Are Pardons In The Pipeline? If So, When Will They Be Granted???

The primary players are now sufficiently set against one another, and damaging information is leaking out daily in the Libby trial. Congress has cranked up the investigatory process, and witnesses are starting to tell the truth about what went on in the White House.

If Libby were pardoned today, the trial would end tomorrow. Implications? Cheney would not be required to testify. (Iran/Contra all over again).

So what is the hold up? Is Bush looking for a military conflict with Iran as the backdrop for his issuing pardons?

Tell us what your take is.

Will Bush allow the Libby defense team to paint Rove as the primary wrongdoer and lead the investigation to the door of the President?

because to do so earlier will make him look even quiltier than he already does.

I'm not a lawyer, but I recall reading, a while back, some speculation that Libby (and others) are, effectively, unpardonable.

Simply put (as I understand it), the Fifth Amendment protects you from testifying *because you may incriminate yourself*. If you've got a pardon, then you can't incriminate yourself, so failure to testify would, I believe, result in a contempt of court charge. So it's not entirely clear that a pardon results in a full "Get out of Jail Free" card for Libby. Granted, it might make this trial end, but then the prosecutor can go after Libby to testify (without fear of self-incrimination) against any- and everyone else.

Whatever happens, it's definitely fascinating to watch...

You must have an opportunity to place the individual under oath, and if the Libby trial ends the subpoena to Cheney and others pardoned would be null and void.

Now Congressional Investigations could generate appearances by underlings to testify in front of the committee under oath. However, it is unclear whether a 'former' top Administration official of the Executive Branch could be called to testify while that Administration is still in power --a question of first impression, I think.

Add top that the issue of classified information. Determining what the former official could testify about would be difficult as disclosing classified information is still a crime.

It is clear that Cheney would have to be out of office to accept a pardon, since no constitutionally elected Vice President could remain in office admitting he committed a crime, and acceptance of a pardon is an admission that you committed the crime for which you are being pardoned. The only other choice is to refuse the pardon, which exposes that person to full prosecution.