So has there been an offical statement from the Demcratic leadership yet?

[Javaman]

regarding libby?

It would be nice to see some "leadership".

[Totally Committed]

1. No, not yet...

They're still fighting over which foot to shoot themselves in before they reply.

TC

[sandnsea]

2. Felon Freed

Gotta give Howard props on that, he nailed it. Biden, Clinton, Obama, et al, responded yesterday.

Yesterday, despite overwhelming public opposition, President Bush commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby, the former White House Chief of Staff to Vice President Cheney who was convicted by a jury of lying about a matter of national security. As yet another example of the elitist attitude that defines Republicans in Washington, he shamelessly put partisan loyalties before the fundamental American value of fair and equal justice under the law.

Bush doesn't care that Libby was convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced by an experienced federal judge, and he doesn't care that Libby's sentence was well within the sentencing guidelines set by Congress. He once again ignored over 70% of the American public and disregarded the legal process -- this time to help someone who has friends in the right places.

We can't stand for this, and that's why we're doing something to change it. We may not be able to change the President's decision, but we are fighting back -- we're working day and night to take back the White House in 2008 so that we can put an end to just this type of nonsense. Contribute now to help us change things in Washington:

http://www.democrats.org/FelonFreed

The Republican presidential candidates long ago lined up in support of Scooter Libby and institutional Washington, and restoring the Constitution and the rule of law isn't anywhere near their list of priorities.

Rudy Giuliani, who brags of being tough on crime, prosecuted perjury cases as a lawyer and wanted mandatory sentences on people who commit perjury. But yesterday he went out of his way to support Scooter Libby, saying "I believe the decision was correct." In an interview with the Wall Street Journal editorial board he offered what they said "sounds an awful lot like an argument for a pardon," and said "I think the option the president really has is commutation."

Mitt Romney never granted a pardon, even for the most trivial offense. But when asked if he would consider pardoning Scooter Libby, Mitt Romney said "It's worth looking at that. I will study it very closely if I'm lucky enough to be president. And I'd keep that option open." Yesterday he blamed the prosecutor and completely ignored the jury, saying that "the prosecutor knew that there had not been a crime committed."

Lobbyist Fred Thompson, the ultimate Washington insider, has helped to raise millions of dollars as a chair of Scooter Libby's legal defense fund. He said he reached out to Libby and offered to help -- "I called him up and offered to help him." He also said that he would issue a pardon and claimed that Libby's conviction was "a gross injustice ... and it ought to be rectified."

No more. Democrats will bring dignity back to the White House in 2008, but it's up to us to make sure that happens. Contribute today:

http://www.democrats.org/FelonFreed

Thank you for fighting back,

[Beaverhausen]

3. Reid and Pelosi - from yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[I_Will]

12. A couple of staffer-written press releases = Leadership?

Three short paragraphs - combined - (in the tpm citations) = Leadership?

"Libby's conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq War." ~~ Reid

"The President’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s prison sentence does not serve justice, condones criminal conduct, and is a betrayal of trust of the American people. ~~ Pelosi

Well, friggin' duh!

And what are they doing about it? Maybe I'm just cynical, but are they just allowing this to fester to increase their potential power in the next term, and in so doing being no less complict in capitalizing on this abortion of justice for political gain? Will HRC's "centrism" capture disillusioned true conservatives, so they figure why should they stir up the hornet's nest for this little "kerfuffle"?

Pot, meet the f'g kettle.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Speaker Pelosi has issued a statement

"The President's commutation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence does not serve justice, condones criminal conduct, and is a betrayal of trust of the American people.

"The President said he would hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case. By his action today, the President shows his word is not to be believed. He has abandoned all sense of fairness when it comes to justice, he has failed to uphold the rule of law, and he has failed to hold his Administration accountable.”

http://speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=0237

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Senate Majority Leader Reid has issued a statement:

Press Release of Senator Reid
Reid: Bush's Commutation of Libby's Prison Sentence Endorses Administration's Culture of Corruption


Monday, July 2, 2007



Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada made the following statement today after President Bush commuted the prison sentence of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby for obstruction of justice:

“The President's decision to commute Mr. Libby’s sentence is disgraceful. Libby’s conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq War. Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone. Judge Walton correctly determined that Libby deserved to be imprisoned for lying about a matter of national security. The Constitution gives President Bush the power to commute sentences, but history will judge him harshly for using that power to benefit his own Vice President’s Chief of Staff who was convicted of such a serious violation of law.”



###


http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=278264

[AndyA]

6. This comes as a big surprise to you, Nancy?

That George Bush's word is not to be believed? You actually came this far thinking the man could be trusted?

And you're the Speaker of the House. Amazing you were able to achieve so much, all the while being so oblivious to the world around you.

Why don't you take this new revelation of yours and do something about it? Like, um...oh let's see...put IMPEACHMENT ON THE TABLE. That would be a good place to start.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

7. "But since he's a lovely man from a lovely, patriotic family

there's no real need to go any further with this. Any further action is off the table.

Anyone for a knish?"

[mmonk]

8. Checking with the DLC, Carville, and others.

[MonkeyFunk]

9. Yes

Reid and Pelosi have both issued statements, as well as Obama, Clinton, Richardson and others.

[Bitwit1234]

10. I think just about every single democrat has issued a "statement"

check the net you'll find them. CNN even (suprise suprise) broadcast Senators Clinton and Obama's statement.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I got an email from Howard Dean - does that count?

He wants money to fight the Libby defenders and keep them out of Congress.

[BeHereNow]

13. Why would it matter? All they do is issue statements- uphold the law? Ha-ha.

They can make statements until the cows come home-
Fact is, statements change nothing.
Where is the ACTION?

BHN