Monday, July 02, 2007

Bush commutes Libby's sentence

Surprised? Of course not.

The fines will stand, but Scooter only gets two years probation instead of the "excessive" 30 month prison sentence.

"The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged," Bush said. "His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant and private citizen will be long-lasting."
Cry me a river...

Click here for more.

Via Firedoglake:

The dirty unwashed masses who populate our juries are fit to judge each other, but evidently not the ruling class. David Broder can breathe a sigh of relief that People Like Him are safe from those overly zealous US Attorneys who might want to hold them accountable to the same absurd standards that the little people must live by.

How quaint.

The White House has turned off their phone lines. Evidently they don’t want to hear what you think. There will still be phones tomorrow, and I don’t imagine anyone who cared enough to drop Dubya a line is going to forget.
Update: Howard Dean's statement:
Bush Gives Scooter Libby A Get Out of Jail Free Card


“Once again President Bush and the GOP have undermined a core American value: equal justice under the law for every American. By commuting this sentence, President Bush is sending a clear message that the rules don’t apply to the Bush White House or loyal Republican cronies. After promising that anyone who violated the law would be 'taken care of,' President Bush instead handed Scooter Libby a get out of jail free card. Though Libby was convicted by a jury of lying about a matter of national security, President Bush is sparing him the consequences ordinary Americans would face. This conviction was the first moment of justice in a Bush Administration void of accountability. It’s a sad day for America when the President once again puts protecting his friends ahead of equal justice under the law.”
Haloscan comment thread

20 comments:

  1. Ohhh man!

    Howard Dean wouldn't have done this, because Dean is First!

    ~ listener

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  2. Hi listener. Wanted to mention that I got your e-mails. Haven't had a chance to respond because I've been working on some stuff.

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  3. Un-freaking believable. No, freaking BELIEVABLE. I will bet you that bush has never read the Constitution. And if he has, he used it to light the firecrackers he inserted into live frogs.

    Impeach. Now.

    donna in evanston

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  4. Yeah! What donna said!!

    Hubby's response to Bush's action was:
    "He's not an American.
    I don't know what he is, but he's not an American.
    And Libby should be totally ashamed."


    Renee...no hurry at all! XOXOXXX

    Back to the grandbaby quilt!...
    ~ listener

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  5. By the way, I've updated the main post.

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  6. Halosan has been working for a couple of hours now in case anyone is interested or has been checking.

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  7. Still doesn't work for me. At all. And if it doesn't work for me, that means I can't generate a new Haloscan thread. But here's a link to the old one.

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  8. Libby's commutation just lends credence to IOKIYAR.

    It's okay if you're a Republican.

    Zero respect for the rule of law.

    Why the hell aren't we impeaching their sorry asses?

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  9. Yep, Susan--to everything you just said.

    I wish I could use Haloscan right now, because it really sucks not having links become clickable automatically.

    So instead of trying to post links in the comments, I'm just going to add them to my shared items in the left sidebar. And then go to bed.

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  10. Guess I needed to be more clear - the old one is accepting posts again.

    Earlier this afternoon I got error messages.

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  11. Not only is Howard the firstest of the first, the swellest of the swell, etc., etc., etc., but he's Johnny on the spot! Wow! Thank goodness for Howard!!!

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  12. If you want a distraction from Dubya and his dubious dealings, come on over to The Arty Blog, where the topics du joure are Archaeology and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. Much easier on the blood pressure! 8)

    http://www.hepartyblog.blogspot.com

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  13. Just wanted to post one wee thing before I go back to the grandbaby quilt (before I fade altogether!)...

    I have been pondering WHYYY we haven't impeached Bush.
    When the question came up in the Vermont legislature, it was voted down, and largely because our Speaker spoke against it. Now, what's interesting about that is that she is certainly no Bush supporter. But she had been spoken to by our delegation in DC who recommended we not do it. Given what good things we know about Leahy et al, I suggest that there's something else in the works. That is, what if Leahy knows of a lot of really deep information that could do MORE than impeach those twerps, and knows that impeachment could take all the way to the Election, whereas this stuff could go quicker?
    Just some sweet speculation, but hey, I can dream.
    GO GET 'EM PAT LEAHY!

    (I'll try to get to the Arty blog later this week, Cat! ♥)

    ~ listener

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  14. I sure hope you're right, listener!!! Not holding my breath, though.

    Bye, bye, baby
    Time to hit the road to dreamland.
    You're mine baby.
    Dig you in the land of nod.

    Hold tight, baby.
    We'll be swinging up in dreamland.
    All night, baby,
    Where the little cherubs trot.

    Well look at that knocked out moon.
    He's been a-blowing his top in the blue.
    Never saw the likes of you.
    (What an angel!)

    Bye bye, baby
    Time to hit the road to dreamland.
    Don't cry, baby.
    It was divine, but the rooster has finally crowed.
    Time to hit the road.

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  15. Has anyone had trouble accessing Firedoglake? I have frozen up 3 times this week when I go there. Anyone? I miss going there.


    Here's the video of Dean on Hardball...very good.

    http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=f04d325c-0159-4189-9d0f-da3ed3048507&f=00&fg=email

    This is floridagal, not sure what will show up if I put my google mail and can't remember a password

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  16. Here's Scooter's "Get Out Of Jail Free" card.
    http://www.cafepress.com/peoplepowered/3239658

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  17. Hi--just checking in; getting caught up on various things, but still pretty tired. No need to send out the St. Bernards, though. And now off to dreamland.
    --Alan in CA

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  18. Hey Alan, good to see ya. Thanks for letting us know to not send out Sheriff Chuck :-)

    puddle, hope you had a good trip to town.

    Denise, I love ya girl - I'll check with a friend to see if I can stay there Thurs. night - udderwize drivin' to da southside on da Ryan on a weekday mornink is a probly not, lol.

    listener, one can hope about the more than impeachment.

    btw, will return emails as soon as I get a chance to be online long enough to do so...

    ♥'s to all

    Kindness is free!

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  19. ♥ Thankful.

    Theres a new thread about impeachment.

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