Last year when President Bush commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby, the former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, Durbin was outraged.
But this week the Springfield Democrat is arguing it would be compassionate to free former Gov. George Ryan from prison.
The difference, Durbin said Thursday, is that Libby didn't go to prison while Ryan has served 16 percent of his 6 1/2-year prison sentence for taking cash and free vacations from insiders who benefited from taxpayer-funded deals he authorized.
When asked how he could blast a commutation for Libby while supporting one for Ryan, Durbin said the cases are "dramatically different."
After Libby's conviction on perjury charges in relation to the outing of a CIA agent, the senator was quoted as saying President George Bush shouldn't give the political insider a break. "It sends a terrible message ... to suggest anyone in our government is above the law," he said.
While serving as Illinois' secretary of state, Ryan presided over a pit of corruption. Libby made a huge mistake when he committed perjury when testifying about the Valerie Plame leak. There was no pattern of graft and abuse of powers surrounding Libby's public service career. The same can't be said for the Kankakee Republican.
Hat tip to ThirdWaveDave for the Kankakee photo.
Related post:
Why I oppose a George Ryan commutation
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2 comments:
Durbin said the cases are "dramatically different."
After Libby's conviction on perjury charges in relation to the outing of a CIA agent, the senator was quoted as saying President George Bush shouldn't give the political insider a break. "It sends a terrible message ... to suggest anyone in our government is above the law," he said.
Which law would that be, Dick?
Involuntary manslaughter?
Yeah - the two cases are dramatically different:
Libby: busted for lying about naming an agent who was actually "outed" by Richard Amritage (to Novak).
Result: Valerie Plame banks HUGE cash on a book deal; she and her husband end up in the pages of Vanity Fair, driving a convertible sports car.
Ryan: Illegally taking bride money from unqualified drivers in exchange for licenses.
Result: 6 children torched in their car while their parents survive and have to suffer.
Yeah, Dick ... "dramatically different".
It's time for you to shut your pie hole on this issue, revoke your application and sit behind Harry Reid so you have better access to lick his ass.
Durbin should be checked into the
nut house. As for Ryan, he the
Anti-Christ
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