Judge in Libby trial receives threats.
AP reports:
The federal judge who oversaw I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s CIA leak trial said Thursday that he received threatening letters and phone calls after sentencing the former White House aide to prison.
“I received a number of angry, harassing mean-spirited phone calls and letters,” U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said. ”Some of those were wishing bad things on me and my family.”
Walton made the remarks as he opened a hearing into whether to delay Libby’s 2 1/2-year sentence. He said he was holding the letters in case something happened but said they would have no effect on Thursday’s decision.
UPDATE: Firedoglake is now liveblogging the hearing on whether or not Libby will be able to remain free on bond pending his appeal.
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Are we surprised?
June 14th, 2007 at 11:58 amNot me…..
Subpeona those phone records!
Shouldn’t be any difficulty, eh Director Mueller?
Straight out the Tom DeLay playbook.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:58 amSo the GOPers are threatening a judge now?
June 14th, 2007 at 11:59 amI’m sure whoever is making the threats is a Liberal!!!
June 14th, 2007 at 11:59 amLibby’s going down.
Cheney is next–the ultimate
white collar criminal.
Bush is a psycho, but he
June 14th, 2007 at 12:01 pmwill get his, too…
He’s made A LOT of enemies.
They did the same s$#@ in the Terry Shiavo case the no good sons on bitches!!!!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:02 pmWell, surprise, surprise. The GOP doesn’t like judges, do they? Maybe one of Malkin’s readers will send him white powder or Coulter will try to poison the judge.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:03 pmLibby is back in court today for his bail hearing….
June 14th, 2007 at 12:03 pmBut domestic terrorists are protected since they are usually some sort of nut that is merely over emphasizing some conservative “valueâ€.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:03 pmFree Libby!!!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:04 pmTrump up charges, false testimony & witnesses.
Is this the “cost” of freedom? Doing the right thing gives license to ReichWingNutWhackJobs to threaten people’s lives?
Germany 1934? Anyone? Anyone at all?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:04 pmSorry, old news, didn’t see the update……….
June 14th, 2007 at 12:04 pmI predict no bail for Scooter pending appeal. Judge Walton is not impressed with Scooter, and I think he’ll just make him sit in jail while his appeal is filed.
Of course, I could be completely wrong. :)
June 14th, 2007 at 12:05 pmThe media loves to portray the liberal bloggers as threatening and aggressive.
Now lets see the media report about how the radical right is threatening a judge in a high-profile case.
Lawless is the best way to describe the GOP these days.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:05 pmSo after justice is served, the one’s who are unhappy resort to death threats.
True colors of the neocon/commie.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmFree Libby, for corruption’s sake!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:07 pmWe’ll probably find out Rove is orchestrating the phone bank.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:08 pmFrom Firedoglake:
Walton: Disclosing that he has received many angry letters in response to the sentencing, wishing bad things to him and his family. He had thrown away a few, but then decided he had better begin to save them, in the event someone were to act on these threats, a record would need to remain.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:14 pmAnyone surprised by this flagrant personal abuse? Then ask yourself why the Dems caved in the same breath…..ahem! I rest my case.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:15 pmIf the Judge denies Scooter’s bail, I would expect that he’ll get more threats. Every single one of those people making threats or harassing phone calls needs to have an FBI agent at their door as soon as possible.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:18 pmPoor Libby –straight into the slammer with
that devious mobster, Paris Hilton…
But, seriously, I have no sympathy for anyone
who would willingly work for those skeezy
criminals. And Libby was, in fact, the right-hand
man to the U.S. VP/Chief “War” Profiteer!
Well, it isn’t enough for Bushies to directly
threaten and intimidate multiple U.S. Attorneys!…
Nah, it wasn’t enough to then retaliate if Federal
prosecutors were not practicing law like political
hacks in contravention of their oath to the nation.
No, sir, not enough.
Now they have to go after a Federal judge!!…
Anything to subvert Honesty and Justice during
June 14th, 2007 at 12:18 pmthis Administration!
It always seem threats come from those rightwing extremist types. To be a rightwing is to be mentally unstable?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:18 pmIf justice doesn’t suit them, harm and ignore?
No understand of due process and judicial system so they want to do away with it. Just convict themselves anyone that aren’t like mind?
There are those who want pardon and that he deserves it.
I can only say “WOW!”
We are simply amazing lot.
What do you expect from the neanderthal subhuman knuckle-dragging scum-sucking NASCar-watching Trailer-Trash Lemmings on the right?
The only law they know are the ones they make up.
IGNORE THE TROLLS - Debate good, Trolls bad
June 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pmWhen we rewrite the U. S. Code to remove the loopholes that have led to the national tragedy that is Bushco, we will need to amend the Constitution to provide triple penalty and punitive damages in any case where the convicted is a politician or political appointee. No mercy for violating the trust of the American people. You loose everything: freedom and assets. Everything.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:23 pm#24…
I like the idea very much!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:25 pmCan we add white collar crime there too?
Some white collar crimes do just as much harm if not more at times.
Threats on judges lives, in Alabama a Republican assaults a Democrat on the senate floor, In California police assault the foreign media in broad daylight, Gonzales continues to flout the law.
Yep, proto-fascism is morphing into full on American fascism.
Congrats George W. Al Qaeda will stop attacking us now because our freedoms are gone!
-GSD
June 14th, 2007 at 12:26 pmThe threat of violence to achieve a political goal…
Isn’t that terrorism?
Even if you accept the standard authoritarian addition of the “non-state entity”, I mean- I assume the people making threats aren’t state sponsored.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:27 pmNews Flash! This just in…
Right-wingnut cowards mail threatening notes to Libby judge. Sources indicate the majority of the treats have emanated from the dank basements of a number of reputed conservative bloggers, most of whom are currently living in their parents’ homes. Malkin denies involvement. An Irony-police spokesperson neither confirms nor denies that the Party of the Prince of Peace is being investigated as driving the threat campaign.
Film at 11.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:29 pmit is always funny the same people who harp about the rule of law are the same people who subvert and break the law
June 14th, 2007 at 12:30 pmThese threats are acts of terrorists. Plain and simple. Flaco, you are supporting terrorists. I’m calling on the President and my congressmen to hunt down these terrorists with the same vigor that this administration has gone after Padilla and the others.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:33 pmthe judge is feeling the wrath of the 29%ers.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:40 pm“…Sources indicate the majority of the treats have emanated from the dank basements of a number of reputed conservative bloggers, most of whom are currently living in their parents’ homes….”
Comment by Fred
Fred found our missing trolls……………..
June 14th, 2007 at 12:48 pmIn a Washington court room today, Americans learned that Judge Reggie Walton has received threatening phone calls and letters for his sentence of Scooter Libby. Apparently, from John Cornyn, Tom Delay and Ann Coulter to the right-wing grassroots, threatening judges at all levels is now business as usual for the American conservative movement.
For the details, see:
June 14th, 2007 at 12:52 pm“Libby Court’s Walton Latest Target of Right-Wing Threats to Judges.”
In a case like this, they should punish Libby even more. Give him even more time, maybe that’d keep the Nazi’s mouths shut.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:01 pmI am really shocked that us Repubs are issuing terroristic death threats to Bush appointees and also trying to thwart the rule of law, creating a lawless society.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:07 pmUs Repubs are so good for America. Dividing the nation for political gain; destroying the rule of law; mob rule; terrorism…
28 Percenter,
Don’t be surprised. It’s nothing new.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:15 pmA lot of eyebrows went up when Libby’s case just happened to land in Walton’s court. Walton is a conservative judge and many thought he would be favorable toward Libby in his rulings. Walton turned out to be one of the last honest conservatives in the land. And he sounds like someone who does not suffer fools gladly.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:18 pmugh
June 14th, 2007 at 1:28 pmAh, yes, gotta love those “Rule of Law” conservatives.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:38 pmThe threatening phone calls were from Karl Rove.
June 14th, 2007 at 1:54 pmDomestic terrorism… aaahhh springtime for neocons!
June 14th, 2007 at 1:57 pmThrow Libby in jail YESTERDAY!
June 14th, 2007 at 1:58 pmI imagine there are more than a few people sitting around the bars in DC right now wondering if they will be prosecuted for lying about their testimonies to committees and to investigators over the last 6 years.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:29 pmLibby belongs in Jail.
I do feel for the judge and his family with what they are having to deal with as a result of his doing his job and standing up for the rule of law.
Harassment and threats are trademark of the caveman mentality of Bush’s faithful.
Bullies - the lot of them.
They can’t do the intellectual footwork to see an issue for what it is - so they resort to threats with puffed-out chests - baseball bats in hand. Just like Bush with his “tactical nukes.”
They realize they can’t argue the case on the facts and win so they turn their inner-bully loose to intimidate their opposition instead.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:32 pm*
No need for the FBI to investigate who’s threatening Judge Walton and his family. The FBI knows the people are friends of the White House and Libby supporters so it’s not a crime. Now if one of these sickos does hurt the Judge well that’s no problem either. If anyone threaten a Republican or GOP then that person will go to Gitmo. Our Justice System no longer protects Judges who follow the Law as it was written. If they follow the Bush Law then they have no problems. Friends of the White House can commit crimes and shouldn’t be prosecuted but others can have false charges and no problem.
June 14th, 2007 at 6:23 pmGod, how ugly these people are. They threaten a Federal judge because he is making someone convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice play by the same rules as everyone else does.
These Republics really think that they are above all laws and everyone else. Their sense of entitlement is sickening.
Best wishes to Judge Walton. Live long and be healthy and a big thanks for doing the right thing, even though I think he should have frog-marched Libby out of the courtroom in handcuffs after his sentencing today.
June 14th, 2007 at 7:51 pmAh, the GOP is the law-and-order party…until one of them gets caught.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:23 pmLaw is LAW! Written, ratified and supported by JUDGES DECISIONS! It is the judicial branches job to interpret the laws written by the legislative branch. The ultimate authority of the law is we the people, the jury. The judge either agrees or disagrees, but can be overruled by the jury.
If the evil fu*ks that support Libby will pull mob-like actions on this judge, they might want to think twice before they place the blame in reality. The jury is “to blame” for sentencing Libby in the first place. Whether he likes it or not, the people have spoken and as in any case, he must submit to the will of the people who’ve gone over the evidence and made a judgement.
This is applicable to any case, even cases which go against the law. If the law is bad, there is a such thing as jury-nullification. The jury can throw out a law they deem inapplicable or unconstitutional or for any reason so long as the jury is united in the motion. In this case the jury upheld the existing law and this man must abide by it and serve his sentence. END OF STORY.
The only hope he has is a pardon. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened while the press wasn’t looking.
Walton, stand your ground. The people are behind you. Don’t let the mob usurp your power to follow through the jury’s verdict.
If you don’t, you’re contributing to this countries utter destruction, which is well on its way because of corrupt people in government.
SAVE OUR COUNTRY, UPHOLD THE LAW!
June 14th, 2007 at 11:54 pmThey always go after the family. Just ask Mel Gibson.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:56 pmEight years of CLINTON…. A time that I hated… However I can’t remember ever stooping to the level that the BUSH haters have gone and the things they have said. It saddens me that we as a nation have become such a hate filled nation. Sometime I regret serving for 21 years in the USN just to ensure the HATE MONGERS like I read in the comments here have a place to spew there venom…
June 15th, 2007 at 12:57 amEight years of CLINTON…. A time that I hated… However I can’t remember ever stooping to the level that the BUSH haters have gone and the things they have said. It saddens me that we as a nation have become so hate filled. Sometimes I regret serving for 21 years in the USN just to ensure the HATE MONGERS like I read in the comments here have a place to spew there venom…
June 15th, 2007 at 1:01 amG-man,
I regret you wasted your time in the USN when you apparently would have been much happier working for the Saudis or some other oppressive regime. This is AMERICA and we have watched Republicans destroy everyhitng this country stood for. Are we angry, of course! I’m sure the Navy gave you all sorts of benefits for your service, benefits now threatened by the same people you are defending. Put down the Koolaid and step away from the computer…
June 15th, 2007 at 6:02 amThis is an outrage.
June 15th, 2007 at 12:06 pm“Anyone surprised by this flagrant personal abuse?”
It isn’t an “abuse”. It’s a serious criminal violation of law — a direct threat to the administration of justice. With these anti-Americans — a sobriquet they wear with pride — when the lying “PR,” the false propaganda, doesn’t work, they reveal themselves to be what they are: criminal thugs.
“Then ask yourself why the Dems caved in the same breath…..ahem! I rest my case.”
Them Democrats didn’t “cave”. Get the details: rather than accomplish nothing — such as the empty poilitical theater of sending the same bill over and over again, knowing it would be vetoed — they decided to get something positive accomplished. So they forced Bushit to compromise — a first in six years, and a major victory on which to build, by including domestice spending to which he was adamantly opposed. That included monies for veterans affairs. In that they demonstrated “support the troops”. The so-called “progressives” who oppose that as “caving” love to bash Bushit for not supporting the troops — and he doesn’t — but when it comes to themselves supporting the troops, they don’t.
It also includes an increase in the minimum wage.
Genuine progressives know that progress is not made all at once. Fake progressives demand the impossible; and when they don’t get it, they bash the Democrats who accomplished those concrete progressive steps, but say nothing about the foot-dragging Republicans, who prevented even greater progress.
Enacting bills that will only be vetoed is meaningless going-through-the-motions. It accomplishes nothing but that which the Republican’ts want: no progress whatsoever.
Comment by veritas — June 14, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
June 15th, 2007 at 3:24 pm