One Theory On Why There Were Not Hundreds of Pardons Issued By Bush

[Vinnie From Indy]

One can be quite certain that there were undoubtedly several discussions in the Bush White House as to how to manage legal liability after leaving office. I believe that the strategy is becoming clearer. Bush didn't pardon his henchmen because that would have meant they could be compelled to testify in hearings and in court without the benefit of 5th Amendment protections against self-incrimination. Another foundation of their strategy is most likely the use of the information they have gathered after years of illegally spying on Americans. Judges, government officials, members of Congress and anyone else that could possibly be a threat to them has a file in this database.

In short, the Bushies did not leave office with NO plan to protect themselves from future prosecutions. It is my feeling that they have a comprehensive plan that has as it's centerpiece archived data acquired during eight years of complete lawlessness and massive spying. Is there any doubt that these guys would break any law to get what they want?

[Atman]

1. Don't forget, you cannot pardon someone who hasn't been convicted of anything.

To pre-emptively pardon his henchmen would be tantamount to admissions of guilt. No one in the Bush administration was ever held to account for anything, so there really was no reason to pardon anyone, even if pre-emptive blanket pardons are legal.

.

[Vickers]

Oh?

Love,

Gerald Ford

[Jeanette in FL]

5. Casper Weinberger?

BUSH(41) PARDONS WEINBERGER, FIVE OTHERS TIED TO IRAN-CONTRA

(Calls Weinberger "true American patriot") (650) By Dian McDonald USIA White House Correspondent Washington -- President Bush December 24 granted pardons to former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and five other individuals for their conduct related to the Iran-Contra affair.

Bush said Weinberger -- who had been scheduled to go on trial in Washington January 5 on charges related to Iran-Contra -- was a "true American patriot," who had served with "distinction" in a series of public positions since the late 1960s.

"I am pardoning him not just out of compassion or to spare a 75-year-old patriot the torment of lengthy and costly legal proceedings, but to make it possible for him to receive the honor he deserves for his extraordinary service to our country," Bush said in a proclamation granting executive clemency.

[ThomWV]

6. Gerald Ford did it for Nixon who had not been charged with anything

[ThomWV]

7. The only reason he didn't Pardon is he is certain there will be no trials

That is really the only plausable explaination. He knows - for whatever reason - that neither he nor his henchmen will be charged.

So the real question is how does he know? If he's sure because he heard a voice come out of a blue sky that told him so then that's OK with me. If Cheney told him so its OK with me. But if anyone from the Obama Administration told him so, then that is dam sure not OK with me.

[wake.up.america]

9. Agree with ThomWV,

Nothing is going to happen.

[Old Codger]

2. Maybe

But that doesn't stop them from offering immunity, they could give them transactional or use immunity and compel testimony that way.

[PRETZEL]

3. Another possible theory,

aside from Scooter Libby, there were very few actual convictions of Bush officials. Pardons for crimes not prosecuted would be an overt admission of guilt. I don't think they want to voluntarily open that Pandora's Box. There will be some investigations, but by and large, they still control the information. I think they intend to keep it that way.

[madokie]

4. They also intended on keeping the executive branch under their control

and we see how that turned out. imo
Obama took the oath and he takes it to heart so there will be investigations to all this criminality by the bush/cheney cronies

[PRETZEL]

8. As much as I would like to agree, I'm not sure

there will most certainly be investigations into the NSA wiretaps, torture, the attorney firings. There's no doubt and for very good reasons.

Will we see full investigations into Valerie Plame's outing? Or the stovepiping of intelligence? The lies and cherry picking of information (some of it possible fabricated) that led us into Iraq and Afghanistan?

I believe that President Obama does want to see truth being told. But he also knows that he can't be viewed as being vindictive so I think he'll chose his battles wisely.

[Old and In the Way]

11. If investigations occur, it won't be orchestrated from the Obama White House.

What I suspect will happen is that the transparency in government that this administration will encourage may well lead to greater access to many documents that imply criminal acts. As more revelations of wrong doing are exposed and cataloged, the evidence will unleash a demand for justice from the ground up. Obama will not be leading this, but he won't stand in the way if public reaction demands accountability based on the evidence. Lifting the ban on the Executive document privilege seems to be the opening needed for the wheels of justice to start moving. All aboard!

[madokie]

13. I agree he shouldn't and probably won't

He is setting the tone that will allow it to happen though.

[lamp_shade]

10. Or.... maybe he's pissed at the puppeteers who've been handling him

and he plans to write a book throwing the whole bunch of 'em under a bus.

[L. Coyote]

12. Another theory: They are under investigation for their crimes, maybe secretly indicted already.

If Bush is one of the named co-conspirators, he cannot pardon anyone! That simple. Now that he is no longer Prez, he can be indicted too!