Redstate

I'm curious, why you say that. Apparently, he lied to the grand jury. Do you harbor some dark suspicion that the prosecutor is corrupt or that the eleven jurors who unanimously found him guilty are all liberals on a mission? And since they didn't find him guilty on all five counts, it seems reasonable to assume that they considered the evidence carefully and came to what they believed was a just decision.

Your statement made me think that a fine-tuning of the Constitution might be in order (although it will never happen). Perhaps no president, Republican or Democrat, should be able to pardon anyone who has served in that president's administration, especially for acts committed during the individual's time of employment. It seems to me that if President Bush were to pardon Libby it would make a mockery of the legal system. Libby had access to the best attorneys and by all accounts the jurors are intelligent, thoughtful people (unlike some juries we've seen). So, other than cronyism, I can't see the justification for a pardon.

I don't think what Libby did requires a particularly severe sentence, but he does deserve to be punished. If the judge sentences Libby to many years in prison, it would be reasonable for a president to intercede; although it would be far better, in my opinion, for the next president to be the one to do so.

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Dennis Miller for President...no more wimps!

...can I take that bet and double it?

What, pray tell, would this appeal be based on?

The appeal (and the request for a new trail) are simply there to stall for time, making the distance between his sentencing and December 2008 (when the President will pardon him) as small as possible.

And in the end, that pardon will only make the slow drip of damage worse and worse.

I think a much more popular federal prosecutor isn’t going to roll over while in the White House like those in the past. He’ll make it clear who the liars where in this whole affair and will have the credibility to do so. He’ll be the one moving into the White House in January 2009 with none of this having any impact on his presidency.

“They chose dishonor. They will have war.” - Winston Churchill

Mr. Russert perjured himself on the stand. Wells can prove it and he has already filed this evidence with the court. The judge would not allow the evidence during the trial. It goes to Russert's credibility, and, since three of the counts rely heavily upon Russert being truthful, Libby may catch a break. And, it seems as though Fitzgerald overstepped the indictment during his closing argument. While Fitzgerald publicly denounces the outing of a super-secret double naught spy, he fought hard to keep evidence of Plame's true status away from the jury. Until, of course, he needed to convince them of the serious nature of her sleuthiness, during his close, when the defense could no longer respond, except on appeal....Slimy? Yes, but that is the nature of a political prosecution.

And, just wondering how many convictions stuck to Oliver North.

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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777

when the justice system gets so out of balance that it becomes a political vendetta. Then, what are the people to do?

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

Could also easily be used in an appeal.

There are those who look on Dresden and Tokyo and Hiroshima as some of the greatest evils ever perpetrated by man. I look on them and thank the perpetrators for saving millions.

I admit I am not a lawyer, so am actually curious what you think makes the case one winnable on appeal.

I figure they have lots of stuff to appeal, but appealing someting and winning on that appeal are two different things.

...but have you read any of the post trial juror interviews?

It hardly sound like the jurors were angry partisans looking for blood.

The only post trial juror comment that I have seen was a quote off of drudge (saw the quote at OTB), which is why I haven't weighted with much from that source alone.

The quote was along the lines of seeing Libby as the Fall Guy. It actually sounded from that quote a bit like they convicted him because they didn't have anyone higher up to convict, but like I said I didn't see a whole quote, and I am in general doubtful of anything on Drudge (yes he is right sometimes, but other times he is totally off his rocker).

that makeup the majority of most juries.

Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.

No trial by "stupid and/or ignorant people" should be the demand of every defense team in the country.

And our prisons are full of "innocent" people so maybe you are right that they "makeup the majority of most juries."

Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.

Like I really don't know that a large majority of DC are Democrats or suffer from BDS or at the least hold very biased political positions. Potential jurors lie just like the journalists in this trial. Just listen to the ex-newsman that talked about the trial - his first statement, What about Rove?

Please... The only way they could have had a fair trial was to move it into another venue.

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

_______________________________
Dennis Miller for President...no more wimps!

It was his inability to stand up to the MSM years ago that has lead to all of this. He refused to defend his 16 truthful words in the SOTU when the MSM called them a lie and he refused to stand the ground that no crime was committed in this matter to begin with. That's why we are where we're at now. POTUS has rolled from the start on this one, not lately.

“They chose dishonor. They will have war.” - Winston Churchill

but, it was not just GW, it was the stupid judicial official (sorry, can't remember his name) in the Administration that could not take the heat and decided to turn it over to a Special Prosecutor.

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

Just how can you convict someone of perjury when there is no underlying crime? I don't know either, but I guess the jury knew better...

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

He was convicted of lying to an FBI agent, and to the grand jury under oath. There was no crime, outside the cover up for which he was convicted of, or at least in the case of Plame , as she was not protected as an undercover officer due to being in open cover in the CIA for over 5 years.

I don't think he should have been prosecuted, and I also think he should have not talked to the Grand Jury and or invoked the 5th. As it was, Libby got caught in being too clever.

_______________________________
Dennis Miller for President...no more wimps!

Lying to an FBI agent was the one charge he was cleared of http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ODM4MDMxMTgzNzU1YTVkZTliZDUyZmVjN2J...

That's the one he was aquitted on. Do your homework.

“They chose dishonor. They will have war.” - Winston Churchill

buckeye

I just read it again, news release that is.

"Libby was convicted of one count of obstruction, two counts of perjury and one count of lying to the FBI about how he learned Plame's identity and whom he told."

I will go read some more, but I think I am correct.

Thanks for question however.

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Dennis Miller for President...no more wimps!

Cooper which he was aquitted of, and one related to Russert which he was convicted of.

I am not sure what they aregued the "lies" were or what defense Libby put up that made them aquit on the first but not on the other.

Fitz learned early on that the investigation he was assigned (Intentional leaking of a covert agent) was in fact:

1) not a crime
2) Initial leak was from State (not Administration)
3) Not to mention leaks from Wilson himself

He continued to spend 3 years investigating nothing except hunting for perjury (perjury trap) for political reasons. Now if you are a far Left individual, that would please you to no end. I see it as a miscarriage of justice.

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

I would think that perjury would pertain to a specific crime under investigation. Just where was the crime? Fitz already knew who leaked before he got into the investigation AND that it was not illegal (otherwise he would have pursued that).

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."

And working for an unpopular figure.

Lady justice is having a grande mal today.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777

Formally known as Deagle... "Golf is a way of life..."