Compare and contrast
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for having a different recollection of events than Tim Russert.
The case was a joke from the beginning. An out-of-control prosecutor -- I'm looking at you Patrick Fitzgerald -- apparently figured he had to get someone for something and Libby lost the coin flip.
And this was just bizarre:
In arguments over Libby's punishment, the defense argued that the absence of even an indictment involving the leak itself should have led to a lesser sentence for Libby under federal guidelines.
Judge Walton rejected that argument, agreeing with Mr. Fitzgerald that Libby's lies may well have prevented the prosecution from fully pursuing the leak. "If someone's successful in their efforts" to deceive or throw off investigators, the judge said, "you may never know if there was an offense or not."
Libby stopped you from pursuing the leak? You knew it was Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage almost from the start. How in the h-e-double-hockeysticks does that have anything to do with Libby? Both the judge and Fitzgerald are suffering a severe case of rectal-cranial impaction.
And if this silliness isn't bad enough. Do a little compare and contrast between Libby's treatment with that of former Clinton national security adviser Sandy "The Burglar" Berger. If you don't think that the crimes alleged and their respective punishments aren't something close to bass ackwards, then your worldview is seriously out of whack.
I'd encourage President Bush to pardon Libby now. This time around, the justice system didn't work. Fix it.
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I think Libby got screwed. If you don't like the sentence then support his appeal.
What would your opinion be if a Democrat didn't like a conviction/sentence and called for a pardon? I would hope you would say "Life isn't fair. Thousands of people would like a get out of jail free card. If the person is innocent then there is an opportunity to be cleared on appeal. If it is a fundamental problem of the system then lets figure out how to fix it."
Reconsider your call for a pardon.
Also, Sandy "guess what I have in my pants" Berger got a plea bargin while Libby did not and was convicted. I think that partially explains the sentences.
The lesson here is to refuse to talk to Federal officials.
I don't know if Libby actually lied or merely failed to remember. I do know that he was innocent of the underlying "crime." Valerie Plame was outed by Rchard Armitage. Fitzgerald knew this, which makes this whole affair pretty sordid. But, that didn't give Libby any right to lie.
I do believe Burger should never have access to classified information or serve in any official capacity ever again. But the overly lenient sentence he got doesn't mean Libby should walk. He was convicted of a crime.
The Martha Stewart situation should serve as a warning. Shut up, and lawyer up. The Feds are coming and they'll get you if they can, even if they can't convict you of whatever they are investigating.