Word: pardoner
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...That's the upshot of the move by President George W. Bush to commute Libby's 30-month sentence for lying about having leaked the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Commutation is significantly less sweeping than a pardon, which would have wiped out Libby's conviction and left him in the position of essentially never having been charged...
...like TIME's Charles Krauthammer) have uncharitably compared carbon credits to the indulgences sold by the medieval Catholic Church. But indulgences are apparently misunderstood. The Catholic Encyclopedia, in an eye-rolling, "Here we go again" tone, scolds that an indulgence "is not a permission to commit sin, nor a pardon of future sin." No doubt environmentalists would insist the same about carbon credits: they are not a gift certificate or get-out-of-jail-free card for would-be polluters. But they sure do play...
...Plame. Libby was also fined $250,000. He will appeal the punishment, though Walton will not decide until next week whether to allow Libby to remain free during the appeal or send him to prison almost immediately. President Bush has said he will not address the issue of a pardon for Libby at least until the appeals process is exhausted...
...Related Articles How Libby's Trial Hurt the Press Libby: Fall of a Vulcan Cheney's Fall From Grace What the CIA Lost in the Libby Case Will Bush Pardon Libby? Why Libby's Defense Failed What Convinced the Libby Jury How Libby Came Undone Free Scooter Libby! Behind the Tenet Blame Game Don't Try Lying to This Guy Special The 10 Most Notorious Presidential Pardons Timeline How The Tale Unfolds...
...that's part of the plan. If his appeal fails, Libby's only recourse is a presidential pardon, and the chances of that go up as Bush's days in office dwindle. That means the longer Libby can keep the wheels of justice turning, the more likely he is to avoid spending any time in jail. Already the betting on a pardon is running at 65% by the end of Bush's term, and the Washington Post has announced a pool to predict the date. Democrats have called on Bush to swear off a pardon, but that outcome...