And then we have the case of Sandy “Stuffed Trou” Berger, a guy who actually did something quite illegal–stealing classified documents–and got away scot free. Nice to see our judiciary has double standards.

UT is absolutely right, we have probably never needed an executive check on the judicial branch more than we do now.

The Republic Party has the backing of a lot of people with very, very deep pockets who I’m sure we’re quite willing to cover Libby’s bill in exchange for unspecified favors in the future.

The man got off practically scot-free, and that’s a travesty.

Guess I’ve been in Korea too long.

America needs patriots who are willing to say enough is enough.

Article II of the Constitution gives the president broad and unreviewable power to grant “Reprieves and Pardons” for all offenses against the United States. The Supreme Court has ruled that the pardon power is granted “[t]o the [president] . . ., and it is granted without limit” (United States v. Klein).

The double standard applied by Bush-haters in this case, as in others, is appalling. Clinton canned all the U.S. attorneys so he could replace them with his cronies, but no one called for an investigation then. But when Bush applied the same prerogative in a slightly different manner, he was corrupt. Clinton pardoned his Whitewater crony Susan McDougal, who had committed real crimes, yet the screaming was nearly silent compared to the caterwauling engendered by this commutation.

I suggest saving your outrage (as I save mine) for Bush’s indefensible usurpations of power and trampling of constitutional protections—not wailing and gnashing your teeth about legitimate exercises of executive power.

“Please let’s have a comparison with this one and the pardon of Marc Rich.”

Ok, how about the fact that Marc Rich was rich enough to hire a good lawyer — Scooter Libby.

Now that’s rich.

Ever since the Warren Court, we’ve seen the system distorted into one where the judiciary considers itself supreme and endowed with nearly limitless power. It now routinely not only judges and reviews constitutionality, but also legislates and dictates the manner of execution of laws and judgments—in short, it infringes upon the powers proper to the other two branches. Given that the judiciary is the branch least subject to the will of the people, this is a scary, scary thing.

So whenever I see the executive and legislative branches exercising their checks on the judiciary—be it impeaching a judge, limiting the court’s jurisdiction, or granting some pardons—my heart cheers a little: the Republic isn’t totally dead.

Bush’s commuting of the prison sentence in no way prevents him from granting a pardon later.

Don’t hold YOUR breath! That’s partisanship speaking, not reason.