Wednesday, May 24, 2006
NY Observer: Is Libby Looking For a Not Guilty Verdict or a Pardon?
Via The Note, the New York Observer has an interesting article on the tension between Scooter Libby's need to protect himself and the need to protect the White House in his ongoing pre-trial motions and future trial.
The Observer notes that twice Libby's defense team has filed documents that forced a public response from special prosecutor Fitzgerald that ultimately proved embarrassing to the White House: once when Fitzgerald reported in a court filing that the preznit allowed the vice preznit to authorize selective leaking of a classified National Intelligence Estimate report to members of the press and once when Fitzgerald revealed a copy of Joseph Wilson's NY Times Op-Ed column with Cheney's handwriting on it asking some potentially troubling questions about Wilson's wife.
The article notes that the longer Libby's trial goes on, the more opportunities we have to learn embarrassing/damaging information about the behavior of Cheney, Bush, et al. in this case. The article also says Libby may not be trying to win himself a not-guilty verdict so much as get himself a pardon by not embarrassing the administration too much in the case.
Given the seemingly strong perjury/false statement/obstruction case against Libby, I think Libby's best opportunity to stay out of prison is to get Uncle George to pardon him in January '09.
The Observer notes that twice Libby's defense team has filed documents that forced a public response from special prosecutor Fitzgerald that ultimately proved embarrassing to the White House: once when Fitzgerald reported in a court filing that the preznit allowed the vice preznit to authorize selective leaking of a classified National Intelligence Estimate report to members of the press and once when Fitzgerald revealed a copy of Joseph Wilson's NY Times Op-Ed column with Cheney's handwriting on it asking some potentially troubling questions about Wilson's wife.
The article notes that the longer Libby's trial goes on, the more opportunities we have to learn embarrassing/damaging information about the behavior of Cheney, Bush, et al. in this case. The article also says Libby may not be trying to win himself a not-guilty verdict so much as get himself a pardon by not embarrassing the administration too much in the case.
Given the seemingly strong perjury/false statement/obstruction case against Libby, I think Libby's best opportunity to stay out of prison is to get Uncle George to pardon him in January '09.
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The major tactic in dealing with corruption allegations, over the past decade or so, has been time. Give it time and the whole thing dies a natural death.
I guess critics of corruption have learned how to use that tool against the bastards at last. Time now only serves to get them in deeper.
But that pardon mechanism; it certainly reduces any incentive to be upfront an honest when you know someone can pull your arse out of the flames before it hits the coals.
I guess critics of corruption have learned how to use that tool against the bastards at last. Time now only serves to get them in deeper.
But that pardon mechanism; it certainly reduces any incentive to be upfront an honest when you know someone can pull your arse out of the flames before it hits the coals.
Well said, cartledge.
And of course the insidious part of the whole thing is how much of Libby's defense is being funded by friends of the RNC/Bush administration.
And of course the insidious part of the whole thing is how much of Libby's defense is being funded by friends of the RNC/Bush administration.
Not sure a pardon will be forthcoming. Very, very, very bad publicity for the GOP.
But...Cartledge may be right.
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But...Cartledge may be right.
# posted by 
: 4:22 PM
: 4:22 PM << Home
