone get jailed for obstructing justice in say... a terrorism investigation, then claim that no crime was committed..

It is generally illegal to lie or conceal material facts from law enforcement officials or their representatives. This was an FBI and Justice Dept investigation after all...

pwned squared..

Edited July 3, 2007 by almaty

[bostonparis 0]

I gotta sound like a noob here: PWND?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You've also got to wonder that if the issue that was subject to the Justice/FBI investigation was one that no formal charges were ever handed down for - why did this guy bother obstruct the investigation? That would seem... well... rather stupid...

[rclouse 0]

I gotta sound like a noob here: PWND?

PWNED is a purposeful misspelling of OWNED, as in "Ken owned his competition on Jeopardy":

Just do a GIS for PWNED, the meaning will become clear.

[Ban Hammer 14,293]

I gotta sound like a noob here: PWND?

PWNED is a purposeful misspelling of OWNED, as in "Ken owned his competition on Jeopardy":

Just do a GIS for PWNED, the meaning will become clear.

um, it's Panty Waisted Noob Disease

[Caladan 19]

The 'no underlying crime' talking point is such garbage. When Arthur Andersen was indicted for obstruction of justice in 2002, it sent the firm out of business, even though the conviction was later overturned. When Martha Stewart was convicted of obstruction of justice in the investigation whether she had committed insider trading, she went to prison.

Of course there's no underlying conviction. That's whole sodding point of obstructing the investigation. That doesn't however mean there wasn't an underlying crime. You think Libby lied just for shits and giggles?

[almaty 19]

I gotta sound like a noob here: PWND?

PWNED is a purposeful misspelling of OWNED, as in "Ken owned his competition on Jeopardy":

Just do a GIS for PWNED, the meaning will become clear.

um, it's Panty Waisted Noob Disease

..lol//that was funny bro charles