Waas: Libby Lawyers Signaling for Pardon?

[sabra]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002401.php

Waas: Libby Lawyers Signaling for Pardon?

I had a chance this morning to check in with Murray Waas, the National Journal scribe who's done a lot of the most illuminating reporting on the Plame leak investigation and the White House's machinations in response.

Waas sat in on the trial yesterday, and watched as lawyers for former Cheney aide Scooter Libby unfurled their argument that their client was set up as a fall guy for Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove. Readers will recall that we thought that was both the most interesting and most perplexing part of the defense's opening argument.

"Some observers think that they're trying to send a message to the White House" with the references to Rove, Waas told me, "saying that they hope their guy is pardoned."

...

From a legal standpoint, the blame-it-on-Rove defense is hardly solid. "The prosecutor would say it's a smokescreen," said Waas.

"There are two cases being presented," Waas observed. Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's case "is very narrow, focused, and hews to the indictment.

"On the other side you have this amorphous, all-over-the-map, everything-and-anything-in-the-kitchen sink . That's what the defense is doing. Fitzgerald is trying to stay on script, and Wells is doing what a good defense attorney does, which is make the prosecution's case as murky as possible."

[goclark]

1. No way please~

[Crabby Appleton]

2. It would not supprise me if there's a conviction that a pardon

would eventually be granted.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Pardoning him after a trial doesn't do much for Bush

as all the dirt will have come out. If he does it I would think it would be during the trial.

[Quakerfriend]

4. Me either. But, how could one criminal give the other criminal

a pardon? I wonder.:eyes:

[mod mom]

5. This pardoning of political crooks is so unethical. Is there any way to repeal it?

[Wizard777]

6. I think teh republicans actually tried that with some of CLINTONS Pardons.

I don't rememBer how that turned out.

[mod mom]

7. Clinton pardoned Marc Rich. What GOOD does it do? (either party)

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. Ahh, in the words of Gerald Ford

Accepting a Presidential Pardon is an admission of guilt. He made sure that Nixon knew that.