Email battle about the Libby conviction

[Lasher]

You knew it was coming! I emailed recent Libby toons to some of my rightwing pals and got this response from one of them:

Lasher,

Let me see if I get this right.....Libby was originally charged with leaking the name of a CIA agent which supposedly compromised her position. All we heard of was that story, and we saw pictures of the gal and her hubby driving in DC on the front page of every rag you picked up hailing the terrible deed that happened.
Of the five charges somehow that one was dismissed and all he was charged with was lying to the grand jury and interfering with justice.
And one more thought....just what does this have to do with the war on terror or Iraq?

Knucklehead

Here is the reply (to all, of course) I just sent:

Knucklehead,

Like an old friend of mine used to say, you are one hundred percent wrong. Scooter was never charged with leaking the identity of a covert CIA agent. Libby was indicted on five felony counts: Obstruction of justice, two counts of making false statements to FBI agents conducting the investigation, and two counts of perjury. He was convicted of all charges except one of the two counts of making false statements.

These charges were brought because Libby’s obstructions prevented Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald and the grand jury from determining whether the leak violated federal law.

If you are hinting that Valerie Plame was reckless in protecting her identity due to all the publicity you are again wrong. You didn’t see her and her hubby in DC on the front page of every rag you picked up until after her cover was compromised by Bush administration officials. Fitzgerald stated in the indictment of Libby that Plame's employment was classified and "was not common knowledge outside the intelligence community."

I’m glad you asked what this has to do with the war on terror in Iraq. There was no need for one until the idiots Bush and Cheney lied us into invading. And their adventure in Iraq has dirverted our resources from the real war on terror in Afghanistan – so much that bin Laden and all his senior officers escaped from us at Tora Bora, and now the Taliban has again become strong enough to pose a threat.

Neocons like Cheney and Rumsfeld had obsessed since the nineties of invading Iraq and then launching an attack on Iran from there, in pursuit of their dreams of world conquest. In the runup to the invasion, their story was that Iraq had or was certain to soon acquire WMDs, including nuclear weapons. And they were supposedly going to give them to al Qaida, with whom they were in league, to use against us.

When Joe Wilson wrote an editorial to expose administration fabrications about Saddam getting yellowcake uranium from Niger, the typically vindictive Bush and Cheney launched a smear campaign against him and exposed his wife’s classified occupation for spite.

Ironically, Plame’s specialty was recruiting agents and sending them to areas where they could access information about proliferation of WMDs in the Mideast. Her front company, Brewster Jennings & Associates, was also compromised. Damage to national security was thereby compounded because the operation was used by other CIA officers whose work was placed at risk.

During the course of the Libby trial it became evident that he, Cheney, Rove, and Bush were all involved in the scheme to leak Plame’s identity. I don’t know why other charges haven’t been brought against Libby and the others, except for speculation that a gray mail defense might be effectively employed to deter prosecution. It is interesting to note, however, that a civil case against them by Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame is still pending. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that at least as much as you liked the Libby criminal trial.

Lasher

Here is a good resource for you to use as you gird your loins for an attack of your own:

Libby's guilty verdict: Media myths and falsehoods to watch for

[Evergreen Emerald]

1. Great response!

I am amazed that people do not care that a CIA agent was outed. Remember when that was taboo? I cannot understand how those who support Bush excuse their horrific acts again and again. Libby was the assistant to the vice president of the United STates! And those neo-cons just brush it aside as if it was nothing--likely the same ones who were screaming for impeachment with Clinton.

[wicket]

2. Nice work

:thumbsup:

K & R

[spanone]

3. Boy he is aptly named.

Truly well spoken response.

[Lasher]

5. Thank you spanone

This battle started when I received one of those tired old Hillary jokes. You know, one of those boring ones where you could insert anybody's name in the place of Hillary's. Then I responded with the Libby toons and here we are.

This is fun!

[Mr. Ected]

4. Here Is What Your "Friend's" People Said About Perjury/Obstruction Under Clinton

Recently, Republicans have been implying that an indictment for perjury is simply a "technicality." But they didn't always feel that way.

IN THE 1990'S GOP LEADERS SAID PERJURY WAS A CRIME...

Former Senator Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) – "Lott declined to fully define what constitutes an impeachable crime but said "I think clearly perjury is an impeachable offense ... I think bad conduct is enough for impeachment."

Current Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) – "There is no serious question that perjury and obstruction of justice are high crimes and misdemeanors...Indeed, our own Senate precedent establishes that perjury is a high crime and misdemeanor...The crimes of perjury and obstruction of justice are public crimes threatening the administration of justice."

Former Speaker (Elect) of the House Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA) – "And so, perjury, a felony punishable by up to five years in the penitentiary, is a crime for which the President may be held accountable, no matter the circumstances."

Current Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL)— "Mr. Speaker, I am sadden that there is clear and convincing evidence that the president lied under oath, obstructed justice and abused the powers of his office in an attempt to cover up his wrong doing. I regret that the president's behavior puts me in the position of having to vote in favors of articles of impeachment and pass this matter onto the U.S. Senate for final judgment. In facing this solemn duty, I look to the wisdom of our founding fathers. According to Alexander Hamilton in Federalist 65, impeachment concerns offenses which proceed from the misconduct to public men -- or in other words, from the apt abuse of violation of some public trust. The evidence in President Clinton's case is overwhelming that he has abused and violated the public trust."

http://www.democrats.org/a/p/in_their_own_wo.html

[Lasher]

6. Wow, that's a pretty good link there

Lots of quotes. I liked the one by Bob Ney. He's off to the slammer, not so righteous now.