Comments on: Bush Pardons Sparingly

By: Do We Need a New Declaration of Independence?

Do We Need a New Declaration of Independence? — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:48:55 +0000

[...] Bush slams the door on well-connected criminals. (Hat Tip: Outside the Beltway.) [...]

By: MarkedMan

MarkedMan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:00:41 +0000

I think the positive motivations for Bush not pardoning Libby or pre-emptively pardoning a host of others have to be viewed sceptically. After all, Bush has a significant personal motivation for not pardoning anyone close to the workings of the Whitehouse: Anyone pardoned loses the ability to claim the fifth. They have to testify when called and truthfully tell all they know, or go to jail if they don't.

By: Moonbat Boy

Moonbat Boy — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:38:30 +0000

He couldn't find any terrorists or fugitives to let off the hook?

By: Crust

Crust — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:25:43 +0000

[E]ven Scooter Libby was not spared

Huh? Libby was about to go to jail, when Bush commuted his sentence so that he never served a minute. Sure Libby still had to pay a $250,000 fine, but that's rounding error on his legal bills anyway.

By: Franklin

Franklin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:52:34 +0000

I'll give Bush some credit for this lack of action. It's a perk that has been abused and I think he erred on the right side this time.

By: Anderson

Anderson — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:46:16 +0000

Daniel Larison quashes the Libbyerals:

If it were true that Libby wasn’t guilty of much of anything, it stands to reason that a jury would not have found him guilty. If, on the other hand, he did lie under oath and impede a federal investigation--regardless of why he did this or whether there had been anything criminal about the original leak--then that is exactly why he should not be pardoned. The reliability of witness testimony under oath is essential to the proper functioning of the system, and cooperation with investigators is an equally important part, and it is unacceptable to undermine this. Obviously, the justice system is not perfect, juries can come to the wrong conclusion and prosecutors can engage in misconduct, and no doubt some true believers will insist that the latter is the case, but Libby’s defenders usually have no doubts about the system’s integrity. It is precisely and only when “their own” are in danger of being penalized for things they actually did that we hear all these heartfelt appeals for clemency. Bush already commuted Libby’s sentence. As was clear at the time, Bush was washing his hands of the matter once and for all when he did that.

By: Triumph

Triumph — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:53:04 +0000

President Bush is leaving office

Jesus, Bush! DO SOMETHING!!!! THIS CAN'T STAND! INVOKE YOUR POWER AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF TO STOP THIS LIBERAL INVASION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!