Trump pardons 'Scooter' Libby, former Iraq war-era Cheney aide

By Steve Holland

 

File Photo: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is pictured with Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby (R) in the President's Emergency Operations Center in Washington in the hours following the September 11, 2001 attacks in this U.S. National Archives handout photo obtained by Reuters July 24, 2015. REUTERS/U.S. National Archives/Handout via Reuters

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned former George W. Bush administration official Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who years ago was convicted of lying in an investigation of the unmasking of a CIA agent.

 

Democrats immediately criticized the president's move, drawing an arc running from the Iraq war to today and linking the Libby pardon to Trump's bitter feud with James Comey, who Trump fired as FBI director last year, and to a widening investigation of possible links between the Trump campaign and Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

 

The Libby pardon came just hours after Trump's morning Twitter attack against Comey. The president called the ex-FBI chief a "weak and untruthful slime ball."

 

Excerpts of Comey's new book due out Tuesday, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership," slam Trump, calling him "unethical, and untethered to truth and institutional values."

 

Before heading the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Comey was deputy attorney general during the Bush administration. During that time, he appointed a special counsel to prosecute a high-profile case that led to Libby’s guilty verdict in 2007.

 

"I don’t know Mr. Libby," Trump said in a White House statement, "but for years I have heard that he has been treated unfairly.

 

Hopefully, this full pardon will help rectify a very sad portion of his life.”

 

Libby could not immediately be reached for comment.

 

Conservative Republicans had sought a pardon for Libby for years after former Vice President Dick Cheney was unable to persuade Bush to grant one late in his presidency. Bush did, however, commute Libby's 2-1/2-year prison sentence.

 

Libby, chief of staff to Cheney during the run-up and early years of the Iraq war, was found guilty in 2007 of lying and obstructing an investigation into who blew the cover of CIA officer Valerie Plame. Her husband Joseph Wilson, a former career U.S. diplomat, had criticized the Iraq war.

 

'SIMPLY FALSE'

 

"President Donald Trump has granted a pardon to I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby on the basis that he was 'treated unfairly.' That is simply false. Libby was convicted of obstruction of justice and perjury in a fair trial," Plame said in a statement.

 

House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, "This pardon sends a troubling signal to the president’s allies that obstructing justice will be rewarded."

 

Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the Libby pardon was Trump's way "of sending a message to those implicated in the Russia investigation: You have my back and I'll have yours."

 

The Libby pardon coincided with the arrival in the White House of John Bolton as Trump's new national security adviser. Bolton was a key Bush administration advocate, along with Cheney and Libby, of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

 

"I am grateful today that President Trump righted this wrong by issuing a full pardon to Scooter," Cheney said in a statement.

 

Bush spokesman Freddy Ford said, “President Bush is pleased for Scooter and his family.”

 

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, in a briefing with reporters, said on Friday that the pardon had nothing to do with Trump's views on Mueller's investigation.

 

Trump has been attacking the FBI amid the investigation of his 2016 presidential campaign for possible links to Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

 

Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, and a key Manafort associate are among those who have been indicted in the Russian meddling probe run by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

 

White House aides said earlier this week that Trump was fuming over FBI raids related to the investigation on Monday of the office and home of his personal attorney, Michael Cohen.

 

Trump has repeatedly called Mueller's probe a "witch hunt" and he and Russia have both denied any wrongdoing.

 

It was the second high-profile pardon of Trump's tenure. Last year, he pardoned Joe Arpaio, a former Arizona sheriff who campaigned for Trump, less than a month after he was convicted of criminal contempt in a case involving racial profiling.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-14

8 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, "This pardon sends a troubling signal to the president’s allies that obstructing justice will be rewarded."

 

I don't like agreeing with Pelosi, but in this case I do not see how this "pardon" could be taken any other way. This is a direct "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours".

 

Americans- why did you elect such a... words fail me... to be your President? You were supposed to be the 'serious' country and instead you have given us all this buffoonery!

 

The world is a much better place when there is a good, trustworthy USA to provide leadership and support. I really, really hope that the US can return to that role one day soon. 

 

Edited April 14, 20188 yr by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

A renowned liar pardons a convicted one.

People have a go at the excesses etc in thai politics.

A disgraceful abuse of a very dangerous discretionary power held by POTUS.

Ford pardoned nixon

Clinton pardoned some international financier.

Should be made to pass through congress and the senate before any such pardons are granted

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

why did you elect such a... words fail me... to be your President?

 

 

For one simple reason -- because he wasn't the status quo. Why did the French revolt and ultimately allow Napolean to become their leader? Why does this always happen in countries? Because the existing elite become so awful and oppressive, that anything, even the wrong thing, appears to be a better choice.

 

Trump is just a symptom, not a cause. In a few years he will be gone, but the disease that infects America will still be around. Personally, I think it will ultimately be resolved the same way the Soviet Union resolved their crisis. Namely, a breakup of the country into smaller, more manageable states that can make their own laws and eliminate the entrenched system.

 

P.S.

Oh, and BTW, it is human nature to double down on your bad choices in situations like this. People don't admit they were wrong and go back to the old order. Think Trump can't win a second term? Guess again.

Edited April 14, 20188 yr by Monomial

14 minutes ago, Monomial said:

 

For one simple reason -- because he wasn't the status quo. Why did the French revolt and ultimately allow Napolean to become their leader? Why does this always happen in countries? Because the existing elite become so awful and oppressive, that anything, even the wrong thing, appears to be a better choice.

 

Trump is just a symptom, not a cause. In a few years he will be gone, but the disease that infects America will still be around. Personally, I think it will ultimately be resolved the same way the Soviet Union resolved their crisis. Namely, a breakup of the country into smaller, more manageable states that can make their own laws and eliminate the entrenched system.

 

P.S.

Oh, and BTW, it is human nature to double down on your bad choices in situations like this. People don't admit they were wrong and go back to the old order. Think Trump can't win a second term? Guess again.

Except of course, where it counts, he absolutely does represent the status quo. And where it counts is money. He's passed a tax plan to make the rich richer and he's slashed regulations on bankers and wall street that will allow for a repeat of the 2008 financial disaster. It turns out Trump is the best friend corporations have ever had in the White House.

15 minutes ago, Monomial said:

 

For one simple reason -- because he wasn't the status quo. Why did the French revolt and ultimately allow Napolean to become their leader? Why does this always happen in countries? Because the existing elite become so awful and oppressive, that anything, even the wrong thing, appears to be a better choice.

 

Trump is just a symptom, not a cause. In a few years he will be gone, but the disease that infects America will still be around. Personally, I think it will ultimately be resolved the same way the Soviet Union resolved their crisis. Namely, a breakup of the country into smaller, more manageable states that can make their own laws and eliminate the entrenched system.

 

P.S.

Oh, and BTW, it is human nature to double down on your bad choices in situations like this. People don't admit they were wrong and go back to the old order. Think Trump can't win a second term? Guess again.

 

Everyone other than the dullest trump supporter are now onto this bunch.

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Expatthailover said:

Should be made to pass through congress and the senate before any such pardons are granted

 

This would defeat the intent of pardons. There is a reason they were included in the Constitution, because in times of severe stress and division, a well timed pardon may be the only escape valve to prevent serious harm to the country. Pardons are usually unpopular, and forcing them to go through Congress would be self defeating. The pardon of Nixon was horribly unpopular and cost Ford the presidency in the next election. But it also put an end to the focus on divisive elements and allowed the country to move forward on more important matters.

 

The problem is that recently presidents have been using this power to garner favor within power cliques rather that for the good of the country. The constitution provides a remedy in this case...vote them out of office.

6 hours ago, Expatthailover said:

A renowned liar pardons a convicted one.

People have a go at the excesses etc in thai politics.

A disgraceful abuse of a very dangerous discretionary power held by POTUS.

Ford pardoned nixon

Clinton pardoned some international financier.

Should be made to pass through congress and the senate before any such pardons are granted

I am happy you think so. However, the US is a nation of laws and its highest law is the Constitution. Article II of that Constitution gives the president that power. As with the second amendment, the right to bear arms, any attempt to change the Constitution must be in accordance with Article V of the Constitution which requires 2/3 of each house of Congress or 2/3 of all the State legislatures to propose the change and then a vote of 3/4 of all the State legislatures to ratify that proposal. To date, no such movement has been made. However, the powers granted the president in Article II are hardly unusual; in fact it is based on a long-standing tradition of privilege among rulers. The Queen has the RPM, the Royal Prerogative of Mercy.

2 hours ago, Monomial said:

 

Trump is just a symptom, not a cause. In a few years he will be gone, but the disease that infects America will still be around.

Yup.  And the divide will likely intensify.

I don't really care about these one-offs. I am waiting for a US president to pardon all marijuana convicted "criminals". It is time to move on from the war on drugs. At the very least where is concerns marijuana.

He definitely needs more loyal members in his broken team.  

???

Edited April 14, 20188 yr by The Theory

Ok he has the power to pardon "Lyin' Libby" (certified liar by courts) but loses any credibility (if he had any left) accusing Comey, Mueller, etc etc of lyin... maybe "Lock them up!... and I'll pardon them!"

Cheney and trump are cut from the same cloth.  Venal, unscrupulous, uncaring, egotistical bullies.  Not sure if cheney was a draft dodging coward however. 

11 hours ago, Expatthailover said:

Cheney and trump are cut from the same cloth.  Venal, unscrupulous, uncaring, egotistical bullies. Not sure if cheney was a draft dodging coward however. 

Cheney received 5 deferments from the draft due to status as student and father.

17 minutes ago, Expatthailover said:

Cheney and trump are cut from the same cloth.

Venal, unscrupulous, uncaring, egotistical bullies.

Not sure if cheney was a draft dodging coward however. 

 

Cheney is much much smarter, but matches DT in audacity.

With either, there is no bottom to how low they would go.

Ask Jesse Jackson how low Cheney will go.