SIGforum
President Trump poised to pardon Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, sources say
April 13, 2018, 08:36 AM
JALLENPresident Trump poised to pardon Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, sources say
The president has already signed off on the pardon, which is something he has been considering for several months, sources told ABC News.
The move would mark another controversial pardon for Trump and could raise questions as an increasing number of the president’s political allies have landed themselves in legal jeopardy. The White House has repeatedly said that no pardons are currently on the table for people caught up in the Russia investigation.
Early in his term, Trump pardoned controversial former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio after he was found guilty in July on criminal contempt charges stemming from his refusal to stop imprisoning suspected undocumented immigrants.
Libby was convicted in 2007 of lying to the FBI and obstruction of justice in the investigation into the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame, a former covert CIA operative. Then-President George Bush commuted Libby's 30-month sentence, sparing him prison time, but didn't pardon him.
After Libby claimed that he couldn't have been the source of the leak, multiple people came forward to testify that they learned of Plame's identity from Libby prior to when Libby said he had first received the information.
At trial, Libby claimed to have simply forgotten he actually learned about the identity from Cheney a month before he said he had.
Since the conviction, Libby has since had his law license restored and former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell restored his voting rights in 2013.
Many conservatives have been urging a pardon for Libby, including attorneys Joe diGenova and his wife, Victoria Toensing.
Link
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown April 13, 2018, 09:17 AM
smschulzGood.
April 13, 2018, 09:19 AM
craigcpaBad! He outed an operating CIA Agent. He should never get out.
==========================================
Just my 2¢
____________________________
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right ♫♫♫
April 13, 2018, 09:47 AM
JALLENquote:
Originally posted by craigcpa:
Bad! He outed an operating CIA Agent. He should never get out.
Nonsense.
It has been well established that Plame was not an undercover agent and that her identity was not entitled to that protection, and that she was “outed” by Richard Armitage, not Libby. Read the articles.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown April 13, 2018, 09:55 AM
craigcpaUtter nonsense. Scooter wasn't a "fall guy", he leaked Valerie Plame's name. Regardless of her employment designation, her activities were covered by law for public dissemination purposes.
The facts remain Scooter was jailed for something he did, illegally. Period. Spin it how anyone wants, but his history of penalty for those facts remain unchanged. Period. Stop defending a liar and a felon!
==========================================
Just my 2¢
____________________________
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right ♫♫♫
April 13, 2018, 09:57 AM
JALLENquote:
Originally posted by craigcpa:
Utter nonsense. Scooter wasn't a "fall guy", he leaked Valerie Plame's name. Regardless of her employment designation, her activities were covered by law for public dissemination purposes.
The facts remain Scooter was jailed for something he did, illegally. Period. Spin it how anyone wants, but his history of penalty for those facts remain unchanged. Period. Stop defending a liar and a felon!
Those aren’t the facts.
Judith Miller was on Fox this morning about this.
A gross abuse of justice.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown April 13, 2018, 10:00 AM
BigboreshooterGood. He should be pardoned. He should never have been tried in the first place.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luke 11:21
"Every nation in every region now has a decision to make.
Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." -- George W. Bush
April 13, 2018, 10:10 AM
craigcpaEasiest to document:
Wiki - yeah, I know. 
On March 6, 2007, Libby was convicted of obstruction of justice, making false statements, and two counts of perjury. He was acquitted on one count of making false statements. He was not charged for revealing Plame's CIA status. His sentence included a $250,000 fine, 30 months in prison and two years of probation. On July 2, 2007, President George W. Bush commuted Libby's sentence, removing the jail term but leaving in place the fine and probation, calling the sentence "excessive."[45][46] In a subsequent press conference, on July 12, 2007, Bush noted, "...the Scooter Libby decision was, I thought, a fair and balanced decision.
He lied. Yes, Amitrage was the person identified as the one who outed Plame, but Libby lied and was convicted for it.
As for Plame's status:
"Although the CIA will not publicly release the specific dates of Plame's employment from 1985 to 2002 due to security concerns,[14][16] Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald affirmed that Plame "was a CIA officer from January 1, 2002, forward" and that "her association with the CIA was classified at that time through July 2003.[17] Details about Plame's professional career are still classified, but it is documented that she worked for the CIA in a Non-official cover capacity relating to counter-proliferation."
==========================================
Just my 2¢
____________________________
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right ♫♫♫
April 13, 2018, 10:13 AM
parabellumThe actual crime is a grown man calling himself "Scooter". Is he a Goddamned puppy?
April 13, 2018, 10:41 AM
Scoutmasterquote:
Originally posted by craigcpa:
Utter nonsense. Scooter wasn't a "fall guy", he leaked Valerie Plame's name. Regardless of her employment designation, her activities were covered by law for public dissemination purposes.
The facts remain Scooter was jailed for something he did, illegally. Period. Spin it how anyone wants, but his history of penalty for those facts remain unchanged. Period. Stop defending a liar and a felon!
Sorry cpa, the only one spinning stuff here is you. Now are you going to tell me debits are on the right?
Compare Libby's treatment with that of Sandy Berger, who hid classified, possibly incriminaging Clinton documents in his underwear.
"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it....While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it"
- Judge Learned Hand, May 1944 April 13, 2018, 11:30 AM
FlashlightboyIIRC, Plame's work was disclosed, discussed and made known to the neighbors by either Plame herself or her husband.
Disclosure of something already disclosed isn't what got Scooter in trouble.
April 13, 2018, 12:06 PM
JALLENAs long asxwe go to Wikipedia,
quote:
On August 28, 2006, Christopher Hitchens asserted that Richard Armitage was the primary source of the Valerie Plame leak and that Fitzgerald knew this at the beginning of his investigation.[128] This was supported a month later by Armitage himself, who stated that Fitzgerald had instructed him not to go public with this information.[129] Investor's Business Daily questioned Fitzgerald's truthfulness in an editorial, stating "From top to bottom, this has been one of the most disgraceful abuses of prosecutorial power in this country's history...The Plame case proves [Fitzgerald] can bend the truth with the proficiency of the slickest of pols."[130]
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown April 13, 2018, 12:23 PM
Mr.9mmLibby was convicted of an FBI "Process Crime". Nothing more. Ask the same question enough times until you get a different answer, then indict the subject for lying. FBI at its finest.
April 13, 2018, 12:27 PM
zipridersonquote:
Originally posted by Mr.9mm:
Libby was convicted of an FBI "Process Crime". Nothing more. Ask the same question enough times until you get a different answer, then indict the subject for lying. FBI at its finest.
Isn't that what happened with Martha Stewart? She wasn't indicted for insider trading - she got busted for lying.
April 13, 2018, 12:28 PM
nhtagmembergood - another right answer
[B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC
April 13, 2018, 12:29 PM
BamaJeepsterExcellent. It's official now:
As noted, the key witness against him recanted - he didn't do what they accused him of doing so they got him for a 'lie'. BS.
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
- John Adams April 13, 2018, 12:32 PM
Mr.9mmquote:
Originally posted by zipriderson:
quote:
Originally posted by Mr.9mm:
Libby was convicted of an FBI "Process Crime". Nothing more. Ask the same question enough times until you get a different answer, then indict the subject for lying. FBI at its finest.
Isn't that what happened with Martha Stewart? She wasn't indicted for insider trading - she got busted for lying.
Yep. Same "Process Crime".
April 13, 2018, 12:37 PM
TigerDorequote:
Originally posted by JALLEN:
quote:
Originally posted by craigcpa:
Bad! He outed an operating CIA Agent. He should never get out.
Nonsense.
It has been well established that Plame was not an undercover agent and that her identity was not entitled to that protection, and that she was “outed” by Richard Armitage, not Libby. Read the articles.
Agreed, JALLEN. Justice has now been done, at least as much as it can be done this far after the fact.
April 13, 2018, 12:47 PM
Scoutmasterquote:
Originally posted by Mr.9mm:
quote:
Originally posted by zipriderson:
quote:
Originally posted by Mr.9mm:
Libby was convicted of an FBI "Process Crime". Nothing more. Ask the same question enough times until you get a different answer, then indict the subject for lying. FBI at its finest.
Isn't that what happened with Martha Stewart? She wasn't indicted for insider trading - she got busted for lying.
Yep. Same "Process Crime".
I believe correct, Libby was busted because they asked him a question, he answered. And a few years later they asked a similar question, his answer was slightly different (maybe context, maybe recollection/memory issue after the years of gap?). Thusly he "lied".
And correct with Martha. She was clearly guilty of insider trading, but they nailed her for telling a lie. My angst was that she was not under oath when they questioned her, and they didn't read her her rights (ie, the feds did not comply with law as well). I concluded that the prosecutor did a deal with Martha's atty, something like "we can get her for insider trading, but it will go easier for everyone if y'all agree to Plan B".
"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it....While it lies there, it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it"
- Judge Learned Hand, May 1944 April 13, 2018, 12:50 PM
JALLENquote:
Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
Excellent. It's official now:
As noted, the key witness against him recanted - he didn't do what they accused him of doing so they got him for a 'lie'. BS.
The “key witness” who recanted is Judith Miller, reporter for the NYT who, it will be recalled, was sentenced to jail for contempt for refusing to disclose sources. Eventually, with Libby’s release, she testified before the Grand Jury, and at trial. Now she has changed her story, something about misinterpreting her notes, and not being asked the right questions causing her to mistakenly testify about what Libby actually said to her.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown