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Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins

By Jeralyn, Section Lewis Libby Indictment
Posted on Sat Jun 17, 2006 at 09:20:11 PM EST
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Is this enough to make you sick, or what? I take it with a grain of salt, since Joe DiGenova seems to be the one pushing it.

To put this out in the media through DiGenova now, Team Libby (the p.r. team, not the lawyers) is either testing the waters or hoping to demoralize Team Fitz by making them wonder if Libby's prosecution is all for naught.

One thing I agree with: If the Dems take the House and Senate in the 2006 midterm elections, a pardon before his last day in office may be too dangerous for Bush -- it could have severe adverse consequences for the Republicans in 2008.

If you have any doubts about DiGenova's rooting for Libby, check out Libby's website, which touts these quotes by DiGenova and his wife, Victoria Toensing:

Former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova: ""I think this is a very serious development for the prosecutor [the Bob Woodward story]....By alleging that Mr. Libby was the initial source he publicly bootstrapped his case on this fact. That is now totally false and requires him now under Justice Department guidelines to seriously consider dismissing the case because you cannot indict when there's a reasonable doubt and I believe now that there is a reasonable doubt about Mr. Libby's state of mind." (Joseph diGenova on Fox News, 11/16/05)

Former Deputy Attorney General Criminal Division, Victoria Toensing: "He [Patrick Fitzgerald] has been investigating a very simple factual scenario and he's missed this crucial fact. It makes you cry out for asking well, what else did he not know? What else did he not do?" (Fox Special Report With Brit Hume, Nov. 16, 2005)

"Bob Woodward remembers telling Walter Pincus about Valerie Plame. . And Walter Pincus says, he doesn't recall any such conversation. Should Walter Pincus be indicted? That's basically the kind of case against Scooter Libby. . [P]eople have different memories in all good faith. " (CNN's "The Situation Room," November 12, 2005)

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    Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins | 17 comments (17 topical)
    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Jun 17, 2006 at 10:02:09 PM EST
    I'm not a lawyer, but it seems to me that Team Libby is arguing the wrong case. Whether this is good tactics or really the law I don't know. The case Fitz has brought against Libby is for lying and obstruction. What Armitage told Woodward two weeks before Libby's discussions with Miller, et. al. seems irrelevant to whether Libby lied to the Grand Jury. So will someone tell me why they persist in arguing as if this were an IIPA case?

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#2)
    by beefeater on Sat Jun 17, 2006 at 10:03:15 PM EST
    And so the whole thing comes crumbling down. No Fitzmas, No Truthout, No Wm Pitt, good by DUmmieland. Ya just can't out Rove Rove.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#3)
    by soccerdad on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 03:46:43 AM EST
    it could have severe adverse consequences for the Republicans in 2008.
    Ya right. Rove will have every voter allowed to actually vote thinking that the Democrats are operatives of AQ and the Taliban. Besides those Diebold machines will do what the "updated" software tells them to do. Besides the chances of an anti-war, anti-imperialistic, pro-worker, pro-environment Dem candidate who doesn't owe everything to the corporations and their media actually being nominated to run for president is hovering around 0. So the choice will be: do you want your pile of crap with or without religous wackos. Either way it will stink. The anti-depressants obviously aren't working

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#4)
    by Aaron on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 04:43:15 AM EST
    The fix is on.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#5)
    by aw on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 05:41:14 AM EST
    Apropos of nothing, Victoria Toensing has always reminded me of a madam.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#6)
    by cpinva on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 05:43:20 AM EST
    geez, i bet you guys are fun dates!

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 06:01:10 AM EST
    Joe and Victoria are pathetic; they stand in like company with those who put them forth as honest brokers for the judiciary. Be that as it may, I have not given up to the investigation or the Plame-Wilson's options, under the law. Let's just hold our punches for the moment.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 07:13:52 AM EST
    Asking, or listening to, Degenova or Toensing about Libby's case is like asking Trump about gambling - it's worth looking for another (any other) opinion.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#9)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 07:45:38 AM EST
    Partisan words from partisan hacks.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 09:07:45 AM EST
    The irony.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 10:18:29 AM EST
    no it actually doesnt make me sick he deserves a pardon he commited no crime if plame was a covert agent why was he not charged with a leak. if she was so covert why was she doing vanity fair spreads, and her husband going around saying hi, this is my CIA wife

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 10:34:05 AM EST
    zabmom: He wasn't. As to the "pardon talk", let's end it.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#13)
    by soccerdad on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 11:06:01 AM EST
    zabmom your comments are so 6 months ago and wrong

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 11:24:57 AM EST
    Speaking of the future. If the Dems manage to drive Lieberman off the ballot as a Dem and he wins as an Independent, add one to the R column. He might even switch parties. Rs love their RINOs more than Dems love their DINOs. And Murtha has a fight on his hands. They used to say all politics is local. With the Internet it is looking like all politics is national.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#15)
    by MiddleOfTheRoad on Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 08:15:57 PM EST
    I believe that Bush will pardon Libby. It will certainly not be this year, but probably some time next year before or shortly after the trial starts. Barring further revelations I do not think that a pardon will cost Bush much, since his current supporters (35% or so) will likely buy the arguments that Joe and Victoria are floating. I do not have much confidence that the Dems will be able to do anything even if they have a majority in Congress, which to me seems slim given their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#16)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 07:58:48 AM EST
    Don't you have to be convicted (or plead guilty) first in order to be pardoned?

    Re: Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins (none / 0) (#17)
    by kdog on Mon Jun 19, 2006 at 08:02:58 AM EST
    Che...Nixon got pardoned before any proceedings could begin...so I guess not. It's a lock he will be pardoned...just a question of when.

    Pardon Talk for Scooter Libby Begins | 17 comments (17 topical)