An Indictment Isn’t a Guilty Verdict…

I got home from work today and turned on the official 52″ HDTV of the ConBlog and had the great misfortune of being tuned to MSNBC. Yesterday I said the Media Spin Machine would have a collective orgasm if Karl Rove were indicted. Well, he wasn’t, but Scooter Libby was.
They were covering this thing like it was August 9, 1974 all over again.
In fact, Chris Matthews was full of self-bloviating righteous indignation wondering how Scooter Libby had the audacity to think he could throw the media under the bus. Yeah, Chris…it’s all about you, buddy. You and the mere 494,000 people who watch your dreadful show.
The Left was practically had curled toes and their eyes rolling back in their heads when the indictment came down—and then there was a surprise…
No count of treason in the indictment.
See, the Left figured that this was it…the political equivalent of Christmas. However, when they got up and came down stairs to look under the tree, there were no gifts.
I. Lewis Libby was indicted today on five counts, including perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements. All very serious accusations that Mr. Libby is alleged to have committed, and he will have his day in court. Libby should never have lied to the Grand Jury or the FBI and he only has himself to blame for this turn of events.
The thing that’s depressing the Left, though, is that there was no count of treason against Libby for revealing the identity of Valerie Plame as a CIA operative. In fact, it’s killing them. They’re beside themselves that it’s there in the indictment and that both Cheney and Libby knew about Plame. They though this was the beginning of the end. The answer to their prayers. That the man who “stole the election” would finally “get his.”
Here’s the rub, though: it is NOT a crime for the Vice President of the United States and his Chief of Staff to know or even talk about intelligence operatives. Both men have a role in securing the security of this country and that definitely falls within their purview.
Valerie Plame wasn’t undercover, and there’s no crime. So, after two years of investigation this is the best they could do: Scooter Libby and perjury. If they had more on him, they’d have indicted him on those counts, too. They don’t and this was the best they could do. This annoys the Left because, as far as their concerned, this just is the latest example of corruption and cronyism, even though there’s no proof.
There’s. NO. Proof.
Yes, the investigation can and will continue, and that’s fine. If any member of the administration has committed a crime, then I want to see justice served and the guilty parties go to jail. However, balance that out against the fact that it’s been two years—TWO YEARS—and the best they’ve got is Scooter Libby on perjury, obstruction and false statements.
They can cry, whine and scream all they want to but until they have proof, they’ve got nothing but their bias and hatred.
This isn’t about me carrying water for the Bush Administration. This is about the swift and proper execution of justice. That’s what America is supposed to be about, isn’t it? Aren’t we all supposed to be innocent until proven otherwise? Isn’t that true for every American? It’s supposed to be, but apparently the Lefties don’t see it that way.
The only thing Libby is guilty of, so far, is horrific judgment. We’ll know if he’s guilty of the rest after he has his day in court. People are still innocent until proven guilty in this country, and Scooter is no exception.
The one thing he’s not, apparently, is a traitor—and the Left couldn’t be more annoyed.
I love it.
William Smith
ConservativeBlogger.com