Unless you live under a rock, you are probably aware that Scooter Libby is being sentenced today. Prior to the sentencing, friends of Libby submitted letters on his behalf and supprting leniency, and those letters have been made publicly available. I am not devoid of a sense of humor, so I recognize that letters from disgraced pols like Paul Wolfowitz in support of leniency can be unintentionally funny, but I am not going to partake in the mayhem.
A little story- I once worked in a probation office, and one of my chief responsibilities was pre-sentence investigations. When someone was convicted of a crime, it was my job to investigate them, interview them, and write up a detailed report for the court so that they could have some information prior to sentencing. Because of this, I also always attended the sentencing hearings in case any questions about my report would arise. Invariably at every sentencing hearing, even the lowest of the low would trot a bunch of people forward to tell the judge and everyone listening that the convicted was the nicest person this side of Mother Theresa.
After a few months of this, you get jaded. You spend hours with them, are intimate with their transgressions (molestation, child predation, etc.), and then have to suffer through all these people telling you how wonderful the pervert who has been convicted of raping a nine year old is and that the judge should be lenient.
Finally, I had enough one day and I was talking to the judge after the sentencing of one of the more obnoxious offenders, and I asked him- “Doesn’t it make you sick to hear all these people, week after week, vouching for these scum?”
The Judge (who is now on the State Supreme Court), looked at me and said- “I don’t see anything wrong with our system in which even the lowest of the low can have their friends and family vouch for them. If they don’t have their family, what do they have?”
He was right.
Blue Neponset
If Bush doesn’t pardon Libby then Dubya has no stones. Libby lied his ass off to save the Commander Guy a ton of trouble during run up to the 2004 election.
Zombie Santa Claus
From the sound of it, he probably didn’t put too much stock into most of what they had to say, though. Still, you get to say it. Same goes for the defendants themselves. One of the guys from Murder, Inc. in the 1930s told the judge that he’d like to pee on his leg. (That was right before the judge sentenced him to the electric chair, but he knew that was coming, so what the Hell.)
Andrew
With friends like Paul Wolfowitz, who needs friends like Ba’al?
dslak
As politicized as this case is, I would expect either side to take whatever chance they could to rub the other’s nose in it. Not saying it’s right or anything, mind you.
Tsulagi
Definitely true. But that still wouldn’t change the fact the child predators were scum.
Looking at the dates on the letters, most in April or early May, I notice Wolfie’s letter was dated last week. Guess like Cheney he had other pressing priorities than his friend of 30 years or so.
Speaking of the Dick, I don’t see a letter from him. Probably just Five Deferment Cheney staying the course in character. He’s always got your back. Just ask that peppered Texan guy.
DougJ
Good post, John. But I wonder if he’d have said the same thing if the letters came from people like John Bolton and Paul Wolfowitz.
Zombie Santa Claus
True. That’s a little different than support from your family. That’s like a guy convicted of purse snatching getting a letter of support from a guy doing 10 years for armed robbery.
Gregory
Now, now. Cheney got him in the front.
Chris
In the case of the hunting accident, Dick Cheny had his pal’s front i believe.
Having a letter from your capo isn’t a good idea when you are taking a fall ala Henry Hill for Paulie. Paulie’s vouching not necessary and wouldn’t help.
Besides, outside of the blood cult of weirdos who hang on his every unAmerican word, who now doesn’t hear something from “Last Throes” Cheny and auto-assume the 100% opposite must be the truth.
I have ever since i read that he watched Ken Burns Civil War documentary and gave tapes out during Gulf ! and tried to suggest a unsupported drop of the 82nd in the Western Desert. Too much Risk, not enough Nam in his background.
Dick likes to leave his trail cold. His proxy army is starting to scare me though, when did he recruit and blood oath this weird gang of awkward constitutional misfits like Yoo and Addington and the dozens of others who seem to have a finger fucking up every pot they can touch?
Your average west virgina pedos didn’t have James Carville on board, that’s an odd one.
ATS
I love seeing Natan Sharansky’s name on the list. A hero of the oppressed, provided they come from the same gene pool.
The all time moral Tartuffes, people like Sharanky are somehow worse than pure evil-doers, because at least the latter don’t masquerade as secular saints.
Andrew
Supreme Bashar Cheney of the Bush Whitehouse Sisterhood recovered the latent ability of moving faster than the eye can see after he was exposed to the T-Probe at George Washington Hospital, making it possible to approach from behind and still shoot him from the front.
Tsulagi
I didn’t mean “back” in the literal sense…lol.
Hmm…maybe Cheney got all pumped up watching a recent Sopranos episode. Where Tony snuffs out a wounded, loyal captain to make sure he doesn’t cause him any problems.
That’s why he didn’t write a letter. Cheney’s manly imitation of Tony Soprano. Yep, can’t beat those Pubs for family values.
ThymeZone
Yes he was. The whole point of courts, judges and process is to hear the sides in whatever matter is brought to the bench. Once they’ve been heard, then justice can be carried out in the appropriate way, and with confidence.
Great post.
Jimmmmm
Irrespective of my feelings about the convicted, in most cases, I’d question the integrity of the people who would vouch for a child-molestor … or Scooter Libby.
Jay B.
John,
You, the judge, are right of course. It’s nice to see compassion anywhere these days. And it certainly is compassionate. Thanks for the perspective.
Of course, the judge here: If they don’t have their family, what do they have? was talking about the lowest of the low. The people with literally nothing else but a few associations and relationships.
Here, and this isn’t to say your overall point still isn’t the right one, we’re talking about one of the most powerful people in the world (at one time) with a coterie of Big Time friends, war criminals almost to the person, who are crying for mercy.
It’s far more difficult to find any compassion for the HAVE EVERYTHINGS, especially those whose malfeasence and hubris has lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. In the end, as public people who have never met a day of responsibility in their lives, I think they are fair game for mocking.
It’s not a generous notion — but fuck ’em. Since they deserve the Hague, they’re getting off light.
Chris
Hey
You might have a two’fer, if you read Libby’s unread novel closely. Google it, all sorts of psychosexual maladjustment involving underage girls and bears. Very odd man, ol’ scooter.
Pb
Shorter letters:
So what does the future hold for Mr. Libby… will he one day get his own show on Fox, like Oliver North? Or will he get a Presidential appointment, like Elliott Abrams? Or will he find some other nook in the wingnut welfare system? Only time will tell…
Jon H
Shorter letters:
Dear Judge,
Please consider the following reasons to believe that Scooter was not acting on his own but was in fact covering up for his superiors, and thus needs the book thrown at him.
K? Thxbye
Jon H
What *is* the deal with Carville’s letter, anyway?
Jon H
From the WTF files, this from Matalin/Carville:
“One of my many enduring and endearing memories of Scooter is of his universal love of families. […] One of our early “undisclosed location” work trips coincided with Halloween, which I am sure you know is the favorite event of most children’s lives. The Cheney grandchildren were required to accompany us on this particular trip, yanked out of school and away from their much-awaited night of Trick or Treating. Their disappointment at being trapped in the desolate, nothing-to-do location was heartbreaking, as was our own, missing our small children that night. ”
What possible justification could there have been for dragging Cheney’s grandkids off to his secret lair?
We’re not even talking 9/11, we’re talking Halloween.
What freakish all-consuming paranoia does this man suffer?
Rome Again
Google Bohemian Grove and then get back to me. Hmmmmmmm!
Doug
Your story about the lowest of the low having friends reminds me of a tip a creative writing teacher once gave my class with respect to character development. Even the most despicable character, he suggested, has an internal narrative wherein he views himself as a more or less good guy. Nobody regards themselves as evil. So, it’s not surprising that there is at least a small contingent of people who also buy into the idea that any given creep isn’t so bad after all.
tBone
He has to harvest the blood of the innocent in order to channel his dark magicks. Duh.
ATS
“What is the deal with Carville’s letter, anyway?”
They go to the same Green Book parties. They run different horses, but the same club owns the racetrack.
SheRa
This isn’t exactly the same as “family.” Having powerful present and past politicians and leaders vouch for him has a little more of an intimidating effect and intent than getting a letter from some low life’s Mommy.
SheRa
This isn’t exactly the same as “family.” Having powerful present and past politicians and leaders vouch for him has a little more of an intimidating effect and intent than getting a letter from some low life’s Mommy.
AkaDad
There’s a phrase that describes one who defends perjury and obstruction of justice.
Soft on crime.
ATS
Do the Oligarch’s count? I understand 6 of 8 are drafting a letter.
John Spragge
A sort on the themes, in order:
1. From a surprising (to me) number of ordinary Americans, as well as a few cranks: throw away the key
2. Have mercy on the poor man, he has a family.
3. Have mercy on the poor man, he’s always behaved honourably before.
4. Have mercy, he didn’t do it (and he’ll never do it again).
5. Give your jury an IQ test.
6. Let him go right now, preferably with an apology, or we’ll plow up the courthouse lawn and sow dragon’s teeth.
That last sums up (for me) a single and singular letter from the Hudson Institute, claiming that the writer (and by implication his broad circle of friends) would never (emphasis original) believe Libby had done anything wrong. And if the judge didn’t see it their way, why, American politics would just have to get nasty.
How you get nastier than flying innocent people halfway around the world in order to torture them in secret prisons, the letter writer did not explain.
Redhand
I checked this one out. To say that it was pathetically funny is an understatement. I couldn’t believe Wolfie’s opening that he’s “President of the World Bank [ah, er] until June 30.” [!!]
Maybe, just maybe, Wolfie is on the verge of a meltdown himself. Such an impressive resume, . . . until the recent unpleasantness.
Serves him right, IMHO. His suffering is nothing compared to pain suffered by the thousands of Americans who are wounded or whose families are struggling with the deaths and wounds of their loved ones.
DougJ
“I don’t see anything wrong with our system in which even the lowest of the low can have
their friends and familyother discredited neocons vouch for them.”jenniebee
Shakespeare pulled it off all right. Richard III, Act I, Scene i:
And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence and the king
In deadly hate the one against the other:
And if King Edward be as true and just
As I am subtle, false and treacherous,
This day should Clarence closely be mew’d up,
About a prophecy, which says that ‘G’
Of Edward’s heirs the murderer shall be.
Dive, thoughts, down to my soul: here
Clarence comes.
Randolph Fritz
Bravo, John.