Spring Break
Bush betrayed people by granting Libby clemency
Justin Gero
Issue date: 7/13/07 Section: Ed-Op
Mr. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was convicted of perjury, obstruction of justice, and lying to federal prosecutors in the investigation of who leaked an undercover CIA agent's name to the press.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and charged with a $250,000 fine. However, before Libby could serve his sentence, President Bush granted him clemency, removing his entire prison sentence.
By commuting the sentence of Libby, President Bush showed his complete disregard for the justice system. In a statement about his grant of executive clemency, President Bush said he respected the jury's verdict, but he made it clear by his actions he does not respect the opinion of his fellow citizens - both the jury and the rest of the public, of which only 21 percent support the president's decision. Libby still had to pay the $250,000 fine, but it's doubtful that he had trouble with that since he raised $4 million for his defense.
It's argued by Scooter Libby's defenders that the sentence was unjust and unfair because Libby was not the one that leaked Valerie Plame's name to the press. It's true that Libby was not charged with being the leaker, but he was charged and later convicted on four felony counts because he hindered the leak investigation itself.
Libby's defenders point to the fact no one was charged with the actual leak as substantial "evidence" that Libby's conviction was unjust. However, the reason that no one was charged with the leak was because, in the words of Prosecutor Fitzgerald, Scooter Libby was "effectively throwing sand in the prosecutor's eyes so as to impede the identification and complete the investigation."
For a president that ran for office in 2000 on a pledge that he was morally superior and would restore honor and integrity to the White House, it speaks volumes that he is now reduced to stating that he is merely no worse than the man he once attacked.
In defending the president's actions, Bush's supporters point their fingers at former President Bill Clinton's pardons when he was in office. Merely saying "Clinton did it first," which has become a favorite excuse at the White House, does not absolve President Bush of any blame.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and charged with a $250,000 fine. However, before Libby could serve his sentence, President Bush granted him clemency, removing his entire prison sentence.
By commuting the sentence of Libby, President Bush showed his complete disregard for the justice system. In a statement about his grant of executive clemency, President Bush said he respected the jury's verdict, but he made it clear by his actions he does not respect the opinion of his fellow citizens - both the jury and the rest of the public, of which only 21 percent support the president's decision. Libby still had to pay the $250,000 fine, but it's doubtful that he had trouble with that since he raised $4 million for his defense.
It's argued by Scooter Libby's defenders that the sentence was unjust and unfair because Libby was not the one that leaked Valerie Plame's name to the press. It's true that Libby was not charged with being the leaker, but he was charged and later convicted on four felony counts because he hindered the leak investigation itself.
Libby's defenders point to the fact no one was charged with the actual leak as substantial "evidence" that Libby's conviction was unjust. However, the reason that no one was charged with the leak was because, in the words of Prosecutor Fitzgerald, Scooter Libby was "effectively throwing sand in the prosecutor's eyes so as to impede the identification and complete the investigation."
For a president that ran for office in 2000 on a pledge that he was morally superior and would restore honor and integrity to the White House, it speaks volumes that he is now reduced to stating that he is merely no worse than the man he once attacked.
In defending the president's actions, Bush's supporters point their fingers at former President Bill Clinton's pardons when he was in office. Merely saying "Clinton did it first," which has become a favorite excuse at the White House, does not absolve President Bush of any blame.
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 13
Dr. Miguel Contreras
posted 7/13/07 @ 5:12 AM EST
History will portray some day president George W. Bush is the worse and unethical president the United States ever had. He will be remembered as being worse than Richard Nixon. (Continued…)
RodneyT
posted 7/13/07 @ 9:08 AM EST
A point of clarification to Justin--Marc Rich did not serve time in jail. His pardon was suspicious, in that it appeared to have been bought. But what is true is that right is right and wrong is wrong. (Continued…)
ivan lobrovich
posted 7/13/07 @ 11:47 AM EST
another reason to change polital parties
Rick
posted 7/13/07 @ 12:04 PM EST
You should easily be able to secure a position at the New York Times following graduation. A well written piece oblivious to some glaring facts but securely fixated on attacking Bush and sliding by on Clinton. (Continued…)
Jesse A.
posted 7/13/07 @ 3:04 PM EST
From Wikipedia;
IMPEACHMENT
In the constitutions of several countries, impeachment is the first of two stages in a specific process for a legislative body to remove a government official without that official's agreement. (Continued…)
Duke Wypyszinski
posted 7/13/07 @ 3:14 PM EST
How sophomoric.
Gavin
posted 7/13/07 @ 3:14 PM EST
Rick:
Since when do two wrongs make a right? I am sorry, but trundling out the Clinton pardons ignores the fundamental fact stated here: that President Bush ignored the will of a jury and altered the sentence of a man whose actions jeopardized a criminal investigation. (Continued…)
michael j. williams
posted 7/13/07 @ 3:15 PM EST
Will Congress please act and get these criminals (Bush, Cheney and the rest of their gang) out of the White House?!
John Spencer
posted 7/14/07 @ 4:31 PM EST
You may not agree personal with what the President did, but that's your opinion. I didn't and still don't agree with all the Pardons that Bill Clinton handed out in the last few minutes of his Presidency, oh yeah you didn't mention that did you. (Continued…)
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