2007-07-02 Libby bail-out

Overview

George W. Bush's presidential commutation of Scooter Libby's jail sentence was one of the more brazenly corrupt actions of an already brazenly corrupt administration, publicly revealing a glimpse of its deep hypocrisy.

Bush's statement that he believes "the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive" flies directly in the face of the administration's repeated claims of punishing those who do wrong and upholding the principles of freedom and democracy, as well as Bush's own sworn oath to defend the US Constitution; it is clear that such accountability only applies to those who are not under the Bush administration's protective wing, and "freedom" has an implicit "(for us)" attached.

When Bill Clinton lied under oath about his personal life, the Republican majority went to the ends of the earth trying to prosecute him for it (and failed, because he told the truth where it was relevant). When One of their own people lied under oath about the betrayal of a man's wife – a betrayal which caused her life to be endangered, revealed a classified secret (her identity as an undercover agent) to enemy states and possibly risked the revelation of other secrets (if she were captured as a result) – said betrayal made in sheer childish revenge (at best) for her husband's failure to stick to the party line – the neoconservatives calling themselves "Republicans" get in line to call for forgiveness and compassion.

Links

Opinion

• 2007-07-05 Next, A Libby Pardon by The Seattle Times
• 2007-07-03 Scooter’s partial pardon... and so begins the "Pardon Tsunami" by David Brin: discusses again several possible explanations for Bushco's apparent belief that they can get away with this sort of thing indefinitely, including the Scudder scenario (Possibility #2). (With reader comments.)
• 2007-07-02 L33T Justice: The Bush administration has found the gaming "exploit" in the US's system of government.

News

• 2007-07-03
  • Bush Libby move angers Democrats
  • Bush not ruling out Libby pardon