The Rant / By Wes Modes

George W. Bush and the Presidential Pardons

No, it's not a new punk band.

November 20, 2008 |

LIKE THIS ARTICLE ?

Join our mailing list:

Sign up to stay up to date on the latest headlines via email.

One of the latest Washington parlor Games seems to be spectating as to whether or not Bush will grant a full pardon to convicted felon Scooter Libby before his administration mercifully comes to an end two months from tomorrow. I say "seems to be" because, trust me, I am not nor have I ever been a member of the Washington Beltway, cocktail party circuit - in good standing or otherwise. All of the info you read in this site I receive second or third hand. Truth be told, I have not even set foot in the District of Columbia since April of 2000.

Recently, however, the Princes and Princesses of D.C. are starting to ask a somewhat different question:

Is the First Fool going to issue a blanket pardon for all of the criminals in this disgusting administration who have committed crimes against the American people in general and humaity in particular?

Expect a major Constitutional crisis between now and January 20. In the months following the dawn of the 110th Congress in January of 2007, I couldn't understand why the special prosecutors weren't forthcoming. What the hell is the matter with these stupid Democrats? Can't they see that this is the most murderously criminal administration in American history? Are these nitwits blind? Are they part of the conspiracy? What gives?

Then in early July, I was finally able to figure it out the reason behind the Dem's hesitancy. The moment Dick Cheney's chief-of-staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice, Bush commuted his sentence. What's the sense of prosecuting these homicidal clowns for anything if the asshole in the Oval Office is simply going to render their convictions invalid?

The plan, I am sure, is to wait until Bush is out of office, then initiate the prosecutions. As I predicted on this very site almost two years ago, Bush would initiate a blanket pardon in the early hours of Christmas Eve "in the spirit of this glorious holiday season" much like his father did in the case of Casper Weinberger and everyone else convicted of crimes committed in the Iran Contra affair.

Here's Bush's problem: No one in his administration has been convicted of or even charged with anything. A president cannot merely pardon someone in anticipation of an indictment, right? Right??? Of course he can't. Explain that, though, to the knuckleheads within the GOP who issue the talking points. You see, the idea is subtly being put forth that, not only can a president pardon anybody for anything - indicted or not - he even has the legal ability to vindicate himself.

Beg Pardon??? (No pun intended).

Is he really going to attempt something as hideously arrogant as that? Are you kidding me? This is George W. Bush we're talkin' about here! Of course he's going to attempt it. It would be uncharacteristic for him not to try it. At the very least, he's thinking about it - COUNT ON IT.

Consider this: Do you think that the Founding Fathers gave the chief executive the power of the pardon in order that he or she would be able to conduct a criminal enterprise for four long years - and even longer - and then have the ability to walk away from their crimes scott free? If that were the case, why in the hell did they give the Congress the power of impeachment in case of presidential "high crimes and misdemeanors"? What earthly sense would that have made?

As the late, lamented Molly Ivins once observed, the founders of this country were "just about the smartest sons-of-bitches that ever lived". No article in the Bill of Rights and Constitution was meant to be self-defeating - of that you may be sure. If Bush attempts to do what I think he's going to do, the proverbial shit is going to hit the Constitutional fan.

View as a single page