Did Bush look into Skooter Libby's eyes and see his soul before he commuted his sentence?

Question

Or did God tell him to do it?

Answer 1

I think he looked in the mirror and saw his own soul sitting in a jail cell. Allowing Libby to obstruct justice gives the Bush administration a free pass on the crimes they have committed and sets a precedent for those they intend to commit

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The investigation that culminated in Libby’s conviction was launched by the Justice Department, which, at the urging of the CIA, appointed Patrick Fitzgerald, the US attorney in Chicago, as a special counsel. The leaking of Plame’s identity angered CIA officials, who said it was a potential violation of a 1982 law making it a felony to reveal the name of a covert agent.

It was clear from the outset that the drive to silence Wilson came from Cheney and the White House itself. In the opening stages of the trial, Libby’s lawyer portrayed his client as a “fall guy” for higher-ups, a characterization the jury apparently found apt. It was revealed after the trial that while convicting Libby, jurors openly questioned why others—including key Bush aide Karl Rove—were not also on trial.

Then, in an unanticipated turn of events, the defense abruptly rested its case without calling Cheney, Rove or Libby himself to the witness stand. It was clear that Libby and his lawyers had decided virtually to concede guilt rather than pursue the line of defense they had laid out at the trial’s opening.

It was more than an educated guess, widely discussed in the media at the time, that Libby had been given assurances that Bush would intervene to prevent him spending any time in prison. The decision to issue a presidential order wiping out Libby’s jail term was the legal equivalent of hush money, designed to buy Libby’s silence on the crimes of the Bush White House and Cheney’s office, in which Libby himself played a central role.

Bush’s decision to commute the sentence was portrayed by the White House as an act of mercy, aimed at ameliorating an “excessive” penalty while upholding the sanctity of the jury’s verdict. It was nothing of the kind. Like everything else done by this administration, it was an act of lawlessness aimed at covering up crimes and defending unfettered executive power.

As the Washington Post pointed out Tuesday, the sentence was anything but excessive. “Three of every four people convicted of obstruction of justice have been sent to prison over the past two years, a total of 283 people, according to federal judiciary data,” the Post reported. “The average term was more than five years. The largest group of defendants were sentenced to between 13 and 31 months in prison, exactly where Libby would have fallen on the charts.”

The decision to grant clemency—taken without any consultation with either Fitzgerald or the Justice Department’s pardon attorney—was aimed at assuring maximum secrecy, since such decisions are subject to no review and even documents relating to them are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

The commutation of Libby’s sentence provides one more confirmation that this government considers itself entirely above the law and operates more along the lines of a crime family than a democratic and constitutional administration.

Answer 2

It's funny because here in Texas, Bush didn't pardon anyone from being executed in the electric chair (the most executions of any state?), yet he gets to the White House and suddenly finds it in his heart to 'forgive' Skooter. I want to puke.

Answer 3

He took Libby's soul as payment for the commute, and must bring him a thousand more for a full pardon.

Answer 4

Do you think Bush really cares..He does whatever he likes, since he thinks he's above the law anyway..
Besides..do you really think, he wants to take a chance and have Libby tell the truth of what really happened ?
I don't think so!

Answer 5

Libby did not out anyone and should never have been treated the way he was. President Bush has the right to do exactly what he did. I am so sorry that Liberals are so upset, but I'm sure you'll all survive. The rest of your rather small minded rant is typical of the left. Thanks

Answer 6

This Special Comment By Keith Olbermann is most poignant this 4th of July.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/

Answer 7

Reagan did not pardon irangate violaters who were convicted of crimes when white house staff, remember Ollie North?

Answer 8

If Libby sang like a bird, he was afraid that he wouldn't get to play president anymore

Answer 9

Bush was afraid that Libby would break and blab everything, not to mention that " Dickless" Cheney probably threatened to stop telling him what to do.

Answer 10

He looked at the facts............
He didn't out her........
Another guy admitted to it during the trial........
She was not covert at the time.........
He got confused about talking to unimportant people about unimportant things from years earlier and that was called lying...........
This whole thing should have never gone to trial.