Trump Cracking Down on Leakers

[NATI BENGALS]

Not sure if this was the right thread to ask. Anybody know what Scooter Libby had to be pardoned for?

[BmorePat87]

A lot of leak news. Melania might believe that Russian prostitutes leaked on Trump. Apparently the American people see James Comey as a disgraced leaker. A leaker was pardoned.

[*michaelsean*]

(04-14-2018, 12:59 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Not sure if this was the right thread to ask. Anybody know what Scooter Libby had to be pardoned for?

He wasn't pardoned, his prison sentence was commuted.  He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.  

[GMDino]

(04-16-2018, 10:31 AM)michaelsean Wrote: He wasn't pardoned, his prison sentence was commuted.  He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.  

Trump pardoned him.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-issues-pardon-to-scooter-libby-former-chief-of-staff-to-vice-president-cheney/2018/04/13/dfa4039a-3f2d-11e8-8d53-eba0ed2371cc_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.67984ccbefc3

Quote:President Trump issued a pardon Friday to Lewis “Scooter” Libby, offering forgiveness to a former chief of staff to Vice President Richard B. Cheney who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice related to the leak of a CIA officer’s identity.


“I don’t know Mr. Libby,” Trump said in a statement, “but for years I have heard that he has been treated unfairly. Hopefully, this full pardon will help rectify a very sad portion of his life.”

In a statement explaining Trump’s action, the White House noted that in 2015 one of the key witnesses against Libby recanted her testimony, among other factors.

The White House also said that Libby’s past government service and his record since his conviction have been “similarly unblemished, and he continues to be held in high regard by his colleagues and peers.”

Libby was convicted of four felonies in 2007 — for perjury before a grand jury, lying to FBI investigators and obstruction of justice during an investigation into the disclosure of the work of Valerie Plame Wilson, a former covert CIA agent and the wife of former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV.

Libby was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined $250,000, but his sentence was commuted by then-President George W. Bush. Although spared prison time, Libby was not pardoned.

[BmorePat87]

(04-16-2018, 10:31 AM)michaelsean Wrote: He wasn't pardoned, his prison sentence was commuted.  He was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.  

He was pardoned by Trump. Bush commuted his sentence. Trump's pardon basically erased his conviction off his record. 

[*michaelsean*]

Got it. Missed that part. Now the thread makes more sense.

So to the point of the thread then, he wasn’t a leaker, and in addition one of the witnesses recanted her story so there may have been a question as to whether he was guilty of the charges he was convicted of

[BmorePat87]

(04-16-2018, 11:02 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Got it. Missed that part.  Now the thread makes more sense.

So to the point of the thread then, he wasn’t a leaker, and in addition one of the witnesses recanted her story so there may have been a question as to whether he was guilty of the charges he was convicted of

Well, he was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in a case involving someone leaking to the reporter (who you're referencing as the witness) and the claim was he was the source, so he was a leaker (according to the court).

Basically the reporter said years later he wasn't her source. This is also a reporter who was discredited at the time for making up stories to promote and anti-Islamic view. 

So was she lying that her access to high level information was from Libby or was she lying that it wasn't Libby? Either way, someone in his circle leaked the information as a means of political retribution.

[NATI BENGALS]

(04-16-2018, 11:02 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Got it. Missed that part.  Now the thread makes more sense.

So to the point of the thread then, he wasn’t a leaker, and in addition one of the witnesses recanted her story so there may have been a question as to whether he was guilty of the charges he was convicted of

Your probably right. Its not like Trump would ever say one thing then do the exact opposite. 

[*michaelsean*]

(04-16-2018, 11:42 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Your probably right. Its not like Trump would ever say one thing then do the exact opposite. 

Don’t know what that means in this context.

[*michaelsean*]

(04-16-2018, 11:33 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Well, he was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in a case involving someone leaking to the reporter (who you're referencing as the witness) and the claim was he was the source, so he was a leaker (according to the court).

Basically the reporter said years later he wasn't her source. This is also a reporter who was discredited at the time for making up stories to promote and anti-Islamic view. 

So was she lying that her access to high level information was from Libby or was she lying that it wasn't Libby? Either way, someone in his circle leaked the information as a means of political retribution.

Didn’t they conclude that the leaker was Richard Armitage? Perhaps I should go refresh my memory on the situation.

[BmorePat87]

(04-16-2018, 11:49 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Didn’t they conclude that the leaker was Richard Armitage?  Perhaps I should go refresh my memory on the situation.

Armitage inadvertently leaked it to the reporter Novak who first reported on it in TIME and Libby allegedly discussed ("leaked") it with Miller a week before that, 2 days before Plame's husband published his editorial criticizing the administration.

Libby's lawyers argued after the trial that if the jury knew this they would have found Libby's leak inconsequential even though it occurred before Novak published her name and status with the CIA.

[NATI BENGALS]

(04-16-2018, 11:48 AM)michaelsean Wrote: Don’t know what that means in this context.

Yea your right. I dont know what any of it means. 

The law and order candidate repeatedly attacking the FBI. And then pardoning someone guilty of obstruction of justice. Weird timing too just kinda out of nowhere with the pardon. Wonder if there is anyone else of note under investigation who could get charged with lying to the fbi or obstruction that this could send a message to? Shut your mouth and lie. Old donny boy has your back. Law and order for the W

[*michaelsean*]

(04-16-2018, 02:33 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Yea your right. I dont know what any of it means. 

The law and order candidate repeatedly attacking the FBI. And then pardoning someone guilty of obstruction of justice. Weird timing too just kinda out of nowhere with the pardon. Wonder if there is anyone else of note under investigation who could get charged with lying to the fbi or obstruction that this could send a message to? Shut your mouth and lie. Old donny boy has your back. Law and order for the W

OK