Thursday, March 08, 2007

The Scooter Libby Conviction Disgrace: Bush Should Do an Intervention

American Thinker expounds on the disgraceful miscarriage of justice in the Scooter Libby case. I couldn't agree more. Many people haven't kept up with this case, but if only they really got it that this is a pathetic political scapegoating of the highest order. We should all be appalled. And Bush should do an intervention.

Here's an except:

"Scooter Libby is a convicted perjurer because the United States Department of Justice grossly abused its power and because politics short-circuited all the safeguards that are supposed to prevent such abuses. This is one of the most appalling perversions of a civilized judicial system since France sent Alfred Dreyfus to Devil's Island because the ruling elite didn't like Jews.

"If the appellate and executive review processes fail as badly as the investigative and trial processes did in Libby's case, Libby will go to a federal penitentiary because Democrats don't like Republicans. There is enough shame in this outcome to go around.

"Patrick Fitzgerald is a disgrace both to the legal profession and to the human race. His partisan allies, such as Senator Chuck Schumer and certain nameless bureaucrats at the CIA, are beneath contempt. The jury was unfit for its task, because it was apparently both prejudiced and intellectually incapable of noticing that the prosecution had no case. The trial judge lacked either the wit to see a gross miscarriage of justice unfolding before his eyes or the courage to stop it. But ultimate responsibility for Fitzgerald's outrageous misconduct lies with his boss.

"George W. Bush could have stopped Fitzgerald's farce at any time. He could stop it today. He doesn't even need to use the pardon power, at least not yet. Fitzgerald serves at the President's pleasure Mr. Bush has every reason to be severely displeased. The President could simply fire him and, for good measure, order the DOJ to start an investigation into Fitzgerald's misconduct in the Libby matter. President Bush could then instruct Fitzgerald's replacement to join Libby's defense in its motion for a new trial. If the court grants that motion the DOJ could then offer Libby its apologies and withdraw the prosecution. If it doesn't the DOJ could join in Libby's appeal. If that fails then the pardon power lies in reserve."

Read the whole thing.

2 comments:

Germán Fuentes S. said...

Hola:

Recibe mis saludos desde Santiago de Chile. Es un gusto haber visitado tu blog

Felicidades

Germán

Anonymous said...

Scooter Libby can apply for - but legally cannot receive - a Presidential Pardon for two reasons. According to Federal Pardon guidelines, the conviction must be at least five years old, and the convicted felon must have regret for his crimes. Neither one applies in his case, the latter because Scooter Libby simply feels he did nothing wrong.

Patrick Fitzgerald, confirmed as a USA in 2001 in a Republican controlled Senate, has also investigated, and secured convictions, in cases involving former Illinois Governor George Ryan (Rep), current Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (Dem), and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (Dem). He also prosecuted Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, key figure in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Seems like the description that he's a "disgrace to the legal profession and the human race" is a little off, wouldn't you say?