LIbby Commuted to Pacify Cheney

[Vyan]

In a new Newsweek article by Michael Isikoff, the issue of the real source for Bush's communtation of Scooter Libby's 30 months sentence just may have been revealed.

The president was conflicted. He hated the idea that a loyal aide would serve time. Hanging over his deliberations was Cheney, who had said he was "very disappointed" with the jury's verdict. Cheney did not directly weigh in with Fielding, but nobody involved had any doubt where he stood. "I'm not sure Bush had a choice," says one of the advisers. "If he didn't act, it would have caused a fracture with the vice president."

Ah, it's so clear now. If Bush didn't do something to help Libby the passive-aggressive head of Forthbranch would have brooded and pouted for the next 18 months, and if any of you have ever had a taciturn spouse you know that can be a living hell.

As was shown by the four part Washington Post series on Cheney, he manages to get his way within the Bush Whitehouse most of the time, but he doesn't do it by shouting and being loud. He does it by being quiet.

Cheney has changed history more than once, earning his reputation as the nation's most powerful vice president. His impact has been on public display in the arenas of foreign policy and homeland security, and in a long-running battle to broaden presidential authority. But he has also been the unseen hand behind some of the president's major domestic initiatives.

Could you imagine the scene if Bush had been ready to let Libby swing? I can see it now...

B: "What's wrong honey?"

C: Sigh! Grumble

B: "Can I get you some curly fries - they're delicious?"

C: Eyes roll - more grumbling - some cursing and mumbling under his breath between penguin quacks

B: "Is it the Libby Appeal thingee?"

C: Big Sigh!

B: "I'm sorry but there was nothing I could do. The jury decided, the judge was well within the manditory minimum sentencing guidelines that we've been pushing through the DOJ for years, the appeals court found there was not even a close call as grounds to delay his reporting to prison."

C: Exasperated Snort

B: "Fine! FINE!" Gets out of bed in a huff. Stomps to the Big Red Prez-Phone with the Presidential Seal where the dailing buttons should be. (Picks it up, triggering a special Presidential March Ring-Tone at the other end) "Get me Fielding. We have simply got to do something about Scooter" Waits approximately 4.57 seconds. "Fred? What's that you say? Maybe if we commute instead of pardon, we might avoid some of the heat that Billy-Boy took over Marc Rich? In fact, we can use it as yet another example of how we're better than those Liberal Scum! Great Idea Fred, Get right on that and have it ready for my signature by close of business today." Turns back to his (running) mate.

"See, isn't that better?"

C: Wan smile.

So lets all just ignore the fact that Scooter Libby was Marc Rich's Lawyer and that Rich was originally indicted by - wait for it - Rudy Giuliani, who now of course thinks that commuting Libby's sentence was "reasonable" but used to think the pardoning Rich was "a travesty."

Yeah, right. sure. Okey dokey.

Anyway I'm just positive that the President was just absolutely sick that one of his top aides was facing jail time. By the way, what's he done for his former domestic policy adviser Claude Allen lately?

Allen was detained on January 2, 2006, after one alleged theft, then arrested on March 9, 2006, for a series of similar alleged thefts in Montgomery County, Maryland. According to police, Allen committed refund theft, a form of criminal activity where goods are fraudulently returned in stores for cash.

Y'see Allen had apparently been shoplifting from Target - TARGET! - then returning the items for cash. I guess he just had some shit he really needed to buy, eh?

By all accounts Allen's behavior was bizarre given that his annual salary as an advisor was $160,000. He pleaded guilty to theft on August 4, 2006. He shed tears during his sentencing hearing and apologized to his wife, family, and friends. Noting that Allen had been publicly humiliated by his arrest, and that he accepted responsibility for the crimes without trying to make excuses, the judge sentenced him to 18 months of "probation before judgment", which means that his record will be expunged if he completes his probation successfully.

Well then, I guess the judge already took care of that issue by going straight to probation followed by automatic expungment since Claude cried in court like a big neo-con baby. Problem solved. Good thing he wasn't a Millionaire Heiress, or that would've backfired big time.

And Bush's comments on the matter were so clearly heartfelt.

"If the allegations are true, Claude Allen did not tell my Chief of Staff and legal counsel the truth, and that's deeply disappointing.

Yeah, it's so dissapointing because if he'd told your chief as staff and White House Counsel he was a freaking klepto - you'd do what exactly? Send him to Promises Re-hab Center to hang out with Lindsey Lohan?

If the allegations are true, something went wrong in Claude Allen's life, and that is really sad. When I heard the story last night I was shocked. And my first reaction was one of disappointment, deep disappointment that — if it's true — that we were not fully informed. But it was also one — shortly thereafter, I felt really sad for the Allen family.

Um, yeah - ok.

And what about former White House procurement head David Safavian? Y'know, the Iranian guy they used to play racketball with at the club after a hard day toiling with Cheney in the Bunker - David Hossein Safavian!.

On November 4th, 2003, President George W. Bush announced Safavian's nomination to be the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President.<5>, where he set purchasing policy for the entire government.<6>

David Safavian was indicted October 5, 2005. He was accused of making false statements and obstructing investigations into his dealings with Jack Abramoff while he was chief of staff for the General Services Administration. His trial started May 25, 2006. Guilty verdicts on four of five felony counts of lying and obstruction were returned June 20

On June 20, 2006, Safavian was found guilty by a jury in federal court on four of five felony charges. He was found guilty of lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, lying to a GSA ethics official, lying to the GSA's Office of Inspector General, and obstructing the work of the GSA inspector general. Safavian was cleared of obstructing the committee's investigation.<9>

On July 13, 2006, Safavian asked for a new trial on the grounds that the emails used in the trial constituted hearsay. Justice Department officials have until July 31 to respond to the motions. A hearing was planned for August 24, 2006.<10>

On October 27, 2006, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman sentenced Safavian to 18 months in prison

I wonder if Hossein Osama Safavian has picked out a tailored orange jumpsuit already, or is he just going to go off the rack?.

So Safavian got 18 months for perjury, while Claude Allen gets probation for theft (unless he gets itchy for some towels with a bunch of ugly red circles on them) and Libby gets effectively nothing for aiding and abetting TREASON since you can't serve probation in the federal system without going to jail first, and his fine is already paid for thanks to TFucker Carlson's Dad.

Unfortunately the Prez's little King Soloman Act with Libby has managed to split the baby in two - and neither side seems to be doing that all that well as both Democrats and Republicans are now calling for Patrick Fitzgerald to appear on the Hill.

Sen. Arlen (Single Bullet Theory) Specter wants to grill Fitzgerald over...

"Why were they pursuing the matter long after there was no underlying crime on the outing of the CIA agent?"

I'm just guessing, but maybe it was because The CIA ASKED THEM too?

And also...

"Why were they pursuing it after we knew who the leaker was?"

Y'mean Richard Armitage? Well, it's true that Armitage was the first person to speak with Robert Novak and reveal that "Wilson's Wife was at CIA", something that was later confirmed to Novak by Karl Rove, but that completely ignores the fact that the by the time Novak spoke with Armitage on July 10th, Libby and Judith Miller had already spoken twice and discussed the employment of Wilson's Wife. The fact is that Libby leaked first, all the way back on June 23, 2002 long before the Russert or the Novak/Armitage conversations ever took place. The only reason Novak published before Miller is the fact that the New York Times refused to go with the story.

Good thing they had a backup plan for getting their bogus story of how Wilson was sent by his Wife to Niger as if she was asking him to take out the garbage - isn't it?

V:"Oh Honey, could you take care of this little Yellowcake issue for me?"

J:"Sure, sweetie - I've got my sun block, plane tickets and bags all packed for Niger. I'll be back in a snap."

V:"Thanks, hon!"

Let's not muddy up the works with facts like the point that Valerie didn't even invite Joe to come to CIA headquaters, let alone Niger. All of that came from other people at CIA who were simply impressed with Joe's credentials. Funny how being immensely qualified has that effect on some people.

Oh and btw, Libby's story that he only heard about "Wilson's Wife" from Tim Russert is contridicted by the 8 other people he spoke to about her including Ari Fliescher and the Vice President.

Speaking of the VEEP, Patrick Leahy has some question for Fitz and those secret inverviews with Dead-eye Dick and the President over the Libby matter. But he's not really expecting that he'll be able to get a crack directly at Scooter himself...

It would do no good to call Scooter Libby. His silence has been bought and paid for," Leahy said, referring to Bush’s commutation, "and he would just take the fifth."

Oh well, outmaneauvered again by those sneaky White House bastiges. It's almost as bad as losing another one to Ditech isn't it?

(Shaking first in the general direction of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave)

Curse You Cheney - curse you all the Hell!

Just wait, we'll get you Impeached yet - and you're little dog Bushie too.

Vyan

[calimary]

1. Gotta kick this!

It so obviously routes back to cheney. ALWAYS look at who benefited. And who now benefits. Sooner or later, it routes back to cheney, usually through or near rove.

[Canuckistanian]

2. K&R

Good post. "Penguin quacks", indeed.

[hootinholler]

3. Yeah but he was in Kennebunkport...

I think Poppy came down and found sonny boy raiding the bar. Made a quick call to Baker, who called Fielding to explain that they should preserve Libby's jeopardy to keep him hushed.

-Hoot

[defendandprotect]

4. Obviously, that's what the nervous breakdown was about last week -- Executive Branch insanity

How quickly everyone seems to want to forget the nervous breakdown by first Cheney and then Bush as they tried to excape the Executive Branch last week or so -- !!!!

Of course that was about looking not to supply records -- didn't work.
Unfortunately, we didn't send men in white coats to the White House to check on what the hell is going on there -- !!!!! Why not????

And, needless to say this is about Rove and Cheney falling down a well if Libby talked.

[Time for change]

5. I don't understand how Libby's commutation facilitates his taking the 5th

If anything, I would think that would decrease his ability to take the 5th, since he's no longer in jeopardy. I don't see why this can't be pursued further.

[cui bono]

6. If congress pursues the underlying crime they can call him to testify.

at that point he would plead the 5th to avoid incriminating himself as part of that crime, and to avoid having to perjure himself again. But they can grant him immunity so he would be forced to testify and then we can see if he wants to go through the whole thing again. I don't think he would get a commutation on a second conviction.

Plus, he's still appealing (don't know why since he's going to get pardoned) so I doubt he would want to testify about any of this since it might hurt his appeal.

[Time for change]

7. Yeah that's what I was thinking

Only one thing I disagree with you about.

I believe his sentence WOULD get commuted (and pardoned) a second time. I can't see Bush letting him go to prison.

[cui bono]

8. You're probably right. Bush and Cheney wouldn't care how it would look.

What do you think the reaction of the people would be if they did commute a second time?

[Time for change]

9. Unfortunately, I don't think it would be much worse than the first time

My son pointed out to me today that scandals are actually good for this administration. I believe he's right. There have been so many of them that many Americans have actually become immune to them. Of course to a large extent blame can rightfully be placed on our corporate news media. If they gave one tenth of the Bush/Cheney scandals the attention they deserve, there would be so much public outrage that Congress would be forced to impeach and convict.