Can President  grant a presidential pardon to  Lewis Scooter Libby and others if convicted ofthe leak incident
148673
Yes he can.  There are no limits on the Presidential pardon power.\n\nEvery President has pardoned people.  There is a tradition of Presidents issuing a few pardons around Christmas time, and then also before leaving office.  \n\nThe most controversial pardons are probably Gerald Ford's pardon of richard Nixon, which kept Nixon from being tried for any of his crimes which led to Nixon's impeachment.  The pardon probably cost Ford the next election.  The first President Bush also pardoned some of the people involved in the Iran-Contra affair, notably Caspar Weinberger
134684
Iran Contra--Where the White House was accused of arms deals with Iran.\n\n"Presidents can't do that now. When the Iran-Contra scandal erupted in 1986, President Reagan waived both executive privilege and attorney-client privilege." http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/02/25/bierbauer/\n\n\nThe most important modern articulation of executive privilege standards was the Reagan administration's executive privilege memorandum.6 On November 4, 1982, President Ronald Reagan issued an executive privilege memorandum to heads of executive departments and agencies. The Reagan procedures were generally similar to those in a 1969 Nixon executive privilege memorandum.7 For example, President Reagan's guidelines affirmed the administration policy "to comply with Congressional requests for information to the fullest extent consistent with the constitutional and statutory obligations of the Executive Branch."8 The memorandum reaffirmed the need for "confidentiality of some communications,"9 and added that executive privilege would be used "only in the most compelling circumstances, and only after careful review demonstrate[d] that assertion of the [*pg 406] privilege [was] necessary."10 Finally, the memorandum stated that "executive privilege [would] not be invoked without specific Presidential authorization."11\n\nThe Reagan memorandum nonetheless developed clearer procedures than had existed before. All congressional requests for information would be accommodated unless "compliance raise[d] a substantial question of executive privilege."12 Such a question would arise if the information "might significantly impair the national security (including the conduct of foreign relations), the deliberative processes of the Executive Branch or other aspects of the performance of the Executive Branch's constitutional duties."13 Under these procedures, if a department head believed that a congressional request for information might concern privileged information, he would notify and consult with both the attorney general and the counsel to the president. Those three individuals would then decide to release the information to Congress, or have the matter submitted to the president for a decision if any one of them believed that it was necessary to invoke executive privilege. At that point, the department head would ask Congress to await a presidential decision. If the president chose executive privilege, he would instruct the department head to inform Congress "that the claim of executive privilege [was] being made with the specific approval of the President."14 The Reagan memorandum allowed for the use of executive privilege even if the information originated from staff levels far removed from the Oval Office.
119297
if they can prove that it was accidental and not deliberate then the vice-president would be charged and convicted of manslaughter.   He would also probably have to resign his position.   That means that the new president would be the next in line of constitutional succession which is the Speaker of the House.  He would then appoint a vice-president.
493013
perhaps, but it is up to us to help push for a full investigation of the administration. Fitzgerald may not have jurisdiction to investigate the entire story (only the leak part), so we need to write congress people and insist on a congressional investigation on this. if democrats get elected this November then this will also help make the investigation possible. these allegations should not be taken lightly nor dismissed as partisan tactics; we are talking about war crimes here. and most of all, i think US troops deserve to know that they were sent to Iraq through legal and legitimate means
53099
The procedure is in two steps. The House of Representatives must first pass "articles of impeachment" by a simple majority. The articles of impeachment constitute the formal allegations. Upon their passage, the defendant has been "impeached."\n\nNext, the Senate tries the accused. In the case of the impeachment of a President, the Chief Justice of the United States presides over the proceedings. Otherwise, the Vice President, in his capacity of President of the Senate, or the President pro tempore of the Senate presides. This would include the impeachment of the Vice President him- or herself. In order to convict the accused, a two-thirds majority of the senators present is required.\n\nFollowing conviction, the Senate may vote to punish the individual only by removing him from office, or by barring him from holding future office, or both. Alternatively, it may impose no punishment. However in the case of executive officers, removal follows automatically upon conviction. The defendant remains liable to criminal prosecution. It is possible to impeach someone even after the accused has vacated his office in order to disqualify the person from such emoluments of office as a pension.
1140866
I estimate it to happen after the Nov. elections and YES Cheney will be impeached as well.  They will receive life in prison for their crimes against humanity.
373940
The Sec. Defense serves at the pleasure of the President.  He will not be released  unless the President decides to do so.  I think this is unlikely despite the controversy.
180140
Yes they can.  A felon under State conviction must apply to the Governor for Restatement of individual rights.  Those of a federal conviction must apply to the President for a pardon.\n\nAlthough some Presidents and Governorsmay have given pardons for other than legal reasons, most have taken this power very seriously.  Those who have been pardon or received their rights, have met requirements established by the executive and their staff and earned their reinstatement.
662703
Yes I do and I hope he implicates George Bush as Libby would not be stupid enough to do it on his own. Bush would! That's a no brainer.\n\nHow many before Libby have fallen on their sword for Bush?
975204
NONE!! he may have followed bad information provided to him by the Democrats in the previous administration , but he never violated any laws, as in your most apt profile of the Felon who was president before him.
7576
he can be impeached for high crimes and mistemeaners. So there would have to be a specific charge.  If he was given erroneous information and he thought it to be true, then it is not a lie.
961120
No.\n\nThe Pardoning process is based on subjective factors. It cannot be handed over to judges, who are trained to only look at the objective.
461707
First the president would have to committ a crime, as he can only be tried by the senate (the house draws the articles).  There's no precedent for a coup without fault.  As many people would like to think, Bush has broken no laws.  Lying isn't against the law, unless it's under oath, and he never was.  Deal with it.  If he breaks the law, then we'll talk
597624
Actually, you may not have to wait, with about 1/2 of the Republicans against George W. Bush now,     1ST Stage: the House of representatives can vote to impeach, "articles of impeachment", 2ND Stage: the Senate actually tries the case, with a two-thirds vote required for conviction.\nThe Vice President can be impeached as well. \nBill Clinton was impeached, but not convicted.
73830
Technically, if the president authorized illegal wiretapping, it would be an impeachable offense.\n\nThe reality is that is just not going to happen.  I think the White House will press for their own investigation to find whoever leaked this story to try and keep the focus away from the fact that the leaks happened.  And unless the balance of power shifts in this year's mid-term elections, I think the president would have to murder someone before most Republicans would even think of voting for impeachment.
430471
Yes, as far as I know, the President of the United States is the only person who can erase a criminal conviction from your federal record.  But the Presidential Pardon is very hard to secure.\n\nState Governors may (not certain) also have that ability, for a state crime.  But only those who hold a top job in the Executive Branch can do this.
119363
I am pretty sure the president can pardon whoever he chooses.