Scooter Libby Trial Verdict
Former Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tennessee) on the verdict: "There was no indication that a law had been violated ... When you put too much power in the hands of unelected, unaccountable people who have every incentive to focus massive resources onto one particular person -- who gets the plaudits in the media for doing so -- it's a bad thing. And many, many times an injustice can occur."
Labels: Crime, ProsecutorialAbuse
posted by John Lott at 12:34 PM
7 Comments:
Is he talking about the vice-president's staff? Because I certainly didn't vote for them.
There is little question as to whether or not he will get a presidential pardon. The only question is when.
Dear Jeff:
You may be right, but Libby's life is pretty much destroyed. He has probably spent most of his networth on legal costs. It is a real mess.
Libby's life is destroyed, but I understand that some of his supporters have been successful raising money for his legal costs. So perhaps he won't be financially ruined. At least, that's my hope.
As I understand it all, Libby ran enough afoul of the law, at least technically, to become prosecutable by Mr. Fitzgerald, who had the wherewithal and the will to go after him, even after he (Fitzgerald) had turned a blind eye towards Mr. Armitage's admission that he had been the leaker before the investigation had fully investigated Mr. Libby and the circumstances of his testimonies.
In my unlawyerly view, Mr. Fitzgerald had all the information he needed to cease his investigation then and there, had he chosen to do so.
I suppose he had a legal right to pursue Libby, but I wonder how strong the obligation was, given how tortuous all the circumstances of this sad affair have proven to be.
Was there no prosecutorial discretion to be exercised here?
Maybe the letter of the law was served, but I wonder if its spirt was.
After all, neither the devious and manipulative Mr. Wilson, who orchestrated the events that began this sick soap opera, nor the contemptuous Mr. Armitage, who let it continue for a couple of months longer than it ought to have by keeping mum when he could have spoken up, will pay a price for their contributions.
So with that in mind, my heart goes out to Mr. Libby and his family.
Very true. I didn't mean to suggest that Libby hasn't and won't suffer for this unjust prosecution.
I do hope that the the President signs the pardon sooner rather than later.
Tonight would be good - though I suspect that it will be in the waining days of his presidency.
One question: who would want to go into government with these kinds of things happening? Talk about messed up incentives, let's see, I could work for the government for low pay and possibly have my life ruined or keep making a very hansome living in the private sector. Gee, that's a tough one...
Anonymous said...
"Is he talking about the vice-president's staff? Because I certainly didn't vote for them."
Who you voted for is irrelevant. That the vice president's staff serves someone who can hold them accountable and has the power to fire them most certainly is.
Who, precisely, who could have fired Mr. Fitzgerald?
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