CNN: Scooter Libby may have requested Bush pardon

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: The Raw Story

As President Bush gets closer to leaving the White House, expectations are mounting that he will follow his predecessors in issuing a slew of last-minute pardons on his way back to Texas.

Former Cheney chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, perhaps the best-known federal convict of the last eight years, may have filed a request for a pardon from President Bush, CNN's Sonny Hostin reported Monday. Libby was convicted of lying in the CIA leak case, but Bush commuted his sentence last year.

A Justice Department spokesman told Newsweek that Libby has not personally requested a pardon. But investigative reporters Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball note that "speculation is rampant that Libby's allies will press Bush for one."

Libby was found to have obstructed justice and lied to investigators probing the leak of former CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity in 2003. Convicted in June of last year, Libby served no time for his crimes, as Bush stepped in to commute the prison sentence before he was forced to go to jail.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/CNN_Scooter_Libby_may_have_requested_1117.html

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This video is from CNN's American Morning, broadcast Nov. 17, 2008: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/CNN_Scooter_Libby_may_have_requested_1117.html

[rocktivity]

1. Requested? Well, if

"You get me out of this or I'll make what George Galloway told Congress sound like 'Mary Had A Little Lamb!'" can be considered a request...

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[Doremus]

2. It's going to be a big old pardon party. Come one, come all, get your pardons here!

Screw the laws, we are above them! We can do anything! Steal, lie, start wars ... it doesn't matter! We are RICH and we make our own laws!

[Renew Deal]

7. Bush has already pardoned 126 people. Clinton pardoned 146

Bush pardons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_by_George_W._Bush#Pardons

Clinton pardons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_by_Bill_Clinton

[blm]

9. Libby was Rich's lawyer, too. They sure left out the part about Rich being a BCCI-IranContra figure

that was actually being pardoned, didn't they?

[Doremus]

19. Thanks for that info.

[marshall]

20. Does Bush have any brothers that need pardons?

Roger Clinton got his pardon from his brother. It's always nice to have connections.

[customerserviceguy]

24. I have to say, I noticed one big difference between the two lists

There were several on the Clinton list that were active links to other parts of Wikipedia, in other words, these folks were significant enough figures to have their own articles written about them. On the Bush list, there were no highlighted links. Make of that what you will.

Besides Libby and Ted Stevens, who can we expect Chimpy to pardon? Is there a chance he will give some sort of blanket pardons connected with Iraq? I'm not just talking about Rumsfeld, Cheney, etc., but people who have been tried and convicted in military courts for things they did in Iraq? I particularly have in mind the Abu Ghraib bunch.

[JeanGrey]

31. Clinton's list is PARTIAL. Anybody know the whole list?

[underpants]

3. Can you commute a sentence AND pardon ?

:shrug:

[geomon666]

15. When you're a Bush you can do anything.

And no one will stop you.

[Thothmes]

27. The Constitution says the President has that authority.

[Renew Deal]

4. I'd request one if I were him.

And I wouldn't be surprised if Bush granted it.

[MaineDem]

12. Me, too.

Why not?

[GodlessBiker]

5. May have?

[onehandle]

6. Bush will issue a "Blanket Pardon" of his entire administration and everyone they've ever dealt with

Triggering a constitutional crisis.

[tavalon]

13. Would that we would be so lucky or rather he would be so stupid (anything is possible with stupid)

We'll get over our happy mood real damn quick if he does something that provoking.

You want your constitutional crisis? We'll give you your fucking constitutional crisis, Bushie baby!

[no_hypocrisy]

8. It was on the "To Do List" before he made the request.

[blm]

10. 'May have' makes it sound like a trial balloon to judge backlash.

.

[customerserviceguy]

25. What backlash?

It's not like any of us would like any of his pardons, anyway. And there would be no effective backlash from his own party, it's not like it's gonna put a damper on the inauguration festivities for President McSame.

At this point, there are zero downsides for Chimpy. Presidential pardon power is effectively absolute, or the Repukes would have done something to Bill Clinton eight years ago.

[blm]

26. I mean whatever media has in store - not much, certainly, but knowing will help craft their counters

and it will also help to see what Democrats might plan - remember, GOPs DID go after Clinton on his pardons, but funny, none cared that Marc Rich was a named figure in IranContra and BCCI, but Denise Rich 'may have' kissed Bill Clinton....hubba, hubba.

Anyway, I see this more as crafting their battleplan to AVOID Dem hearings on his pardons.

[customerserviceguy]

34. Hearings on pardons will be the least of the Repuke problems

The only reason they even threatened them on Bill Clinton is that after impeachment was over and done with, they didn't have anything else to hang on the guy.

We've got far more important things to investigate over the last eight years than somebody obscure buying a pardon with a "donation" to the Shrub Library. I really can't see any possible pardon more controversial than Libby (who's already had a sentence commutation, no big deal if he gets a full pardon, he'll never work in Washington again) and Stevens. Even the public doesn't neccessarily want to see an octegenarian go to prison over undocumented home improvements.

[tavalon]

11. Requested?

That's what they call it these days. I guess blackmail is a dirty word.

[Gin]

14. when I first read the title..I thought Libby requested a pardon

"for" Bush....not from Bush. HA!

[Festivito]

16. Seems more like extorted a pardon, lest he'd talk.

He was pardoned to protect BFEE, not because there is honor among thieves.

[HopeHoops]

17. I'm sure Cheney will pardon Scooter at the last minute - oh, well, make the shrub do it that is.

[Patsy Stone]

18. Shocking

Who'da thunk?!

[pjt7]

21. Our presidential pardon

system needs to be re-done.

Scooter was Marc Rich's lawyer for 15 years.. & we all know Clinton never should have let Rich off the hook.

Eliot Abrahm got a pardon from Bush I for Iran/Contra weapons.. & was one of the current neo-hawks-chickens that got us into the unjust Iraq occupation.

[Patsy Stone]

33. I agree

Pardoning someone because you want to help them avoid prosecution for crimes they committed protecting you seems criminal.

[Winterblues]

22. The President can Pardon anyone at any time without any explanation what-so-ever

The President has that RIGHT. NO ONE can say anything. It is written in the Constitution and I suspect that is one part of the Constitution that Bush* will obey..

[Thothmes]

28. Not quite

He can only pardon those that have been convicted on Federal Charges. The President has no authority to pardon those that have been prosecuted on State charges.

[Winterblues]

29. That is not true or else Ford could not have Pardoned Nixon

The President's powers to pardon are not limited..

[Thothmes]

32. They are unlimited in the case of Federal actions

poor choice of words when I said convicted. Nixon was being investigated by the U.S.Government, and was facing federal charges.

[Missy Vixen]

23. If I remember correctly from the former federal prosecutors that post at Firedoglake

Scooter's going to wait a long time for that pardon. If he is pardoned, he can't take the Fifth during testimony.

It's hard for me to believe he wouldn't find himself on a witness stand within days of a Presidential pardon.

Julie

[w4rma]

30. Nice. Now I want him pardoned. (nt)