H/T To Bryan for this link: Â
Former President Bill Clinton criticized President Bush on Tuesday for commuting the prison sentence of I. Lewis Libby Jr. and tried to draw a distinction from his own controversial pardons.
In Iowa to promote the presidential candidacy of his wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Mr. Clinton was asked by a radio host, David Yepsen, “You had some controversial pardons during your presidency; what’s your reaction to what President Bush did?”
“Yeah, but I think the facts were different,” Mr. Clinton said. “I think there are guidelines for what happens when somebody is convicted. You’ve got to understand, this is consistent with their philosophy; they believe that they should be able to do what they want to do, and that the law is a minor obstacle.”
“It’s wrong to out that C.I.A. agent and wrong to try to cover it up,” Mr. Clinton added. “And no one was ever fired from the White House for doing it.”
Mr. Clinton pardoned 140 people in the final hours of his presidency, including Marc Rich, the fugitive broker who had been charged with evading tens of millions of dollars in taxes, and who was the former husband of a top donor to Democrats and Mrs. Clinton’s first Senate campaign.
Rather than tread lightly on the Libby commutation, the Clintons have chosen to confront it; Clinton advisers said there was no real alternative, because the news media would bring up the Rich pardon anyway.
Bryan adds:
They’ve chosen to confront it they way they choose to confront everything–by lying, dissembling, and then going on the offensive.
Just let the record show that Mr. Clinton is a perjurer who had his license to practice before the Supreme Court taken away. Let the record show that he sold pardons to his rich friends. Let the record show that he’s still a brazen liar. And let the record show that it was his pal Sandy Berger who stole sensitive documents from the National Archives, hid them under a trailer, then took them home and destroyed them to cover up something that the Clintonistas didn’t want going public, and remember that Berger’s actions made the 9-11 Commission’s work incomplete, and we’ll never know what he covered up. And let the country remember the missing Rose law firm billing records that mysteriously turned up in the Clintons’ White House residence, and all the rest of that sordid mess that the Clintons drag around with them like a trailer park full of skeletons wherever they go.
 White House Reacts to Clintons’ Comments
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House on Thursday made fun of former President Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, for criticizing President Bush’s decision to erase the prison sentence of former aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby. “I don’t know what Arkansan is for chutzpah, but this is a gigantic case of it,” presidential spokesman Tony Snow said.
Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., has scheduled hearings on Bush’s commutation of Libby’s 2 1/2-year sentence.
“Well, fine, knock himself out,” Snow said of Conyers. “I mean, perfectly happy. And while he’s at it, why doesn’t he look at January 20th, 2001?”
The POTUS did not pardon Libby:
“My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby,” Bush said in a statement. “The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting.”
The president’s action means that Libby’s conviction still stands and he is still required to pay the $250,000 fine ordered by a federal judge.
Bush’s full statement. “Mr. Fitzgerald is a highly qualified, professional prosecutor who carried out his responsibilities as charged.”
One would think from this and this that he pardoned Marc Rich by the reactions:
Senator Harry Reid, Democratic Majority Leader, called the commutation ‘disgraceful.’
“The President’s decision to commute Mr. Libby’s sentence is disgraceful. Libby’s conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq War. Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone,” Reid said in a statement. “The Constitution gives President Bush the power to commute sentences, but history will judge him harshly for using that power to benefit his own Vice President’s Chief of Staff who was convicted of such a serious violation of law.”
Obama: ‘This is exactly the kind of politics we must change’…
Fred Thompson: ‘I am very happy for Scooter Libby’…
FLASHBACK: List of Clinton Pardons…
My Reasons for the Pardons By WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON
Hillary: ‘In this administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice’…
MSM Ignores Higher Placed Clinton Officials’ Conviction to Tout Libby’s:
Henry Cisneros was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, appointed to that position by president Bill Clinton. Cisneros, it should be remembered, was convicted in 1995 on 18 counts of conspiracy, false statements and obstruction of justice. And, I’d dare say that Libby, who only worked in the office of the Vice President, was a minnow in the pond in which Cisneros swam. Cisneros was the Secretary of HUD, after all, a presidential cabinet member!
Naturally, on his way out of the White House in 2001, Clinton pardoned Cisneros.
Bryan has more as does:
- Just in: Bush to Commute Libby’s Sentence « TMQ2
- Ed Driscoll.com
- SCOOTER FREED !! SCOOTER LIBBY COMMUTED!! : 186k Per Second
- Bush Commutes Scooter Libby | Stuck On Stupid
- ProudConservative.com – The Blog Portion
- BREAKING NEWS: Scooter Libby’s Prison Sentence Commuted! « Blogs 4 Brownback
- Bush Commutes Libby’s Prison Sentence » The American Mind
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Diary of the Mad Pigeon, The Random Yak, DeMediacratic Nation, Stageleft, Right Truth, The World According to Carl, Webloggin, The Pink Flamingo, The Amboy Times, Pursuing Holiness, and Adeline and Hazel, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
One would think from this and this that he pardoned Marc Rich by the reactions:
Well yes, if Libby was a real criminal, and Bush had been paid to fully pardon Libby, AND they both were Democrites, well then there would be no comment at all from the MSM, the talkingheads, or the Democrites. Because that would be okay…
doh! Why didn’t I think of that:razz:
This is a great day. Justice was done just before a very special Independence Day. Scooter Libby is an American hero. He should be celebrated, not sentenced.
“Well yes, if Libby was a real criminal…”
He is a real criminal…perjury was a crime, last I checked.
That said, look for the full pardon at the end of the term.
Ted…he didn’t commit perjury. First and foremost he told the truth, Armitage leaked her name BUT Fitzgerald just couldn’t let it go. So he went on and on until time passed and Libby had a more vague story and more of our tax dollars were wasted. It’s an injustice that Libby was prosecuted and even moreso that Bush didn’t give him a full pardon. This is one thing I totally think Bush is wrong in.
Acually he did commit perjury by legal standards..there was no reason to question him though, as Fitzgerald knew 2 months prior that it was Armitage who had leaked it..How did he know it? Armitage told him
5.
“Ted:he didn’t commit perjury.”
Yes, he did as Peejz so aptly pointed out.
Honestly, I’m tired of these guys not doing time. He and Clinton should be cell mates.
If he would only grant the same to those two border patrol agents as much as this wacko:cool::idea:
I’m not at all suprised that Bush would do this.
It’s just a tossed bone to his fans (which are getting smaller and smaller with each passing day).
How about a pardon for two border guards in prison and doing lot’s of time for shooting a drug dealer? how about a pardon for people this government has put in prison for doing the job in iraq? the list of real pardon’s are long but who really cares about Libby bitch?
Peejz,
I don’t see the reason for the reference to Clinton. Is like, “for any fault that the opposition does/did, we’ve got one for free”?
Well Ted, I would like to see Sandy Berger get some time as well.
11, Mattias, the same Deomcrats who are criticizing Bush for commuting Libby’s sentence were silent or calling for FULL pardons for Cisneros and other Democrats like Marc Rich. We are highlighting the double standard here.
12.
I whole heartedly agree.
8.
I agree too- I wish he would give them pardons.
11.
The reference to Clinton weas to pont out the crookedness of both parties and just how similar they are to each other.
11. I don’t wish to speak for Peejz, but our legal system is based on precedent for the most part. Acts by a previous administration are very relevant to the discussion.
15- Drake,
I know (from one of my legal tutors) that the US jurisdiction is based upon a “case law” principle- so you are right.
But this only works for the idea “what is allowed and what is not allowed”. It can not justify the idea “one crook slipped through the system, so another has some right to slip as well”. Actually it should have worked the other way around and Bush should have rescinded the Cisneros-decision! Now you got him doing this mockery on the legal system as well!!
Why don’t you worry about your own country, Matthias… and a mockery would be a president, perjuring himself, lying in front of the entire world.
billy boy???
“Why don’t you worry about your own country, Matthias” -> well, the US worries for the whole world (which is sometimes a good thing), so you’ll have to let us worry for you too. It’s more like democracy I’d worry about.
I see two ways too see this event : both Bush and Clinton were right to give this pardon OR both Bush and Clinton were anti-democratic in giving their pardon to political friends. I vote for the second option. And I’d think the same for any other politician in any other democratic country.
nickele, who cares what you think.
we worry for the rest of the world because, by and large, the rest of the world SUCKS…. we fund it, we invent it, we defend it, we perfect it… you people just suck off of us, beg for protection, then criticize us. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post.
F off.
19- “nickele, who cares what you think.
we worry for the rest of the world because, by and large, the rest of the world SUCKS:. we fund it, we invent it, we defend it, we perfect it: you people just suck off of us, beg for protection, then criticize us.”
Mike, in what way did you personally ever fund, invent, defend or perfect the rest of the world? Especially in the sense that somebody (from the rest of the world) ever requested it…
I served 4 years in the navy, jackass.. not to mention I’ve been a tax payer for 20 years… taxes that go to pay to defend you snivelling europeans.
oh, by the way…
YOU’RE WELCOME!
16- Trials in this country are based on the law, and attorneys use case law as a guidence, but that is more so seen in civil trials.. In this particular situation, the POTUS is given the power to commute or grant pardons to anyone they wish ….
16, Mattias, why don’t you learn about something before you make stupid and uninformed comments?
No US President can recind a pardon or commutation given by a previous President. Congress and the Courts are also prohibited from revoking or modifying a Presidential Pardon or Commutation.
Oh, Mattias, and for you Libs who have not done so, read our Constitution for your reference material to understand not only Presidential powers, but that of Congress, the Courts, and the limitations to the Government.
21- “I served 4 years in the navy, jackass.. not to mention I’ve been a tax payer for 20 years: taxes that go to pay to defend you snivelling europeans.”
okay.. Mikey… enough kidding. I asked: WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD? Wasting US-Taxes in the Navy didn’t do a big benefit to the world, did it?
23- “No US President can recind a pardon or commutation given by a previous President. Congress and the Courts are also prohibited from revoking or modifying a Presidential Pardon or Commutation.”
PCD, I would have bet it to be that way… That’s why a president should think twice before pardoning a buddy. Especially if the president is involved in the case itself! Two presidents doing the same shit doesn’t make both’s hand cleaner… even if the constitution allows such action!
oh, defending your ass is called “wasting US tax dollars”
I see
you no longer exist, douchebag.
Fig du.
Well, Mike, I’ll try not to be too ironic with your remarks. Who cares what I think ? Well, is this a forum or did I misunderstand something ? So, if just one person cares for what I write, it’s worth it. At least you reply to me, so you seem to care.:grin:
I don’t know if the US funds the whole world, they fund some countries like Israel, that’s sure… Iraq did not beg for protection… And if I were you, I would not beg for “thank you”s forever but rather start understanding that criticism is the basis of democracy.
The rest of the world sucks ? Tell me which countries you have visited in your life, so we can compare our experiences.:smile:
canada, mexico, brazil, chile, costa rica, hong kong, china, taiwan, japan, singapore, philipines,
Merci
Danke
Gracias
Xie Xie
arigato
Bite me, eurotrash.
Yup! Mike’s back
you’re welcome Mike. What a show. You have fans. I’m very happy for you
27- Welcome back to nickele, our French anti-semite….
I have friends, not fans… and it’s because I’m smarter, funnier, more informed, better educated, in better shape, than any of the Bush hating trolls that come around here spouting nonsense.
“French anti-semite” ??????????????????
Where the hell did you get that idea ?
“smarter, funnier, more informed, better educated”. You probably forgot “most humble person on earth”.
and I’m having fun : you are so in love. It’s so cute 
I am a big troll
ah, c’est bon!
any bands of “disaffected youth” (otherwise known as muslim animals) marauding through your nation, burning as they go?
hmmm?????
“muslim animals” : I don’t know about my anti-semitism, but I know about Mike’s racism for all muslims of the planet. I hope the soldiers in Iraq have a better mind. I really hope. For their own sake and the sake of Iraq.
“I have friends, not fans: and it’s because I’m smarter, funnier, more informed, better educated, in better shape,”
Mike has turned into Stuart Smalley….:lol:
“I don’t know about my anti-semitism, but I know about Mike’s racism for all muslims of the planet.”
No, you don’t.
28- Mike,
you sound a little bit disappointed that you never visited Europe.. and your list of countries looks like really needing serious military US defense- especially places like China and Canada!
you’re right TedintheShed. I only know a very little part of Mike’s racism. The real Mike is probably worse than I can imagine.
38- But I do,
and it is obvious for any other sane person on the planet: Mike is a muslim-hater…
Mike-buddy… tell’em..
39, Mattias, The US has poured more defense dollars into Germany than many other places. How many Germans depended on jobs at US Bases and depended on outright gifts of food, coal, and other necessities from WW2 forward? Mattias would you even be here if it weren’t for the US taking care of the World’s troubles?
40.
I butted heads with him about this already a long time ago. He uses the term “Muslim animals— in a very specific context.
Perhaps instead of condemning, you and Matthias should take the time to live up to the modicum of “liberal” that claims to be open minded and have the conversation with him.
and you’re proud of him ? What is this. Are you both part of the same KKK group ? Seriously, I must be naive to think that the western world evolved from the racist behaviors. These ideas are quite close to those who lead to the apartheid, the killing of jews.
36, nickele, being a Muslim is not a race. It is a choice. Mike hates stupid people who can’t take care of themselves, blame others for their low position in life, or those who choose to kill as a solution to their perceived problems.
Now, when France has something to offer than wine and champagne, I’ll give a care.