Prosecutor's Comment on the Pardon

[Michael Tee]

        *  We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.
        *  We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as "excessive." The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.
        * Although the President?s decision eliminates Mr. Libby?s sentence of imprisonment, Mr. Libby remains convicted by a jury of serious felonies, and we will continue to seek to preserve those convictions through the appeals process.
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And the added commentary of the site (sorry, folks, I can't recall which site)

For all of the citizens of the United States, the imposition of a sentence that is consistent with the sentencing guidelines makes it "presumptively reasonable." At least that's what the Roberts Court said just last month in Rita v. United States.

That's for all the regular folks,  but not for the Special Assistant to the President and chief of staff to the Vice President. At least not in BushCo.    Paris Hilton and Martha Stewart should have been working in the administration.

[BT]

    *  We fully recognize that the Constitution provides that commutation decisions are a matter of presidential prerogative and we do not comment on the exercise of that prerogative.
        *  We comment only on the statement in which the President termed the sentence imposed by the judge as "excessive." The sentence in this case was imposed pursuant to the laws governing sentencings which occur every day throughout this country. In this case, an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws. It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals. That principle guided the judge during both the trial and the sentencing.

Methinks he contradicts himself.

[Michael Tee]

No contradiction that I saw.  He recognized the Presidential discretion to pardon at will.  He objected to the Presidential characterization of the sentence as "excessive."  A sentence is excessive if it departs from the sentencing guidelines and from precedents set in similar cases. 

The pardon did not need a reason because it's discretionary.  However if the reason, like everything else that comes out of this lying bastard's mouth, is just one more lie, then Fitzpatrick had every right to call him on it.  Naturally President Pinocchio isn't gonna tell anyone the real reason why he's pardoning Libby but that doesn't mean he can't be called to account for his lies when he invents phony reasons he doesn't have to invent.