Bush spares Thanksgiving Turkeys ...

Scott Leffler · Guru

Bush spares Thanksgiving Turkeys ...

Jim Hufnagel · Senior Member

Does anyone think Bush will pardon Libby before it goes to trial?

-- Edited by Jim Hufnagel at 13:42, 2005-11-23

Date: Sat Nov 26 9:12 AM, 2005

He's a pretty big turkey

Date: Sat Nov 26 9:46 AM, 2005

You can't pardon before a trial.

Scott Leffler · Guru

You sure can.

From Wikipedia:
Bush's last controversial act in office was his pardon of six former government employees implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal on December 24, 1992, most prominently former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. Weinberger had been scheduled to stand trial on January 5, 1993 for allegedly lying to Congress regarding his knowledge of arms sales to Iran and concealing 1700 pages of his personal diary detailing discussions with other officials about the arms sales. As Weinberger's private notes contained references to Bush's endorsement of the secret shipments to Iran, some believe that Bush's pardon was an effort to prevent an order for Bush to appear before a grand jury or possibly to avoid an indictment. Weinberger's indictment stated that Weinberger's notes contradicted Bush's assertions that he had only peripheral knowledge of the arms for hostages deal. Lawrence Walsh, the Independent Counsel assigned to the case, charged that "the Iran-contra cover-up, which has continued for more than six years, has now been completed." Walsh likened the pardons to President Nixon's Saturday Night Massacre. Bush responded that the Walsh probe constituted an attempt to criminalize a policy dispute between the legislative and executive branches. In addition to Weinberger, Bush pardoned Duane R. Clarridge, Clair E. George, Robert C. McFarlane, Elliott Abrams, and Alan G. Fiers Jr., all of whom had been indicted and/or convicted of charges by the Independent Counsel.

Weinberger had not yet stood trial. Many think Bush pardoned him before the trial to prevent any incriminating information about himself to come out.

Scott Leffler · Guru

That's George H.W. Bush in the previous post, obviously.

Jim Hufnagel · Senior Member

You beat me to it, Scott. I was just remembering ol' Cappy this weekend.

I also heard a certain radio network report the shipment of over a thousand turkeys to Iraq for the troops' Thanksgiving meal. The announcer said that the turkeys were making the "supreme sacrifice". Not the most PC person around, but I thought that was pretty insulting to the 2100 human Americans for whom those words are usually reserved.