Roves last minute pardon!!!

[WillieW]

just picked this up at another site no confirmation, just looked at CNN's site and did not see it -


"CNN just reported Bush pardoned Rove in perpetuity - a few hours before the inauguration and it just happened to be in a lawyers hands until now - how convenient

[Poll_Blind]

1. Dude if ya don't got a link I call bullshit on this. Sorry, nothing against you but...

...this would be bigger than huge: The whole secret-pardon thing would be earth-shattering.

PB

[maddezmom]

7. here's a link

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-latt/bush-punkd-us-again_b_162501.html

and a discussion on DU here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=4951211

[Poll_Blind]

17. thank you!

PB

[maddezmom]

20. You're welcome. CNN's Sanchez had a segment on his show yesterday

about the Fielding letter, probably where this came from. :hi:

[Subdivisions]

2. We already know about the "perpetual immunity". n/t

[tekisui]

3. Unless there is something new, I think this is the letter that chimpy wrote.

It told rove, miers, and bloton not to worry, that they would be protected under executive privilege. The legality of the letter as pardon is in dispute.

[Goblinmonger]

4. We'll hear ALL about it

in 24 business hours.

:hide:

[Poll_Blind]

6. Read my mind....

PB

[KharmaTrain]

5. Not Quite...

In the last days, Rove was given a letter by Fielding, boooshie's lawyer and hush-up guy saying that the executive privilidge that Rove used to keep quiet would remain in force...not a pardon. This is questionable...as it will be up to the Obama administration to determine if this is valid...or, more likely, a court. The DOJ is supposed to make a ruling on defending this position in regards to keeping Rove and Meiers from testifying in front of Congress on Feb 18th...the reason why Conyers delayed this latest subpoena. If the DOJ refuses to honor this wild abuse of privilidge, I expect Rove to run to court to bide more time...cause, IMHO, that's all he's got left.

He's already trying to make a deal in the investigations of the Siegleman case and the DOJ firing inquiry...or so says his lawyer...which could be an interesting development.

As usual Chicken Noodle Nuze reads the press clippings, doesn't do their homework.

If you want the full rundown...check out TPM Muckraker.

[ThomWV]

8. I'm sure hopin' you're right

I suspect you're right and what they are talking about is that(those) bullshit privilege letter(s) that Bush sent out a few (4?) days before he left office

[KharmaTrain]

13. Rove's Lawyer Saying He's "Cooperating" Has My Radar Up

This crept out just a few days ago and could mean maybe a deal has been struck or Rove is trying to play nice to avoid having to deal with multiple cases at once. It's definitely a change in tone. Let's see if he ends up testifying and where he tries to stonewall...protecting his friends while still covering his ass. Yep...I don't trust this weasel.

[peacetalksforall]

9. I thought it was settled that you couldn't be pardoned if you haven't been convicted?

[ThomWV]

11. Remember Nixon?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

10. Did he use the secret triple dog dare pardon? n/t

[Marr]

12. If they used the word "pardon" they were in error.

He tried to give his enablers "immunity from prosecution" in perpetuity. He cannot do this. It was another attempt at expanding the Executive's power, and a convenient way to avoid the fallout of essentially pardoning himself.

[IDemo]

14. This is nothing new

What Chimp actually did was tell Miers and Bolten they had "absolute immunity" in perpetuity and until the Sun goes cold (ok, made that last part up). That does not equate to an actual pardon.

It will be up to Obama and the new Justice Department to determine whether that will actually withstand Constitutional muster.

[endarkenment]

15. Not a pardon.

This has already been discussed. Bush has asserted a new 'perpetual executive privilege power' that is beyond dubious and most certainly outside of any explicit authority in the constitution. Executive Privilege, an unwritten constitution power, rests entirely in the executive branch of the government, not in any individual. It protects the autonomy of the executive branch from the legislative branch. Anything Bush did with respect to executive privilege, Obama can simply undo.

[merh]

16. Immunity in perpetuity? That doesn't exist

You cannot absolve from future crimes.

The immunity means Rove cannot dodge the questions, cannot ignore the subpoena and must answer all that is asked of him. He cannot hide behind the immunity and/or the 5th (I refuse to testify on the grounds it may incriminate me.) If he doesn't answer, he can be charged with obstruction and if he lies, he can be charged with perjury. Bush cannot absolve him from all crimes he commits in the present even if those crimes may be related to his crimes or the GWB crimes committed by that admin or while Rove was part of that admin.

ETA: If, during the investigation it is learned that Rove/Bush/Gonzales/Miers broke the law, the conspiracy to cover it up would be a part of a RICO/conspiracy claim that extended beyond the admin into the new admin and would could be a charged crime, not subject to the immunity provided.

[onenote]

18. The reason that there is no confirmation for this story is that its not true

There was no "pardon" given Rove. THere was a letter from Bush to Rove's attorney stating that Bush was continuing to invoke executive privilege with respect to Rove testifying before Congress, a position -- that a president's invocation of executive privilege cannot be reversed by a subsequent administration -- that is open to debate.

In any event, it certainly isn't a pardon since, if evidence of criminal acts by Rove from sources not protected by executive privilege was to come to light, there would be no bar to prosecuting and convicting Rove.

[Lex]

19. Was it a "Pardon" -- No. What he gave Rove is useless

or I think it will be proven to be useless.