Comments on: Where There’s Smoke…

By: ds

ds — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Interesting that the very first sentence of the indictment lists Libby as first working for Bush:

defendant I. LEWIS LIBBY, also known as Â“SCOOTER LIBBY,Â” was employed
as Assistant to the President of the United States, Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States, and Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs.

By: ReddHedd

ReddHedd — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

mk — It is possible. And I wouldn’t take anything off the table as a possibility in this. It is truly high stakes poker to pressure someone into spilling in order to earn a plea. And when you consider the calculus that Libby has to take in — can he trust Cheney? Rove? is he going to live to even have a pardon considered if he has to do hard time? Will he live to see his grandchildren outside of through a thick piece of glass? So many, many things to think about.

By: mk

mk — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I wonder if Fitzgerald is holding espionage charges over Libby’s head to get him to talk? For example, if he doesn’t give up more information he will indict on the espionage charges (as others have said, that would be a hard charge to get a pardon for). Although if he gave up Cheney, Bush wouldn’t pardon him at all.

I am not a lawyer, so I don’t know if a such a scenerio is possible. I am just speculating wildly. LOL

By: michael72

michael72 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

another great post redd hedd, thanks.
the battleship bush league is going down.

By: Kathi

Kathi — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

On second though, maybe it’s not so much the tin foil hat thing, and more the OLD thing, but I’m getting confused about which particular article I’m commenting on and I’m getting dizzy!

By: ReddHedd

ReddHedd — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Nell — not really. In the end, it is primarily up to the prosecutor and the sentencing guidelines. Judges have very little leeway on sentencing in Federal Court. (I think Jeralyn did a piece on this in the last week or so on TalkLeft as well.) Libby would be sentenced in accordance with the counts to which he plead, within the guidelines range in which he falls, and would only get any sort of downward departure from the guidelines if the prosecutor recommended it — and that won’t happen without some substantial cooperation on Libby’s part.

By: Nell

Nell — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Okay, the only way for Libby to avoid giving out more information is to plead to the whole thing (hoping for a pardon in late 2008-early 2009).

But the judge will be Reggie Walton, he of the ’screw Sibel Edmonds’ history. In a case where the defendant pleads guilty to all counts, who determines the sentence? How much influence does the prosecutor have? Isn’t it in the end all up to the judge?

By: OhioBlue

OhioBlue — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Kathi - glad you cleared that up. Although I don’t always agree with everything Raspberry writes, I was amazed that someone could consider him “one of them.”

As for Saffire, he’s a card-carrying “them” member.

By: Kathi

Kathi — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

gimme a break, I’m old!

By: Kathi

Kathi — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Redd
read my last post;}