Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Dem Pres Candidate Responses To Libby Travesty

In case you haven't seen them yet:

Monday, July 02, 2007

Senator John Edwards

"Only a president clinically incapable of understanding that mistakes have consequences could take the action he did today. President Bush has just sent exactly the wrong signal to the country and the world. In George Bush's America, it is apparently okay to misuse intelligence for political gain, mislead prosecutors and lie to the FBI. George Bush and his cronies think they are above the law and the rest of us live with the consequences. The cause of equal justice in America took a serious blow today."

Senator Barack Obama

"This decision to commute the sentence of a man who compromised our national security cements the legacy of an Administration characterized by a politics of cynicism and division, one that has consistently placed itself and its ideology above the law. This is exactly the kind of politics we must change so we can begin restoring the American people's faith in a government that puts the country's progress ahead of the bitter partisanship of recent years."

Senator Chris Dodd

"By commuting Scooter Libby's sentence, the President continues to abdicate responsibility for the actions of his Administration. The only ones paying the price for this Administration's actions are the American people."

Governor Bill Richardson

"It's a sad day when the President commutes the sentence of a public official who deliberately and blatantly betrayed the public trust and obstructed an important federal investigation. This administration clearly believes its officials are above the law, from ignoring FISA laws when eavesdropping on US citizens, to the abuse of classified material, to ignoring the Geneva Conventions and international law with secret prisons and torturing prisoners.

"There is a reason we have laws and why we expect our Presidents to obey them. Institutions have a collective wisdom greater than that of any one individual. The arrogance of this administration's disdain for the law and its belief it operates with impunity are breathtaking.

"Will the President also commute the sentences of others who obstructed justice and lied to grand juries, or only those who act to protect President Bush and Vice President Cheney?"

Senator Joe Biden

"Hours after a federal appeals court ruled that I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby would have to begin serving his prison sentence while appealing his conviction for crimes of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators, President Bush commuted his sentence.

"Last week Vice President Cheney asserted that he was beyond the reach of the law. Today, President Bush demonstrated the lengths he would go to, ensuring that even aides to Dick Cheney are beyond the judgment of the law.

"It is time for the American people to be heard.

"I call for all Americans to flood the White House with phone calls tomorrow expressing their outrage over this blatant disregard for the rule of law. 202-456-1414"

Senator Hillary Clinton

"Today's decision is yet another example that this Administration simply considers itself above the law. This case arose from the Administration's politicization of national security intelligence and its efforts to punish those who spoke out against its policies. Four years into the Iraq war, Americans are still living with the consequences of this White House's efforts to quell dissent. This commutation sends the clear signal that in this Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."

3 Comments:

At 6:51 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I saw 'em, but Hlllary might want to STFU on this one, lol. Just sit this one out, Hil.

 
At 6:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

McCain hasn't made a statement yet. But then again, he probably can't afford the paper to write it on.

 
At 2:58 AM, Blogger Kirsten said...

This is how I, a Canadian, saw it. A jury found Libby guilty of lying to federal agents about some very mundane details of what he knew or didn't know or what the hell. He was sentenced by a judge, who I assume studied precedents in sentencing. He was give time in jail, and a fine.
This is good. I've heard this is how the great American justice system, the flawed masterpiece of the founding fathers, works.
Then the President walks in, consults no one about the laws, decides it's unfair, and under increasing pressure from a VP who I am convinced is a Borg, commutes the sentence, prepping for a later pardon ( oh, come on, we all know it's coming).
I am so glad my government suffers from no such arrogance and incompentence.
Wait a sec... it is the same? Man, this sucks.
Is there anywhere in the universe these bozos can't destroy my hope, dreams, and general happiness? Mars? Pluto? A mysterious planet in the Alpha quadrant?
Knowing my luck, Cheney will just show up on a Death Star.
Yes, I know I'm mixing Sci-Fi metaphors.

 

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