Just read between the lines...

Red Text is the real story hiding between the lines.
Violet Text is a notable quote from a specific blogger.
Blue Text is my own personal commentary.
Gold Text is a link to the original sources.

One word of advice I would offer to everyone who reads this blog;

....Each and every day, take just a moment of your precious time to pray for Peace and Justice.

Monday, July 2, 2007

BUSH COMMUTES LIBBY'S SENTENCE!!!

President Bush has commuted the prison term of former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who faced 30 months in prison after a federal court convicted him of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators.Earlier Monday, a federal appeals court unanimously ruled that Libby could not delay his sentence.
The charges relate to the 2003 leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
Libby was only weeks away from surrendering to a prison.
Bush, who was under great pressure by Libby allies to pardon the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.
In a written statement issued hours after that ruling, Bush called the sentence "excessive." But he also rejected calls for a pardon for Libby.
"The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting," Bush said.
But he said Libby was given "a harsh sentence based in part on allegations never presented to the jury."
Libby was the highest-ranking White House official ordered to prison since the Iran-Contra affair.
The conviction remains and Libby will have to pay $250,000 fine.
A commutation is a total right of the president and it cannot be challenged by any attorney or court. It means that Libby will still have the conviction on his record. Commutations are rarely granted.
A pardon is a much more complete eradication of a record which makes it appear as if the person has never been convicted. It's possible that Bush could still grant Libby a full pardon...

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/02/libby.sentence/index.html

AND THE BLOGS RESPOND...
(that is their job, they are the NEW 4TH ESTATE)

"NOTHING LESS THAN OBSTRUCTION..."
Marcy Wheeler at The Next Hurrah

"Well, George did it. Made sure that Scooter wouldn't flip rather than do jail time. He commuted Libby's sentence, guaranteeing not only that Libby wouldn't talk, but retaining Libby's right to invoke the Fifth. This amounts to nothing less than obstruction of justice."
http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/07/george-bush-obs.html

"MINIMUM NECESSARY TO KEEP THE MAN SILENT..."
Josh Marshall at TPM
"This is being treated in the press as splitting the difference, an elegant compromise. But it is the least justifiable approach. The president has decided that the sentencing guidelines and the opinion of judge don't cut it. The only basis for this decision is that Libby is the vice president's friend, the vice president rules the president and this was the minimum necessary to keep the man silent."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

"SHAMEFUL, SELF-DEALING..."
Christy Hardin Smith at FiredogLake
"This is a shameful, self-dealing action which will have long-term political ramifications for the Bush Administration. And it should."
http://firedoglake.com/

"SO MUCH FOR EQUAL JUSTICE..."
SusanUNPC at No Quarter
"They have nothing but scorn for the rule of law and the history of pardons, which usually are done after the sentence is served and if the criminal has expressed remorse. So much for equal justice." http://noquarter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/07/bush-has-pardon.html#more

"WHITE HOUSE (HAS) GIVEN UP ALL HOPE OF RESTORING HONOR AND DIGNITY..."
Alan Breslauer at Bradblog
"It seems W. changed his mind in the last four months about respecting jury verdicts involving serious matters ... Or, maybe the White House had given up all hope of restoring "honor and dignity," and thus felt it had nothing to lose."
http://www.bradblog.com/

That is just in the first hour...
the storm is STILL forming up in the blogosphere...

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