If they were going to do a pardon, why not do it already?

[originalpckelly]

Think about it:
Why allow all this information about Shooter and Scooter out in the public, if you were going to give a pardon anyway?

They could have pardoned Libby just like Ford pardoned Nixon, before there was a formal trial or charges.

They didn't do that, I think that means no pardon.

Whether you believe it or not, I think many people in America would decry that as an obviously corrupt action.

That's why the won't do it.

[unblock]

1. look for a pardon in mid-january, 2009.

just like poppy

[Warpy]

2. Of course they'll pardon him

and I'm sure the pardon has already been written, post dated and signed.

To pardon him now would be to open a real can of worms because even wingnuts know the Plame outing was not a good thing, even if they deny her importance and the scope of what outing Brewster Jennings did to the CIA's ability to follow nuclear programs in the Middle East.

His lawyer took a calculated risk in threatening to put Cheney on the stand, and I'm sure it paid off very well. No matter what else happens, expect to see Scooter pulled out from under the bus in January 2009.

Remember, he's going to be out on appeal for about a year. His sentence at Club Fed will be a short one when that pardon gets pulled out of his lawyer's safe.

[ieoeja]

3. Why did Bush1 wait until Christmas Eve 1992?

You are half correct. They would decry it as an obviously corrupt act.

But that doesn't mean he won't give the pardon. He'll just wait until it doesn't hurt him, i.e. on his way out the door.

[napi21]

4. Because giving an early pardon would look like an admission of

guilt by the WH! I think they're taking their chances with the jury. IF, nd I think it's an extremely small if, Scooter is found innocent, you';; NEVER hear the end of it! "It was all made up! Dirty politics! Damn Dems revenge for Clinton's guilt!" But if he's found guilty, Shrub can issue a pardon "because Scooter is such a good and loyal guy!"

[jilln]

5. They aren't doing it to prop up the facade that they didn't know what was happening

and that they are interested in justice and law.

[sallyseven]

6. He will be found guilty.

He will get a verdict overturn in May. Or a pardon in April or May. Bush is so arrogant that he won't give a rats behind what people think of him.

[Fovea]

7. The pardons are a rubicon

and once they cross it, they cannot claim to act in the intersts of the American people ever again.

The pardon of members of the executive branch for the most heinous of all crimes, a war of aggression, is tantamount to the formal dissolution of representitve government in America in favor of a dictatorial presidency whose functionaries are beyond the law.

By doing that, they will be saying that power is the only principal. And historically, people who say that have come to a bad end. Of course, they may not think that, but even Fukuyama, who wrote one of their seminal works, "The End Of History" things they have become the very silly party.

[Ian David]

8. Once you have a pardon, you can't "plead the 5th." n/t

[meldroc]

9. ++ A pardoned Libby will get subpoenaed.

And since he has a Presidential pardon for his crimes, there's no criminal penalty for him if he testifies under oath for what he did. Thus the Fifth Amendment doesn't apply, and Libby will be forced to sing like a canary on the stand.

So Bush is going to wait until January of 2009 to pardon - right before he leaves office. Then when his successor takes office, his Attorney General, and Congress, and their subordinates, will have better things to do than go after an ex-president who can no longer cause damage.

Here's something to do to lean on Libby. If we can get enough evidence to seriously prosecute Bush and Cheney after they leave office, chances are good they won't pardon Libby if they think he'll sing after being pardoned and subpoenaed as I mentioned. So if we can get enough prosecutorial muscle to make it in Bush's and Cheney's best interests not to pardon Libby, then it will be in Libby's best interests to start plea-bargaining with Fitz so he can minimize his prison time. The window for this opportunity is short though. It won't be long before Libby's sentenced.