Repeat after me: obstruction of justice. Why? To protect the secrets and lies of the Bush Administration and Vice President Cheney. Tony Snow brought this up in this morning’s press briefing: “questions about Joe Wilson’s veracity”…blah…blah…blah. It’s the spin cycle all over again from the White House, to try and obscure a simple truth — the Bush Administration and their various minions and apologists are the liars.
And I’m fairly certain that Dick Cheney wrote Tony Snow’s talking points on a cocktail napkin, because he has been stumbling over himself and blathering on and on…and doing the White House no favors in the process.
Josh Marshall gets this exactly right:
From day one this story has been about official lies — corrupt power buttressed by fraud. Along the way it became a story about the president’s hireling commentators who lost their honor by becoming part of the fraud. What Wilson said was true. His attackers are all parties to the same lie. Don’t forget that.
This is, and always has been, about protecting the asses of the powerful for all of the lies that they told and continue to tell the American public. President Bush’s commutation of the Libby prison term is just one more instance of the ongoing obstruction of justice. It is that simple.
This is what the Democrats need to be saying today — over and over again — “obstruction of justice.”
Now, go read KagroX and Kung Fu Monkey, and keep hitting the phones and doing the work. We continue to fight because the nation is depending on us. And more of David Shuster please — thanks to C&L for posting the video of this.
(H/T to reader *xyz for the TPM link, to looseheadprop for the KagroX link, and to Atrios for mentioning obstruction.)
Related posts:
- New White House Counsel Bob Bauer and Scooter Libby Justice
- OLC: Grand Obstruction Party Still Obstructing Dawn Johnsen’s Nomination
- As Justice Stevens Winds Down, Will Obama Continue Court’s Trend to the Right?
- The Bush Fairy Tale on the Libby Pardon
- Does Obama Policy Allow Politicized Contact Between White House and Justice?
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yo
hello? Phoned everyone I could think of so far and am composing a letter to the editor.
Snow is a liar.
Millineryman has made a postcard for us to send. Email him at username @mac dot com
It’s a beaut.
Christy! Rock on!
From the last thread…good one, Mad Dogs!
yea! someone just asked about “obstruction of justice”.
EPU’d
Snow just said that nobody ever petitioned for clemency – the prez just did it on his own
Hi Christie,
First, let me thank you for all you have done on the Plame/Libby case. Your coverage has been outstanding.
Given the short period of time between now and the next Inauguration Day, I think we need to focus our efforts on two things: removing Vice President Cheney from office and neutralizing Karl Rove. These two men have been a horrible influence on President Bush. Cheney is better suited to be a Communist Party apparatchik under the old Soviet system than the vice president of a democratic republic. At the very least, Rove should be stripped of his security clearance. Obviously, he cannot be trusted with state secrets.
It is time for new adult supervision of the president.
I know this will anger many of your readers—and maybe you will disagree also—but I personally think it would be counterproductive (due to the short time frame) to impeach Bush. For all his posing and strutting about, at bottom Bush understands he is too inexperienced and uninformed to act on his own. Left entirely alone, he only makes boneheaded decisions (e.g. Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court). With the right kind of adult supervision, I believe Bush can be coerced into good behavior for the remainder of his term.
Let’s face it: impeachment is impossible without the cooperation of some of the Republicans. We need to convince our friends across the aisle that Cheney is too toxic to leave in place. I suggest we promote the idea of a suitable replacement for Cheney. This should be a person of stature such as Sen. John Warner or Sen. Richard Lugar, neither of whom is running for president in 2008. These two gentlemen are respected by members of both parties—for their character and their foreign policy expertise.
As for Rove, I think Democrats should concentrate on revoking his security clearance. Bush will never fire him. But without a clearance, Rove is done.
Its supposed to get warm over here today.
I can already feel the heat coming off of Christy.
Thank you Mrs. Redd Hedd.
Snow: “btw, Karl was not accused of breaking any laws”.
jayt @ 8
Of course he did. He is, after all, “The Decider”.
Snow: “Rove didn’t break in to the National Archives and steal things”
When will Armitage be indicted for the original crime?
Marc Rich
FALN
Contributions for Pardons
SnowJob trying to obfuscate.
Truth: Bush hijacked the judicial process.
One conservative’s perspective on Giuliani, the former prosecutor, supporting the commutation. The moral game of Twister they’re attempting to play takes its toll.
Watching the Snow presser thru Washington post.com and the anger in that room is PALPABLE!!. I mean they are pissed off!. Tony lies about every other sentence and the group jumps down his throat. About **cking time!!
If you are pissed off..do something positive..send money to FDL.
Here’s my letter to the Washington Post:
After months of minimizing Scooter Libby’s crimes on its editorial pages, the Post now claims to be discomfited by President Bush’s commutation of his sentence (”Too Much Mercy”, July 3). Not for the first time, the editors dishonestly claim that prosecutor Fitzgerald “never demonstrated that a crime occurred”, ignoring that Libby was convicted for obstructing the investigation that would have resolved the question. However, if the editors sincerely believe this was all politics or a runaway prosecution of a nonexistent crime, a pardon would be appropriate acknowledgment of what the Post has in the past called “A Good Leak”. Instead, they prefer to play Goldilocks with the sentencing, too fond of Libby to see him incarcerated for thirty months, but too squeamish about being outright scofflaws to approve Scooter skating. Tellingly, they do not directly criticize Reggie Walton, the judge who presided over the case, by name. Evidently they have just enough sense of shame to refrain from maligning one more public servant on top of their past smears of Fitzgerald and the Wilsons.
Snow said that he wouldn’t discuss Rove, because questions may still arise under investigation.
EPU’d, but appropriate given Christy’s post title:
Mad Dogs @ 225
Tony Snow doesn’t look very happy today. That’s what you get when you serve as the Mouth of Sauron Tony. A rotten to the core conscience.
-GSD
I am still speechless. Although I am waiting to see if that bit about the DOD politicals, Cunningham and MZM and domestic spying for Cheney that both Josh and EW are watching will now come to the fore. Will the commutation be the finger that was finally pulled from the dike?
Remember Martha Stewart??? As for punishment for Scooter, can one imagine that he has not received a huge payout from “Black heart…You don’t know” Dick? Can GB2 commute the death sentences of the 3,500 soldiers and the Iraqi collateral damage? That would be appreciated.
This is how to speak out in this country:
http://freewayblogger.blogspot…..tland.html
Can’t do it all by myself – though I’ll keep trying.
He got special handling, because,
You don’t have to consult DOJ, because you just had to read the blogs and watch TV….to know what happened to Scooter…it was so “public”…
(my wording)
Reporter just called Snow flippant!
Snow, smartass – “yeah… I’ll apologize for the leak…”
Bush didn’t carefully consider jack. Some think tank put this together for Cheney to give to Bush. Period.
Is Armitage ever going to be charged?
Morning Joe Scarborough was in rare form this morning spewing his Wilson is a liar! tp ad nauseum.
and I shcoked myself when I realized I had started to tolerate his “insights”.
No Snow, You are setting up a “false distinction” here!!!
exactly!
coverup works too.
now, how many of our D congress critters have used those words in public? i haven’t heard any yet (although my rep. mcgovern says he will)…. if we can get any of them to start using this language, then i say we get to do a happy snoopy dance for each and every one.
EPU’d from the previous thread before I leave for UCLA film (they used to call it “fill ‘em”) library & a day in teh research:
I’m telling you folks who get busy sigs, no answer, full voice mails, etc.- if you have access to a fax, it’s the way to go. That paper is a piece of tangible evidence they get of your opinion on this matter. Just Google the office/person you want to contact: 10-1 odds you can ascertain one or more fax #s to use in expressing your displeasure @ the Libby commutation…
The banana running our republic has turned this country into a banana republic!
Tony SNow is REALY blathering right now……”there are questions about the providence of the case”????? Joe Wilson’s veracity?
Mitigating circumstances? Tony “apologizes’ for outing V. Plame? He is really flustered, lol.
Snow: “for THIS crime, THIS crime, This crime – the punishment was too harsh…”
The president decided it was too much for “this” crime.
Reporter: You are insulting our intelligence!!
OMG. Reporter asks whether the American people are owed an apology for outing a CIA agent. Snow rolls his eyes. Reporter repeats question. Snow says, “OK, I’ll do it (gives her the back of his hand) “Done”.
un-fucking-believable.
I *really* hate these bastards.
not to be mean, but maybe Tony’s illness / treatment took the edge off his game
The Press corps is pissed. It’s about time.
In boxing, when you open a cut on your opponent’s face, you keep punching the same cut – over and over and over – until he is bleeding so profusely he cannot proceed.
Bush’s decision to commute Libby’s sentence also opened a cut, and that cut is called obstruction of justice.
We must keep repeating “obstruction of justice” over and over and over again.
The obstruction of justice angle is Bush’s most vulnerable point – a self inflicted wound.
Repeat “obstruction of justice” it in every call you make to your representatitives.
Repeat it every time you discuss Bush’s pardon.
We must be unified in this message.
My question for Tony Snow:
How is the coverup going?
I doubt it…it doesn’t look like he “intentionally” outed anyone.
On top of that, it looks like he told the truth when asked about his actions. That’s all Libby needed to do to have avoided this whole thing.
Damn, I wish the press had this much cojones during the lie-up (lead-up) to Iraq.
Jeez…at least Snow admitted it was “a crime.” That’s one step in the correct direction on a long journey.
Obstruction of Justice.
Impeach!
Listen, Snow has a lot of natural empathy for Scooter Libby. They are both inveterate liars.
Hey, Tony, as Bobjoe says, the underlying crime is the Iraq war. Got that, Goebbels?
The problem with Libby’s crime is that it is too “sophisticated”, too complex for lizard brains to understand. Now if he had sold dope or or screwed a young boy, then he would have been guilty of a real crime and there would have been no argument.
AnnieW @ 41
So if Plame were really a “covered agent” under the law and was “outed” by someone who didn’t “intentionally” out them and told the truth then that’s okay?
Capitalnews.org
There is a poll whether Bush will suffer political damage..
Hi all.
At least now we know the answer to those questions about where bigtime was while jr. was paddling around his frozen anchor.
S’pose that was poppy’s idea to wait for the rows garden bit? or is bigtime so goosey about any kinda media these days, he hand-scribbled the order and personally shoved it in the deciderererer’s hand as soon as he slithered outta the helicop.?
I gotta good upsidedownflag pic taken in our front yard – sent it to Siun for consideration. Very tasteful, if I do say so.
Would be honored if the goddesses could find a use for it. ;->
are we really surprised by any of this?
And the eventual pardon down the road?
did anyone ask was there Quid Pro Quo?
Not one minute in jail/prison?
Thanks Laura. Anyone who is interested, there are 3 pdf’s of postcards for your use with the Oath of The President on it.
One with the flag upside down, one with the flag in a standard position, and one with the just the oath.
email me at my username at mac dot come if you’re interested.
But Snow kept saying a crime. No, buddy, four crimes. Four!!!!
Lets set the table for impeachment and serve up Justice with a side order of Freedom and a whole lotta Truth flowing.
This is why I get so pissed off.
Altough I am impressed with the quick response from Senator Murray, the ‘Take too much time from Congress’ meme is infuriating.
Dear Mr. Bustednuckles ( name redacted)
Thank you for contacting me about impeachment proceedings for President Bush or members of his Administration. I appreciate hearing from you about this serious issue.
As you know, Congress may remove the President, Vice President, and any Civil Officer of the United States from office through the impeachment process. According to the Constitution, the House of Representatives may impeach an official on charges of “Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors” (Article II, Section 4) to remove the individual from office. Only two sitting Presidents have ever been impeached: Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. No sitting President has been convicted and removed from office.
Recently, Washington state legislators in Olympia introduced resolutions that called for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. State Senator Eric Oemig (D-Kirkland) was the sponsor of this resolution, Senate Joint Memorial 8016. However, since State Senator Oemig’s resolution was at the state level, it would have had no binding impact on the impeachment proceedings at the federal level. The State Legislature adjourned without taking action on this legislation. In addition, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) has introduced House Resolution 333 (H.Res. 333) in the U.S. House of Representatives, which calls for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney. The U.S. House of Representatives is the only legislative body with the authority to begin impeachment proceedings of the Executive Branch.
I share your serious concerns and frustrations with the direction that President Bush and his Administration have been taking our country, both at home and overseas. I am troubled that Congress has been denied a chance to hold hearings and to bring accountability to this Administration. Now that Congress is under new leadership, we finally have that opportunity, and Congress is using the oversight process aggressively to get the facts to help our country move forward. We have held more oversight hearings of the Administration’s handling of the Iraq war in the first few months of the Democratic control of the Congress than the Republicans did since the war began.
I believe the best way to alter the direction that our country is headed in is to focus on fixing the current problems. At both the state and federal levels, there are many issues that require our attention, discussion, and action, and will require the President’s active involvement. I am concerned that progress on health care, education, and veteran’s care would all be put on hold and would not be fixed if Congress solely focused on impeachment proceedings.
Be assured, I believe that the Congress must hold the Administration accountable for their actions and decisions, and I look forward to the upcoming hearings and investigations that are occurring in the 110th Congress.
Thank you for sharing your views on this matter with me, and I will be sure to keep your thoughts in mind as the actions of President Bush and his administration are reviewed.
I hope all is well in Washougal.
My bold.
Go vote:
http://www.capitalnews.org/
Snow says that the sentence was too harsh given the circumstances but then he won’t go into what the circumstances are or how they are different in this case from other perjury and obstruction cases.
Shorter Snow: The President had a very good reason to do this. I just can’t tell you what it is. (Because it doesn’t exist.)
202-456-1111
202-456-1414
been busy at the WH for the last two hours.
keep dialing for dollars.
Mr. Peabody @ 38
Maybe Tony’s illness should jump to another ‘host’ !!
We will get somewhere when we hear outrage from rank and file Republicans. I am looking for a statement from my rep – Lamar Smith.
I just called congressman Chaka Fattah’s office, where I used the talking points from the previous thread.
Chaka Fattah’s staff told me they “weren’t sure if the Congressman believed in the rule of law.” The woman actually had to ask someone else before she came back and said “generally speaking, yes.”
No lie. I shoulda recorded the conversation.
I just got an email from Howard Dean trying to raise money for the DNC off of the Scooter Libby situation.
How can we tell these people that they’re not getting our money unless they actually do something about Bush’s obstruction of justice?
Here’s some of Dean’s email:
“Yesterday, despite overwhelming public opposition, President Bush commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby, the former White House Chief of Staff to Vice President Cheney who was convicted by a jury of lying about a matter of national security. As yet another example of the elitist attitude that defines Republicans in Washington, he shamelessly put partisan loyalties before the fundamental American value of fair and equal justice under the law.
Bush doesn’t care that Libby was convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced by an experienced federal judge, and he doesn’t care that Libby’s sentence was well within the sentencing guidelines set by Congress. He once again ignored over 70% of the American public and disregarded the legal process — this time to help someone who has friends in the right places.
We can’t stand for this, and that’s why we’re doing something to change it. We may not be able to change the President’s decision, but we are fighting back — we’re working day and night to take back the White House in 2008 so that we can put an end to just this type of nonsense. Contribute now to help us change things in Washington:
http://www.democrats.org/FelonFreed
epu’d:
CBS News reporting “The White House refuses to rule out a full pardon for Scotter Libby”. From Tony Snow.
There it is folks…the rubbing of salt in the wound, as the saying goes.
The official Presidential portrait of George Bush is now the photo of him flipping-off the camera (i.e flipping-off America)
adder:
Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. calling for impeachment (like him or not, he’s a respected voice in the African-American community)
Hugh @ 46
Invertebrate is more like it.
Good news via “The Nation” magazine: Jesse Jackson Jr (D-IL) has just come out in favor of impeachment. It seems that some of our Representatives don’t need a phone call, because they already understand their obligation to the Constitution and the people.
Baking Impeachment Brownies as I type this; cannot wait to put them on the table.
IANAL or a judge, but still the phrases “appearance of impropriety” and “conflict of interest” kinda spring to mind, don’t they?
And wouldn’t they lead an honorable person to say, “Scoot, I’m really sorry, but I have no choice but to recuse myself from this decision.”
We ought to emphasize that Bush has done this to protect HIMSELF, as Marcy did in her analysis. We ought to emphasize it A LOT, as in, “the cowardly act of a guilty man”.
I think that the “brains” behind the commutation were very smart (though I abhor all that they stand for). This action prevented Libby from serving jail time and, at the same time, allowing him to plead the 5th amendment if he is called to testify by congress.
I’m guessing that at the end of his term Bush will also pardon Libby because then he would have lots of his rights restored.
Would he be able to get his license to practice law reinstated?
EPU’d from last thread:
For MN folks:
Biodun @ 235
*xyz @ 64
Shumer is sending out a similar one. I wrote back “No money until impeachment is on the table”
Nope, if you’re wealthy, at least you have a chance at claiming that you’re an addict, go to rehab and get probation. At least where I live. And for drug possesion, did you hear any on the right calling for Rush to do time?
As for young boys, while discussing the Foley scandal, I remember listening to the FAUX crew saying that Clinton slept with teenagers, too. Monica was in her 20’s but fact never matter.
For the spin machine, there is almost nothing that a Republican should be held accountable for.
The Leakers commuted the Prison Sentence
of the guy that held up the curtain of Lies
to keep the Leakers from being seen.
Self-Protecting Obstruction of Justice
by the President and Vice-President
of the United States of America.
Bush is saying he
and his loyal minions
are above the Law.
Bush lied
us to War.
Treason
CrankyMom: Armitage didn’t know Valerie Wilson was a covert agent. And who told Armitage that Valerie worked at the CIA and neglected to tell him she was covert and that the info was classified? Our pal Scooter.
Folks:
Free Fax Online.
Marcy Wheeler explains Obstruction of Justice:
http://commentisfree.guardian……again.html
Good morning, everyone:
After a long night of tossing and turning, after having written to elected representatives, I’ve finally come to the conclusion that it’s pointless to continue.
The country as a republic is lost.
This is the last gasp you’re hearing. But there is no impeachment that’s going to be forthcoming. There is no one to administer “justice” or whatever quaint notion of impartial and apolitical process SHOULD, but IS NOT happening.
We’re all just pawns to be used by all of them – Republicans and Democrats alike.
There is no organized dissent. The blogosphere is probably the noisiest, but it’s impotent without leadership.
Where is the leadership?
Complete and total corruption in the White House.
Republicans who are allowing the Constitution and the rule of law to abscess and bleed instead of putting country before party, and Democrats who are doing exactly the same thing.
The majority of Americans are blind to what’s happening. If they tune in at all, they are fed the poisoned stew of political hackery and propaganda instead of objective reportage. They are so busy trying to get by and get theirs that they are blind to the country’s sinking into a morass that’s unrecoverable.
There isn’t any point in continuing on as usual. This is not business as usual. It’s a bloodless domestic coup and the Army is being bled dry and occupied elsewhere.
No one is willing to stop it.
Gunga Djinn @ 65
Like this?
That would certainly include David Brooks, sullying today’s NYT.
Things are grim indeed if Brooks is considered “mainstream.”
Bustednuckles @ 54
You might ask him which he thinks is more important defending the Constitution or a specific piece of legislation. Bottom line: Is he willing to stand up and impeach those who have debased the Constitution and who have committed high crimes and misdemeanors or not? If his first duty is not to defending and preserving the Constitution, why is he in the Congress?
Last comment for Cranky Mom (who should know better, even from the blogs she regularly frequents), I didn’t say it was right….but as you well know, the way the law was written you have to do the deed intentionally.
BTW, How did Armitage come by this information? Hmm?
I said this downstairs
I am thinking the CIA is going to release some very embarrassing information in retribution for what the administration just did to their rank and file
AnnieW – My bad. You are right – Everything is OK IYAR. I keep thinking of Snarky’s mom being hauled off to jail, but then she wasn’t rich and didn’t have those connections.
I hope that C&L has the clip of Tony Snow *literally* giving the question of an apology for betraying a CIA agent the back of his hand.
And Scarborough calling Joe Wilson a “scumbag”. (maybe KO could do the latter?) JoeScar caught himself in *just* the nick of time before letting out his true feelings for Olbermann – maybe Keith won’t feel such a need to hide his.
Something for Olberman fans with cable to look forward to tonight,
http://www.crooksandliars.com/…..t-preview/
The worst person in the world AND a special comment on the treasonous bastard.
Gnome de Plume @ 50
We need to stop talking in terms of Libby’s crime being obstruction, lying, etc. It was treason. He deliberately exposed a secure CIA operation dedicated to stopping the spread of WMD’s plain and simple. So did Rove, so did Cheney and probably Bush. Traitors all. That is simple to understand and true.
I need some editorial advice. Is this too much to send to my pinhead congressmen/woman? I don’t want them to think I’m a nut!
“Dear *:
I am writing, again, to ask for your support in upholding the laws of the United States of America, re-establishing Habeas Corpus, and protecting our constitutional republic!
This can be relatively easy to do by simply UNDERTAKING ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AND CONVICTION BY OUR CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP!
This administration has resisted/obstructed legitimate investigations in practically every department and circumstance! And upon conviction by their PEERS (you remember, US CITIZENS!), the sentence is commuted! With the common knowledge of their misrepresentation, ‘lack of documentation’, or the outright refusal to remit documentation, I fail to understand how you can not justify IMMEDIATE REMEDIAL ACTION?
They have been less than reasonably ‘transparent’ in their conduct, have manipulated and/or used knowingly fraudulent documents to justify their inhumanely destructive decisions (oh, if this weren’t so dramatically true! Abu Graib, Guantanimo, waterboarding, invading a sovereign nation, killing thousands of American Military Citizens and Iraqi citizens), or followed the ‘advice’ CONVICTED CRIMINALS (that would Ahmed Chalabi who, by the way, was an Iraqi refugee for 40 years. Remember, he’s the guy that was convicted in abscentia in Jordon for embezzlement)!
This administration has knowingly violated the confidence of federal agents, terminated dedicated AG’s without legal justification or in direct violation of our laws, and currently obstructing justice in both situations! And we haven’t even begun to discuss the tragedies that have transpired for thousands citizens here that they have neglected (ummm, that might be New Orleans, for example)!
What is it going to take? Most of you are trained attorneys!
Please! Please! Please! Uphold the position you were elected to serve! This is NOT merely a political crisis- it’s NOT about being a Democrat or a Republican! IT IS ABOUT REPRESENTING THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AND OUR CONSTITUTION! AND NOT JUST DURING THE ‘ELECTION YEAR’!
Hugh @ 59
Au contraire mes ami Hugh! Both Junya and Deadeye had very good reasons for Libby’s commutation. That was the only way they could continue the coverup!
Fitzgerald knows full well that the real fingerprints on this crime were Deadeye’s and Junya’s.
If Scoots had to go to jail, he might have broke under the strain and gave ‘em up.
If Scoots got a Pardon, he’d have no 5th Amendment right, and would have to give ‘em up again to Fitz, Congressional investigations, and even to the Wilson’s civil suit.
No, the plan all along was for a commutation. That way Scoots has no jail-time, and still has his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination (the $250K fine is peanuts that will be paid by the Scoot’s Groupies – aka – his Defense Fund).
This was the only way for Junya and Deadeye to keep the pot from boiling over.
All of this will go on the backburner the minute the U.S. attacks Iran.
They are ramping it up.
While we fight about Libby’s situation, the very situation that caused the entire Plame retaliation, is happening again.
They are concocting a war based on contrived evidence.
We have to pay attention to this.
Hugh,
I have to wait a few minutes to cool off, but I think I will use your words verbatim.
Thanks.
Ps,
She is a she.
*xyz @ 63
Yeah…and last week they used Cheney’s declaration of non-executive status as a plea for cash.
Frankly, I’m getting sick of it.
I don’t think I’m alone when I say I don’t feel anger so much as exhilaration about this, and optimism. The justice system did, in fact work, at every stage upheld by Republicans, no less. Bush had to use his exceptional constitutional powers to trump, and thereby obstruct ultimate justice, but now he and his stand exposed, if not to the optimal remedy of impeachment, then at least to infamy.
Bustednuckles @ 55
i think the last six months have shown us that no significant legislation is going to get passed by this congress or this president. the best that can be hoped for is that bad legislation get stopped.
it’s all kabuki. and what your senator just told you was that kabuki is more important than defending the consititution. pathetic.
realworld @ 72
that’s how we have to play this, unfortunately.
grow a spine and you’ll get some $.
realworld @ 87
No, Libby’s crime was obstruction. The treason was Cheney’s crime. Make that clear.
selise @ 92
Selise is right on – there is no legislating with that dolt in the White House. What the heck is Murray thinking? (who is a she, BTW)
Posted to the prior thread, but it needs to be heard here:
Thanks!
http://judiciary.house.gov/contact.aspx
PLEASE CONTACT THE JUDICIARY
Let them know you want Impeachment proceedings. Here’s what I sent if you want to copy/paste it in.
I am writing to urge this committee to consider begining Impeachment procedings upon the President and Vice President of this country.
It is clear to me, after careful review, that they are conspiring to break the laws of our country. Their blatant disregard for your committee, Congress in general, and the American people has gone on long enough.
If this is allowed to continue then it is the Congress of these United States that is enabling this abuse of it’s citizens.
IT MUST STOP. The clemancy of I Scooter Libby is the absolute last straw in contempt for the rule of law. Make your presence heard.
Please begin the proceedings now, do it out of principal not out of politics.
Here is a statement by Roy Blunt:
“President Bush did the right thing today in commuting the prison term for Scooter Libby. The prison sentence was overly harsh and the punishment did not fit the crime.” — House Republican Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri.
Here is Roy Blunt’s office number: (417) 889-1800
I just called and spoke to a gentleman in his office who feels that it is okay the Scooter Libby doesn’t have to face the consequences of his actions. Please call and share your opinion on that talking point. Be careful though the people answering the phone are well versed in the usual blathering about why the prosecution of Libby was unfair. Armitage was spewed out pretty quickly.
We must create consequences for anyone in office who thinks that this is okay.
Per Rawstory (my links don’t work)
Spector:
“Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter called President Bush’s abuse of the signing statements an “unconstitutional attempt to usurp legislative authority.” He introduced his Presidential Signing Statements Act of 2007 on Friday, according to the Capitol Hill newspaper.”
Re: bile from last thread:
FDLers:
We’re all pretty frustrated and angry right now specifically because of what Bush did yesterday, not to talk of all the other BushCo crimes of recent years.
But please: Don’t take out your frustrations and anger on your fellow FDLers. Your fellow FDLers are your colleagues and comrades. They’re not your enemy. The real enemies are out there. And we know who they are.
Should I be disheartened? I got through to House and Senate members’ offices without having to dial twice. I was hoping they’d be flooded with calls and there’d be a long wait on hold if I did get anything other than a busy signal. Didn’t happen.
At least it did take some time to get through to the White House.
LS @ 101
Arlen suffers from a strange medical condition by which he wakes up with the semblance of a spine only to have it turn to jelly by the time he makes it to work. In the end, he’ll vote against his own bill….
Liberal Heart @ 102
No, I wouldn’t be disheartened. Biden called for people to flood the White House with calls. I think that’s where most people are focusing their anger currently.
LS @ 90
By all means, pay attention, but it’s out of our hands. On the other hand, the power’s not all in Cheney’s or Bush’s, either. They have been “ramping up” the war for a year, abortively. In that same time, in the wake of the ISG we’ve had:
– Britain refuse to sign on to an attack on Iran and Blair’s removal from power.
– A threat of “mass resignations” from the U.S. military in the event of an attack.
– Fallon’s refusal to deploy the third carrier (about to be deployed now, but it still hasn’t happend).
Cheney is going down. The power is being pried from their cold, dead hands. Meanwhile, the dauphin is grounded in Kennebunkport (literally, too: the imbecile got his anchor caught on the rocks).
great job on DemocracyNow by Marci Wheeler:
http://www.democracynow.org/streampage.pl
I called Blount’s office too – thanks for the number, pwright
brendan @ 104
You actually just made me feel better.
N=1@71N=1 @ 78
Sorry but that is a load of crap. I know it feels like we keep getting in the teeth, but if we all give up they win.
It is that simple, if we quit, they win. If we don’t stand for the principals of our Republic, they win.
Do not let them win! Even if it is hopeless, we have to rage against the dying of the light! We will not go gentle into that good night! Hell no! We have to go kicking and screaming and generally making a spectacle of ourselves!
If we fight, we might loose, that’s true. But if we do not fight, then we are sure to loose.
I don’t know about you, but I am going to keep taking my shots until I am stopped. Now, com’on get up there and fight! Together we are stronger than these guys.
If we don’t fight, they win. So, what do you want to do?
Ugh, I just had to grit my teeth and write to Sen. Holy Joe.
Here is what I just sent the HJC:
Dear Judiciary Committee:
I have never been as angry and dismayed at my government as today, and that includes the Watergate/Nixon years, which I remember well. With the President’s commutation of Libby’s sentence yesterday, it has simply become clear that obstruction of justice is taking place in the White House. The highest members of this administration have been, I believe, involved in criminal activity and simply do not believe that the law applies to them.
Undermining Habeus corpus is bad enough, wiretapping citizens, rolling back Brown decision — I really fear for the republic.
If impeachment is really impossible due to lack of votes, some kind of investigation/exposure still must be done. Please take action, for the good of the nation! Thank you.
brendan @ 106
Great.. so his is where it’s going to end up… all of our allies deserting us (except Albania) and open mutiny in the military…. but the theoneocon base will be happy.
Marie Roget @ 34
And I’ll still be faxing from there. Despair/inaction is not on any table…
I posted VIDEO of Tony Snow’s “apology” to the American people…hey leaking happens all the time in Washington.
Speaker. I want action. Do not disappoint.
WASHINGTON – The White House on Tuesday declined to rule out the possibility of an eventual pardon for former vice presidential aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. But spokesman Tony Snow said, for now, President Bush is satisfied with his decision to commute Libby’s 2 1/2-year prison sentence.
–
WHile N=1’s rant higher up there is pretty spot on, i’d disagree on the claim that most Americaners are blind to what is afoot. I’d guess that most have a pretty well honed view of the sad, stupid, evil hypocrisy that’s eaten thru the place… it’s just that they know deep down in their hearts and minds that there’s nothing to be done. So they go off to enjoy the waning days her in the eroding Lap of Luxury.
Gnome de Plume @ 62
I’m not holding my breath to hear from him even though I have already e-mailed and will be calling his local office shortly.
So Mike Viqueira, a reporter for MSNBC, was just on TV and referred to Patrick Fitzgerald as Peter Fitzgerald three times. Chris Jansing who was at the host desk didn’t seem to know that was incorrect information. I am calling MSNBC right now and asking them to start doing some basic homework: Peter Fitzgerald – former US Senator for IL / Patrick Fitzgerald US Attorney of IL and Special Prosecutor of the CIA Leak.
How hard is that?
The White House comment phone line has been busy all morning. Here are some other White House phone lines to use. (First numbers faxes, second numbers phones.) All info below obtained via Raw Story from the web site at:
http://www.correntewire.com/ca…..ut_scooter
“Most of the numbers in the Directory match what I’ve been able to glean from open sources, so it looks authentic. The offices are taken from the White House site , and the numbers are formatted like so: 1-202-555-1212 / 1-202-555-1212 , where the first number is via internet search, and the second, italic number is from the Directory :
The offices included in the Executive Office of the President.
Council of Economic Advisers: (202) 456-1414 / (202) 395-5084
Council on Environmental Quality: (202) 395-5750 / (202) 456-6224
Office of Administration: (202)456-7921 / (202) 456-2861
Office of Management and Budget: (202) 395-4840 / (202) 395-4840
Office of National Drug Control Policy: (202) 395-6738
Office of Science & Technology Policy: (202) 456-6021 / (202) 456-7116
President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board: (202) 456-2352
United States Trade Representative: (202) 395-7360 / (202) 395-3230
The offices included in the White House Office.
Domestic Policy Council: (202) 456-1111 / (202) 456-5594
Homeland Security Council: (202) 456-1700
National Economic Council: (202) 456-1414 / (202) 456-2800
Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: (202) 456-6708 / (202) 456-6708
Office of the First Lady: (202) 456-7074 / (202) 456-7064
Office of National AIDS Policy : (202) 456-7320 / (202) 456-7320
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board: (202) 456-1066
USA Freedom Corps: 1-877-872-2677 / 1-877-USA-CORPS
White House Fellows Office: (202) 395-4522 / (202) 395-4522
White House Military Office: / (202) 757-2151
And the Vice Presidential Entity, whatever branch he ends up in:
Shooter: (202) 456-9000 / (202) 456-1414
Shooter’s Moll, Lynne: (202) 456-7489
Naturally, if you call the White House to express your disapprobation in the matter of I. Lewis Libby, you will be courteous, and remember that our public servants have important work to do.”
I want impeachment hearings brought against the Vice-President!
oregondave @ 80
Brooks is not so much mainstream as an idiot. If he didn’t have White House talking points to regurgitate, he would be struck mute. That Libby is a convicted felon wounds poor David’s sensibilities. How unfair! That an experienced lawyer and national security expert should lie and obstruct justice in the investigation of a flagrant breach of national security in a game of political payback, well how much more trivial can you get than that. Brooks doesn’t want Scooter to go to jail because jails weren’t made for people like Scooter and Brooks. They were made for people like you and me, you know the little people, the people who don’t count, the people who need to be kept in check.
Brooks is at the NYT. He’s on the NewsHour. He’s here. He’s there, but everywhere he is an idiot. How have such mindless, sycophantic dopes come to dominate our discourse? Not because they have anything intelligent to say but rather because they promote and defend the powers that be.
I’m very anxious to see KO’s special commentary tonight. I wonder how furious he’s going to be with these hypocrites.
President Bush on Plame Leak, October 7, 2003:
“I mean this town is a — is a town full of people who like to leak information. And I don’t know if we’re going to find out the senior administration official. Now, this is a large administration, and there’s a lot of senior officials. I don’t have any idea. I’d like to. I want to know the truth. That’s why I’ve instructed this staff of mine to cooperate fully with the investigators — full disclosure, everything we know the investigators will find out. I have no idea whether we’ll find out who the leaker is — partially because, in all due respect to your profession, you do a very good job of protecting the leakers.”
Liberal Heart @ 103
Of course you shouldn’t be disheartened. This is the way things are. 300,000,000 honest citizens made to live by one set of rules, and 3 or 30 living by another.
If you don’t understand divine rights, you’ll certainly never understand life in our monarchy.
gesh…
you don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.
good luck with the phone calls.
in the 1770’s, how many letters do you think were written against the tyrannical English before we said FU?
does it matter? no, it doesn’t, because nothing changed until people got out of thier normal routine and PHYSICALLY fought against what was oppressing them.
we are being oppressed. it’s indisputable.
Thunderbird@ 121
Thunderbird @ 121
He will call for thier resignation. I think that this will really help keep the story alive
realworld @ 72
Got the same email- gave the same response. Not a single dime until Impeachment proceedings begin.
Here’s a terrific editorial by the Detroit Free Press. I’ll just quote the final two paragraphs (with link to the original) – they sum it up very nicely:
Detroit Free Press editorial on the commutation of Libby’s sentence
Just called the White House and boy do I feel good! It was difficult to stay calm, but I kept reminding myself that the person answering the phone had nothing to do with the commutation. Their jobs are to take messages.
Now to call my rep and senators. Are people calling the DC offices or local offices, since congress is on break and everybody’s in their home district? I suppose it doesn’t matter, really.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 120
Yeah, I used to want that too, but I’ve recently changed my mind. 1 in 4 people still like Bush, nobody likes Cheney; we should force him to stand in the light for awhile. Bush needs to go, the buck ultimately stops with him.
What I wrote on Schumer’s petition to Little Boots:
“You said you made this decision because the amount of jail time was excessive. That simply can’t be true. If it were, why not decrease the sentence, or commute it after an appropriate amount of time had been served?
Aside from this obvious deception, there’s the significant matter that Mr. Libby was convicted for his role in covering up highly questionable actions IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Any kind of pardon or commutation is just more cover-up.
You are a public servant, sir. You and Vice-President Cheney are, according to our precious Constitution, accountable to ‘We the People.’ This is wrong and outrageous.”
I also made my own postcards incorporating Reader *xyz’s talking points and a lovely photo of a set table on the front. Will go buy stamps right after I make those calls. Grrrrrr.
Check out some reactions in Newspapers per Thinkprogress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/…..als-libby/
Need a laugh?
Idiot Son of an A**hole – NoFX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kakfPNuLVl0
Hugh @ 118
he LOOKS smart though. That’s all that matters.
Bill E. @ 124
I know he’s going to do that. I’m curious if we’re going to see a new level of anger, even higher than his New Orleans commentary or his Rumsfeld commentary. I think this might have been the last straw.
Liberal Heart @ 102
Started my calling around 6:45 CST last night. Pelosi’s mail box was already full. Got through to Reid, Emmanual, Leahy though.
So far, some of the roots-CT folks seem to be into the idea of a joint op-ed published in a local paper.
aki @ 128
Impeachment shines a light. And regardless of whether we get impeachment, it’s important to establish it as a parameter for debate. After that we can set another parameter: treason and war crimes trials.
OK …
Is anybody ready for the scary version ? The “underlying crime” of outing Valerie Plame Wilson had little to do with Her husband’s brilliant OP-ED piece exposing Cheney et.al. for leading us to war.. THAT was simply a bonus. The White House must have thought they woke up from a wet dream, when THAT little tidbit was thrown their way. Outing Valerie was necessary to go to war all right.. but it was not the Iraq war that this traitorous act was intended to facilitate.. No people it is the IRAN war that required the dissolution of Brewster-Jennings. Look at what has happened before and since the coup of 2000. The PNAC Regime KNEW they could BS the Americans into supporting a war with Saddam, because he had been such a poster-child bogey man for decades. What they REALLY want is a war with Iran, and the foremost authority on Iran’s nuclear weapons program was.. you guessed it.. Brewster-Jennings. This is exactly what they did in order to justify invading Iraq, they knew Saddam did not have any WMD’s or even a WMD program. If they had allowed the UN inspectors to complete their work and issue a report staing so,, How could the justify invading ? they could not.. and therefore lose the opportunity to fleece American taxpayers billions and billions of dollors going to all the corrupt cronies of the PNAC, Cheney.. and their ilk.
No people, we are just seeing the close of the opening act I’m afraid.. Right now this regime is doing exactly the same thing regarding Iran as they did Iraq just prior to invading.. demonizing
that country with dubious accusations.. (think about what’s been “leaked” to the corporate media about Iran’s involvement in the latest attacks on our soldier’s)..
I feel totally insulted that these PNAC fasist think we are stupid enough to fall for the same trick TWICE…
E&P – reactions
http://www.editorandpublisher……1003606531
President Pelosi.
It is time.
mui @ 109
Left a voice mail for him last night asking when I can expect to see him on Meet The Press to discuss his “Bi-partisan” assessment of the rule of law. Are we all subject to the same laws and consequences or not? Does he agree with an administration under investigation commuting the sentence of a convicted collegue?
midwestvoter @ 126
Yes. Chores first, then allowance.
midwestvoter @ 142
Haven’t seen his recent rx yet. But he’s said some gee-gosh “we should let bygone by bygone” before.
Kabuki. I am more convinced that this is all kabuki, designed to keep us from digging further.
Toensing’s spouting about no underlying crime? Shiny object.
Matalin’s similar protestations? Shiny object.
Letters from all of Libby’s peeps begging for poor family man Scooter to be let off lightly? Shiny objects.
All the Wurlitzer spewing the same chant, “Free Libby!”? Shiny objects.
None of these was an attempt to persuade in truth; they were generated only to cover the truth that Bush would find a way to keep Libby from squealing any further about Bush’s and Cheney’s role in the outing of Valerie Plame and the launch of an illegal war.
Dollars to donuts they’ve done the same thing with Alberto Gonzales, too; made a bunch of noise about the left attacking poor hapless Abu G. when the truth was they would never allow Abu to be put in a situation where he would ever testify against the White House or the OVP.
If only it were as simple as publishing the Pentagon Papers or busting a couple of crappy plumbers-cum-burglars…
brendan @ 138
My point was to impeach Bush not Cheney. There is a satisfying symmetry to having Bush’s political career mirror his corporate career.
Democrats in Congress. Do the job. This is make or break in this house.
Money talks.
We are being taxed without being represented by these criminals in the WH and the enablers in Congress.
I wonder what would happen if a couple million citizens just didn’t send in their taxes? Would THAT get their attention?
I agree with John Dean. There is a strong case to made for the impeachment of Cheney.
Mojo at #137:
The theory is premised on a coincidence. That Joe Wilson just happened to show up and give the pretext to burn Plame. Moreover, they already had a tried method for accouting for intelligence that undermined a case for war: suppressing it. PNAC’ers, neocons — whatever you want to call them — engage in enough criminal conspiracy; there’s no need to unduly credit their perspicaciousness when they succeed quite well enough through tenacity and improvisation.
I was also surprised by the editorial posted by The Arizona Republic – a traditionally conservative paper, formerly controlled by Dan Quayle’s family, but now owned by Gannett. It is titled “Shame on You, Mr. President”
A snippet:
Rayne @ 145
Well they’re like a family crime machine with tentacles reaching everywhere. I guess we crime busters have to run here and there and everywhere.
call 202) 456 – 2861 which is the office of the administration and tell them you want to leave a comment for the president, otherwise you will get a busy signal on the normal line, call early and often
Democrats. Some of us who voted for you last fall are beginning to question what we have gained.
Theothers @ 127
Call Roy Blunt’s office: (417) 889-1800
We need to make it uncomfortable for any politician that thinks this is okay and Roy Blunt came out with a big thumbs up for this travesty.
HiFive @ 14
Libby’s obstruction essentially foreclosed THAT! Libby would not fess up to the REASONS he was assigned to reveal Plame’s identity as a CIA agent to journalists and those not “in the need to know” within the Administration.
Of course, Bush had months to withdraw Armitage’s security clearance and even fire Armitage. He did nothing. Same with Libby…recall that Cheney knew that he told Libby Plame’s identity…and then assigned him to discuss classified information to journalists regarding Wilson.
I recall that Republican talk-show hosts were incensed about this…Libby was the one that worked out the deal. So I guess now it’s okay? So is outing covert agents and their operations and exposing their sources to danger something to be sniggered at? YES, Plame was covert and had been abroad on undercover CIA operations more than 7 times in the year and a half between 2002 and the Novak exposure of her role as a CIA officer in 2003.
They served decades in jail. Libby didn’t spend one minute for obstructing an investigation into the exposure of a covert agent for political purposes by an OFFICIAL OF THE US GOVERNMENT…one who swore to obey the Constitution and laws…and was authorized a “security clearance” and violated that repeatedly…and lied to a Federal Prosecutor and Federal investigators.
Pardons for Silence and Covering up what “The Pres.” asked Libby to ‘put his neck in the meatgrinder’ to do. If what Libby was doing was legal or ethical what risk did he face? Why didn’t the WH simply call a Press Conference and reveal Plame’s identity at that?
Hmm! Because it WAS ILLEGAL? And they knew and discussed it? “Wilson’s wife was “fair game” according to Rove!
This commutation is designed to soften us up for the pardon.
Mojo @ 139
Yep, I’ve said this on occasion here for months!
I think all Americans should be REQUIRED to read the Declaration of Independence tomorrow….. especially the part:
Back in the day, Americans knew how to deal with assholes named George. Today, not so much!
Nola Sue @ 131
Nola–
Can you share that design? A pdf?
From AP:
My bold. Any jail time? Even one week? One day? He did not see fit? Outrageous. There’s no f*cking king in this country.
Bush has blatantly obstructed justice of an obstruction of justice conviction.
He has just passed the buck to himself.
If this Libby business is left unaddressed by the Democrats, then my party can kiss ‘08 goodbye. We will be labeled weak. Deservedly so.
landofthefree @ 151
There’s also someting particularly pusillanimous, and tactically weak, about the half-measure of commuting the sentence instead of pardoning. At least there-was-no-crime-pardon-him is a coherent lie. And with commuting the sentence Bush only half rips off the band-aid; the smelly pus of the pardon still awaits the public.
im4mary @ 88
You should write what you think. I would suggest mentioning high crimes and misdemeanors early on. A few typos: Guantanamo and absentia. Also “is currently obstructing”.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 154
No need for a pardon. Libby’s “defense fund” will take care of the $250k fine and there’s several 7-figure job opportunities out there from companies profiting in Iraq because of Scooter’s handiwork. Being a convicted felon just drives his asking price up. He will be well taken care of.
landofthefree @ 151
ooooh! well said.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 156
No it wasn’t. This was designed to cover Bush & Cheney’s butt.
This prevents Scooter form testifying before Congress. He can still claim the 5th, with a pardon, he couldn’t.
This allows the White House to not comment on an ongoing case…it’s still in appeals.
It’s chickenshit and in their best interest…the pardon will only come after the 2008 elections.
yes there is.
It was said many times last night that with the kitten king’s poll numbers so low he feels liberated, unless he and the other flying monkeys feel some real heat. What will his majesty choose to do next, I have not the heart or the stomach to speculate. I just hear the song Groucho sang in “Duck Soup”; a line which states “if you think the country is screwed up now just wait till I get through with it”. And now to drunk dialing the White house.
I want Mr. Fitzgerald to haul Libby in; give him immunity and force him to tell the truth.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 161
Every Democratic candidate has addressed it, in strong terms. It’s up to us to make the condemnation stronger, by dinning the concept of Bush’s “obstruction of justice” into their heads.
midwestvoter @ 127
Got the same email- gave the same response. Not a single dime until Impeachment proceedings begin.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 169
I used to disagree, now I’m beginning to see the argument.
Four felony convictions.
Hijacking of the judicial process.
Coverup inside the White House.
oh, and including Obstruction of Justice.
theExile @ 158
you got me wondering if we’re dealing with tarnished silver or sick pewter here, as it were.
The fact that Bush had the “right” to commute Libby’s sentence does not protect Bush from what he has just done to himself by doing that.
I wonder if Cheney is sitting back laughing thinking he’s off the hook, since he may have advised Bush to obstruct justice.
No matter how they try to justify this; Bush just committed Obstruction of Justice.
Katie Jensen @ 168
Just because he’s behaving like one doesn’t make him one. This is a republic, not a monarchy.
The American people have been taken to the cleaners (by a cheap and obvious blackmailer) by small time hood. Libby.
radiofreewill @ 74
This is my new signature for my personal account (can’t use it for business ’cause my stockholders would fire me) but I’ll use it early and often in my personal communications.
mui @ 151
Yeah — and that includes following presidential candidate Fred Thompson, who has Cheney’s imprimatur in more ways than one. He wouldn’t be on the Scooter Defense Team if he wasn’t blessed by Cheney or a subscriber to Cheney’s evil machinations. Thompson should be putting up a firewall between himself and a known criminal, and yet he hasn’t made any effort to do so. Why is that?
BTW from Scooter’s defense fund site:
Bite me.
Rayne @ 180
that’s actually creepy to wonder about.
Even more outrageous is the fact that Bush committed his obstruction of justice (by commuting Libby’s prison sentence) during the week of the 4th of July.
Putie caught the big fish yesterday, but Bush might have snagged himself, while letting a smaller fish go. This may end up playing out just fine.
Talk talk talk. I want more than talk from my party. Much more.
Perris @ 83, I’m waiting for the CIA folks to weigh in one way or the other. Preferably, the other.
Schicklgruber and his fascists live.
Biodun @ 183
just another flip of the bird
AnnieW @ 44
He did apparently conceal his discussion with Woodward about Plame (before he ranted on about her to Novakula)…so that’s TWO “unintentional” actions of exposure to journalists (which usually is probative of INTENT). So he continued in his job for several months without resigning…and telling the President about his “leaks” and fessing up who HIS SOURCES were. Oh wait, he said LIBBY told him…even though he was NOT in the “Need to Know” circle.
In fact it’s not really clear WHY the OVP and State Department needed to know anything about Plame.
Wilson was perfectly qualified to interview former Niger officials that he had already had contacts with. He had served in Niger in the diplomatic corps, and had been ambassador to another Uranium producer (Gabon) and the potential end-source (Iraq).
This was all laid out in Novaks article…so his sources knew it. Still they had to suggest that Wilson’s wife was the real reason…even though she was not in charge of the operations division that sent him, and had no power to assign him to go. The decision was made by others at a meeting that she didn’t even sit-in on.
In fact, Wilson had successfully exposed an IRANIAN effort to obtain yellowcake from these same officials some 2-3 years previously on a prior CIA mission.
Nothing goes foward until Abu G. is impeached. Period. Thoughts?
It’s trivial, but this puts that Richard Cohen piece last week in perspective. In tandem with today’s “Too Much Mercy” editorial, it was a good cop, bad cop routine.
“Party” my ass. Grand Old MOB.
jayackroyd @ 172
What else can we do? The only thing that matters is money. If we say no more money until action, in enough numbers, they will listen.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 185
We need more harsh statements followed by hollow threats and inaction.
*ilbo @ 189
Even Abu seems smaller fish at this point.
Bush can commute a sentence legally, but he can’t obstruct justice legally. He has admitted Libby lied and obstructed justice. By commuting the sentence, Bush is now the obstructer.
The Decider decided to become the Obstructer.
Rayne @ 145
No doubt. The rabid left cries FOUL. The rabid right says, there was no underlying crime. The left retorts with, that’s because he was convicted of OBSTRUCTION, you oaf, so Fitzgerald couldn’t get past Scooter to uncover the underlying crime.
Well, I don’t like the way that particular kabuki continues to play out…as if Scooter is the only lynch pin in the whole apparatus. I don’t buy it. When the rabid right points out the Karl was never indicted, they have a point. And why was that. The whole investigation could not have been stonewalled simply by Scooter, could it. If it could, then Cheney and the boys are brilliant strategists…and judging from the current ’surge,’ that’s not terribly likely.
I know Fitz was described as ‘cautious,’ but is it really the final curtain of this kabuki that several years of investigation results in no more than what the Chimperor can sweep under the rug in an afternoon?
Joe Wilson is the only one who’s shown any real backbone in this whole debacle. I suggest anyone who wants to take some real action, go to his and Valerie’s website and DONATE!
btw, feel free to click my name/link and look at today’s post and image. My little blog doesn’t usually wear its politics on its sleeve, but it does today.
Just heard on CNN: Bush says he will probably totally pardon Libby.
I just called my senators and congressman with the three points on this site. I made the strong statement that this IS an obstruction of justice. I connected my political network in Nevada with three clear points to state to the same three players. OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE!
shrubya taking questions – cnn…
Rick DeVille @ 196
I liked what you had to say today.
Bush has a that deer in the headlights look…
*ilbo @ 190
He’d be roadkill to a Cheney/Bush impeachment express.
Bush: “I made a
calculatedconsidered judgment. “Bush on TV – when asked about the decision “he made”, he is lying through his teeth. Blinking extremely rapidly – I have never seen him blink like that…ever.
He did not make this decision. It was made for him. Cheney probably just threw Bush under the bus, hoping everyone would run to impeach Bush and not himself, so he could make the final coup and become POTUS. JMHO
I love the conflicting stories the wingers need to hold in their heads on this one.
Valerie Plame was a glorified secretary, a nobody.
Valerie Plame had the power to determine who was sent to Africa to investigate WMD’s. She had the authority to tell the head of a CIA department who should be the investigator.
If they can’t get their minds around this concept, their little heads explode and they automatically start shouting “Sandy Berger! Sandy Berger! Marc Rich!”
Tony Snow on commutation video. Unreal:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..54804.html
Hugh @ 59
Oh a reason exists all right, but telling what it is would be admitting to the underlying crime.
“not going to protect one staffer and sacrifice the guy this Pres. asked to stick his head in the meat grinder because of the incompetence of others.”
Why does the media always miss the BIG picture?
Cheney’s Smokin’ Gun Pointed At Bush…
Fresh thread, up and running for everyone.
Question for Shrub: Would you have commuted Benedict Arnold’s sentence?
just yesterday, the president claimed
that mr. libby’s punishment did not
fit the crime. that simply is
not borne out by any reliable
evidence. to wit:
courtesy of talkingpointsmemo, we
learn of an aging war vet, with 25 years
of honorable military service, in failing
health — and he is a law enforement worker
to boot! — sentenced to 33 months
for two (not four!) counts of felony perjury
before a grand jury, investigating a gun
company case — rita v. u.s. — the
opinion was published june 21, 2007:
. . .The basic crime in this case concerns two false statements which Victor Rita, the petitioner, made under oath to a federal grand jury. The jury was investigating a gun company called InterOrdnance. . .
– justice breyer’s purality opinion,
in rita v. u.s., 551 u.s. ___ (2007)
and, from usa today reporting:
. . .The justices upheld a 33-month sentence given to Victor Rita for perjury and making false statements. Rita is a 25-year military veteran and former civilian federal employee. . . The prison term falls within the guidelines range and was upheld by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, answering the question of whether sentences within the guidelines ordinarily will be considered reasonable. . .
mr. libby’s sentence was at the low end of the guidelines.
so — where are we on the commutation of
the sentence of VICTOR A. RITA, mr. president?
seriously — i propose a FREE RITA campaign!
let’s get on it folks – if bush really
did this solely because the sentence was
excessive — LET’S GET ALL OVER THIS!
let us put the lie to mr. bush: he
simply did it to avoid scooter’s almost
certainly-coming-squealing, from a jail-
cell, about the involvement of cheney and
bush in the c.i.a. leak case.
Cheney will not let go of his grip on power. He cannot get elected. He may resort to getting Bush dumped, stepping in, and then never leaving. His behavior lately is in line with this.
The Neocons are not planning to give up their power.
Cozumel @ 203
I’d like to see the goods they’re holding over his head see the light of day. Of course, I personally couldn’t watch.
Nancy Pelosi will come to rue the day she took impeachment off the table.
She had no right to cripple the Constitution like that!
She has, essentially, told America that high crimes will go unpunished.
Call her, goddammit!
Get mad at her do nothing attitude!
From the Brooks’ babbling:
Joe Wilson and I differ a lot on politics but it really gets me that Brooks denigrates Wilson in this way. As our top diplomat in Baghdad in the run up to the First Gulf War, Wilson was face to face with Saddam Hussein and stood up to him. If Brooks had been there, he would have been cr*pping in his pants.
SFWill @ 197, Bush cannot pardon Libby if Bush and Cheney are impeached. Another good reason for impeachment.
I, too, am tired of the money grubbing of the Democrats every time democracy takes a hit. What would it cost to do what these jokers were elected to do? I once e-mailed Reid after his plea for bucks that money is not the answer. Ha ha. Addressing Reid is an exercise in futility.
Had a call a few days ago asking for a $100 contribution for one of the candidates. Just like that. In what world do these people live?
As stated above, Wilsons are the best investment in democracy.
AnnieW @ 78
I don’t know how Armitage came by the information. Did he ever testify under oath as to how he happened to be in possession of the tidbit he told Novak?
Now that the President got that out of the way, they can start planning the Medal of Freedom ceremony.
Didn’t Caligula make one of his horses a Senator ?
Elliott @ 175
Tomorrow we celebrate a document for which the signatories placed their lives and careers on the line. I wish that the current bunch in Congress had half the cajones those guys did.
“The history of the present King [George}… is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
…
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
[George’s signing statements and his arbitrary remission of Libby’s sentence despite it being in accord with all laws and the judgement of a jury, the sentencing judge and several levels of appelate courts and judges]
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
…For protecting [his agents that violate the laws], by a mock Trial …”
Sally @ 217
Not sure of that…but impeachment would preclude Libby and any other impeached individual from serving in government ever again, and remove any “emoulement” of office (pension, staff, even the title of their former job) that they would be able to use or obtain otherwise.
It’s the one thing that is the RESPONSIBILITY of Congress to do when an individual acts unethically. Given his conviction Libby, and other individuals within the Administration, would be ripe candidates for impeachment.
Bush can’t overturn, commute, or pardon someone for an impeachment conviction.
Think about it – what choice did Bush and Cheney have? If Scooter went to the pen he would surely sing, sing, sing. If they offed him a serious investigation would come down on their criminal heads. So Bush commuted from “excessive” to ZERO. He has nothing to lose. They aren’t brilliant. They operate with a criminal mind and that is hard for honest people to emulate.
CrankyMom @ 218
I don’t know how many times Armitage “testified”. He was interviewed by the FBI and by Fitzgerald. He volunteered the information that he had spoken to Novak. Apparently, Armitage’s story panned out, didn’t have inconsistencies.
Armitage learned about Plame by a freakin’ memo that Scooter put out to the State Dept. disclosing Wilson’s wife worked over at the CIA.
Even though that it was a classified memo that should have not been leaked, it was still pretty reckless for Scooter to keep letting more and more people (especially inveterant gossips) know of Wilson’s wife. Nobody at the State Dept. needed that info any more than reporters did.
*ilbo @ 214
Yes Bush evaluated the cost of having Libby squealo (and the loss of his support by the “true-believers”…vs. commuting Scooters sentence and holding their support…but losing the 75% of the rest of the country.
The calculus is pretty simple, actually.
The 25% is better than it dropping down below that if Libby squealed about Cheney and Bush’s involvement.
And even the Repugs in Congress know that their only chance is to hold up the charade…if Libby said that Cheney/Bush deliberately outed a covert CIA officer…they’d have even greater losses than if they try to spin on the head of a pin.
So we are going to see folks like David Brooks, Richard Cohen, and endless other apologists making the most absurd contortions of logic about how perjury isn’t all that important to punish and that the President does this sort of stuff all the time to every perjurer and individual who reveals national security information inappropriately to journalists ;-)
Yup, they need Libby available as soon as possible so he can start brewing a case for war against Iran.
Thankfully, Wolfowitz is available now to help as well.
Sally at 217:
I would love for them to be impeached but it really doesn’t seem likely at this point.
Bush’s arrogance is not to be surpassed but it seems to be growing when he will announce that he is considering a full pardon in light of the outrage and uproar his commutation has/is causing.
CrankyMom
Check out May 29, June 6, June 10 and June 12
http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Plame_Leak_timeline
Armitage ‘outs’ Plame on June 13 to Woodward, who is also a gossip – since it was deemed to be ‘unintentional,’ there was no IIPA violation.
However, Rove’s confirmation of Armitage’s carefully orchestrated ‘re-outing’ on July 8th to Novak WAS intentional – Rove knew that Novak was doing an expose that would name Wilson’s wife and her job, and call the trip a boondoggle.