No Pardon For Libby

No Pardon For Libby

Bush uses clemency powers sparingly to the end by Michael Isikoff Jan 19, 2009 Newsweek Web Exclusive www.newsweek.com/id/180448

In a move that has keenly disappointed some of his strongest conservative allies, President Bush has decided not to pardon Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, for his 2007 conviction in the CIA leak case, two White House officials said Monday.

On Bush's last full day as president, Bush did commute the sentence of two former Border Patrol agents—Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos—for shooting a Mexican drug dealer and then lying about it. But White House press spokesman Tony Fratto told NEWSWEEK "you should not expect any more" pardons and commutations from Bush before he leaves office Tuesday. Another senior official, who requested anonymity discussing sensitive matters, confirmed that no more pardons would be granted.

[…]

But the decision not to pardon Libby stunned some longtime Bush backers who had been quietly making the case for the former vice presidential aide in recent weeks. A number of Libby's allies had raised the issue with White House officials, arguing that as a loyal aide who played a key role in shaping Bush's foreign policy during the president's first term, including the decision to invade Iraq, Libby deserved to have the stain of his felony conviction erased from the record. In the only public sign of the lobbying campaign, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial strongly urging Libby's pardon.

[…]

The rejection of Libby's bid is consistent with Bush's overall stingy record when it comes to using presidential pardon powers. In part as a reaction to Bill Clinton's last-minute pardon spree, including the especially controversial one granted to fugitive financier Marc Rich, Bush has issued far fewer pardons than any president in modern history, according to clemency scholars.

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www.newsweek.com/id/180448
20090119 Newsweek No Pardon for Libby By Michael Isikoff
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It is an enigma. From what I have read in-depth, Mr. Libby’s only crime was to mess-up on recalling the chronology of events. As it was discovered, Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was the leaker of Valerie Plame Wilson's identity and the source for both Bob Woodward and Bob Novak.

Another account does reveal: “However, Mr. Novak has confirmed that President Bush's chief political strategist, Karl Rove, confirmed the information and was the second source cited in the column.

Mr. Armitage is/was not a political partisan. He just made a mistake. According to one published account: “But Newsweek reports Armitage didn't know Plame's employment was classified.”

Reportedly, Secretary Armitage told CBS Evening News: “I feel terrible… Every day, I think, I let down the president. I let down the secretary of state. I let down my department, my family, and I also let down Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.”

Apparently there was quite a bit of bad blood between Mr. Libby and the special counsel investigating the leak, Patrick Fitzgerald and Fitzgerald took an opportunity to even the score.

It was a political prosecution… Made worse by the hypocrisy that we know as partisan politics in Washington.

Libby should have never been prosecuted and President George W. Bush ought to have pardoned him.

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/