Nothing to see here. Just one scoundrel helping out another.

Bush Commutes Libby Prison Sentence

President Bush commuted the sentence of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby on Monday, sparing him from a 2 1/2-year prison term that Bush said was excessive. Bush’s move came hours after a federal appeals panel ruled Libby could not delay his prison term in the CIA leak case.

That meant Libby was likely to have to report to prison soon and put new pressure on the president, who had been sidestepping calls by Libby’s allies to pardon the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.

“I respect the jury’s verdict,” Bush said in a statement. “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.”

Bush left intact a $250,000 fine and two years probation for Libby, and Bush said his action still “leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby.”



  1. Wonka says:

    I heard Libby couldn’t come up with a million for Bush’s Presidential Library so he only got his jail sentence commuted.

  2. Stars & Bars says:

    # 20 Mr. Fusion,

    Mark your calendar, I agree with everything you wrote.

  3. mxpwr03 says:

    Hasn’t Scooter suffered enough? Haha take that Valerie Plame. This is how one plays political hardball with President Bush.

  4. James Hill says:

    Am I the only one here laughing at all of this?

  5. mxpwr03 says:

    Not at all I find it rather humorous.

  6. JimR says:

    From the outside looking in, being a US citizen looks to be outright scary these days. It’s scary even being across the border from you. Take OFTLO’s lead…do something already will ya?

  7. doug says:

    #34, #35. What, in that shameless, no accountability Bushie way?

    He may wind up having to be the only president to have to pardon himself and his VP on his last day in office.

  8. bobbo says:

    28–how is the brevity benefit demonstrated in this case?

    30—There is no admission of guilt. Dont have to say a word, can still maintain innocense. A court case while back said “accepting a pardon, was the same as admitting guilt.” aint true though.

    33—Yep, NO apology to Mrs Plame.

    Yep, two faced Bushie “Whoever did this will be dealt with appropriately.” Uh, Hum!

  9. Angel H. Wong says:

    So that explains why Paris Hilton was sent to prison, to distract people in order for Bush Jr. to perform his deed.

  10. OhForTheLoveOf says:

    #25 – You miss a key point…

    It’s okay if I like the guy…

  11. mark says:

    OFTLO is totally correct, at least back up your displeasure with some form of action. Myself, I have called Pelosi office 3 times now and expressed my support for impeachment. Also, I have written letters and put up flyers around the area I work (pissing off some by the way), but at least it made me feel a little better and possibly woke someone up?

  12. Bill R. says:

    #20 – Mr Fusion – Why bother at this point?

    Congress has already proven the Bush and Cheney will toss their subpoenas in the trash anyhow.

    The US Attorneys will not prosecute unless they want to get fired, so there won’t be any contempt charge coming down.

  13. doug says:

    #42. Fortunately, such immunity can be revoked as well.

    And there is a litany of other crimes that, once the Bushies’ grasp on the Executive (and Cheneytive) branches of government is broken, they may wind up facing.

    Screw it – I am off to donate to the Democratic candidate of my choice. Or maybe two. No doubt many others are as well. This latest outrage will have them laughing all the way to the bank.

  14. Charbax says:

    Don’t forget Bush stole the election in 2000..

    USA is such a load of crap, supposedly spreading democracy and justice in the middle east..

    Why aren’t americans taking to the streets and removing this idiot and criminal president from power?

  15. Mister Mustard says:

    >>There is no admission of guilt. Dont have to say a word, can
    >>still maintain innocense.

    In order to be accepted by the legal system, a pardon has to be affirmatively accepted, and this acceptance carries an implicit admission of guilt. If the criminal wishes to maintain his or her claim of innocence, they don’t accept the pardon.

  16. stew says:

    It seems I am the lonely guy here. My feeling is the problem is the enormous powers of the special prosecutors. Ever since Nixon every president has had to battle these guys. The “crimes” always seem flaky to me on both sides. But it gives fodder for the likes of the people on this blog. It IMHO has not served this country well. let the flames begin.

  17. Yet another day of the Commuter-In-Chief that will live in infamy.

    Here is the opinion of a former president of the United States –

    ‘ I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors.’ – Bush 41

    To contemporarily paraphrase yet another president of the United States –

    ‘ Ask not what you are doing to your country. Ask what your country is doing to you. ‘

    Allen McDonald, El Galloviejo®

  18. Frank IBC says:

    Aaron – Karla Faye Tucker was a mass murderer. Why on earth do you think she should have been pardoned? Do you think that the President should just automatically do the bidding of the Pope (who opposes ALL use of the death penalty)?

  19. crunchyknee says:

    but, but, Clinton got a blow job!!!!!!

  20. GregA says:

    #49,

    It is not that she deserved a pardon, it is that if anyone should be pardoned for a change of heart, she was it. Because of an article written by Tucker Carlson, we know that Bush did not soberly or somberly dispatch that executive duty. He joked about it when he killed her.

  21. Frank IBC says:

    Regardless of her “change of heart”, she was still a mass murderer. I could care less for any “good intentions” on her part.

  22. Pmitchell says:

    neenier neenier neenier Libby got pardoned

    yea for Bush he finally grew a pair

  23. GregA says:

    Next up (failing any more disasters on Bush’s watch) is the September report card, when the surge fails, thus meaning the surge needs to continue, or alternatively the surge is successful thus justifying continued surge…

  24. Frank IBC says:

    Are you hoping that the surge will fail, GregA?

  25. GregA says:

    #55,

    When did you stop beating your wife?

  26. ECA says:

    53,
    A pair of WHAT???

    I just wish Bush would admit that HE DIDNT it on purpose.

  27. noname says:

    George Bush and Abraham Lincoln, two book ends of the Republican Party.

    The Republican Party rose to prominence with the election of Abraham Lincoln, took a heavy hit with Herbert Hoover and looks like it’s headed for a rapid decline with out going George Bush.

    George Bush is going to be a modern loadstone round the Republican Party neck for some time. A truly historic legacy for George Bush.

    If the Republicans survive, it won’t be because the deserve it; it will be because, Democrats still don’t represent main stream Americans. Opting as always, in a repackaged manner, to primarily represent left leaning special interest groups.

    I shutter to think the future of this country. If China decides to invade Taiwan, it lights out America.

  28. GregA says:

    *** spoiler warning ***

    The only scene in which George Bush appears in the movie Transformers, Bush is laying on a bed while America is under attack from giant alien robots, and orders a SS agent to get him a Ding Dong.

  29. Frank IBC says:

    Democrats had the opportunity to beat Bush in 2004.

    Instead, they chose to nominate John Kerry.


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