WHAT THE F#@K!!!
IS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY????
Just announced on MSNBC - President Bush has commuted the sentence of convicted felon and former senior aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, Scooter Libby.
Scooter Libby was convicted on four of five counts including PERJURY, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, and MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS that stemmed from the leaking of the undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity, and was facing 30 months in prison with all appeals to delay incarceration denied.
United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald leveled the obstruction of justice charge against Libby because Libby's obfuscation made it impossible to obtain indictments against the people responsible for the act originally under investigation.
According to a statement released by the administration, Libby will still have to pay a $250,000 fine and will remain convicted of the initial crimes. By February 22, 2006, a Washington Post article indicated that a legal defense fund for Scooter Libby had already raised $2 million and said most donors were LIMITING their donation to $12,000 (about the annual income of an average American at the poverty level)
Can the Congress now investigate Bush's commutation of Libby's sentence?
Will the President pardon Libby on his way out the door?
Can additional charges still be brought against Libby if additional crimes are uncovered by
Congressional investigations?
ARE THERE GOING TO BE CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS? (Madame Speaker?)
What does this mean for accountability and justice in America?
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UPDATE:
litigatormom has posted the full text of Bush's statement in the comments.
UPDATE Deux:
Make sure you read MissLaura’s front page diary that contrasts Bush’s clemency here with his previous record of clemency or lack there of.
And here is mcjoan’s front page diary with reaction from Democratic leaders including Reid, Slaughter, great defender of the convenient Constitution Speaker Pelosi, and Conyers, who stated outright that the President’s actions make it clear that he condones such anti-American activities as leaking classified information.
Update Trei:
Ambassador Joe Wilson stated on MSNBC that [as predicted by many Kossacks] this in fact removes any and all pressure for Libby to testify to the facts in the case he is obstructing. Ambassador Wilson will be on Countdown with Keith Olbermann tonight, as will former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean.
Update Quattro:
On Countdown with Keith Olbermann, John Dean said that Fitzgerald can immunize Libby so he could not plead the 5th Amendment and still compel him to testify before a federal grand jury! Dean also said that Libby could not claim executive privilege and could be charged again if he made further false statements to the grand jury.
Perhaps, like the Liebermann campaign, we’re only moving to the bottom of the second inning.