by Ari Shapiro
All Things Considered, March 7, 2007 · Almost as soon as an obstruction-of-justice conviction was read out for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, conservatives began calling on President Bush to pardon the former White House aide. Libby, Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, was convicted of lying to obstruct the investigation into who leaked CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Just two hours after the jury foreperson read the verdict in court, the Web site of The National Review posted an editorial titled "Justice Demands that President Bush Issue a Pardon."
Snip...
There is a long history of presidents pardoning people who've gotten into trouble because of their work for an administration.
One of the most famous is President Ford, who pardoned his predecessor Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal. And the first President Bush pardoned some of the people convicted in the Iran-Contra affair.
Snip...
President Bush has issued fewer pardons than other recent presidents. Most of those that he has issued have not been controversial.
President Clinton's pardon choices were more widely criticized. For example, Clinton came under fire for pardoning fugitive financier Marc Rich in January of 2001. Rich's ex-wife was a major Democratic donor.
The lawyer who represented Rich during that affair was one I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.
Dimisses, yeah right!
Some are sadvocating that Bush pardon Libby as a way to seal Bush's legacy. No wishing disgrace on Bush and Cheney, they need to be held accountable. Congress needs to fulfill its oversight responsibilities and investigate the crimes of this administration.
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