Presidential pardon.

jerry2a: Presidential pardon.

Commutation of sentence on condition that he resign. Welcome, Senator Palin.

Earguy: jerry2a: Presidential pardon.



Still President:



/remember Marc Rich?

ZAZ: Commutation of sentence on condition that he resign. Welcome, Senator Palin.

Wouldn't the Governor appoint the Senator? I'm sure she's not so stupidly transparent about her dictatorial nature that she would appoint herself....

Etchy333: Wouldn't the Governor appoint the Senator? I'm sure she's not so stupidly transparent about her dictatorial nature that she would appoint herself....

In Alaska, she would appoint an interim senator while a special election is held. Should could, and would likely, appoint herself. Hell, the Illinois governor is also expected to appoint himself to Obama's seat in January.

Now, once Palin's appointed herself senator, she could easily run in the special election. Whether she'd win...I don't know.

Whamdangler: Now, once Palin's appointed herself senator, she could easily run in the special election. Whether she'd win...I don't know.

Would she have to resign as Governor first? That would really rub salt in the wounds if she left her Governor job and then got beat in the Senate election. I'd be all broken up about it. Heh.

Whamdangler: Now, once Palin's appointed herself senator, she could easily run in the special election. Whether she'd win...I don't know.

She may not be able to rely on the Ketchikan vote. Burned that bridge in her GOP speech.

The Senate has no authority over jail-time. The Senate could disregard any Presidential Pardon and refuse to allow the dirtbag to take a seat...but that would just mean Senator Palin.

If Begich doesn't win, the Senate is pretty much screwed, one way or the other.

Presidential Pardon. The only unchecked, unbalanced Constitutional Power in our great "Limited Government". Leaf through Federalist Paper No. 74 while you're waiting for your porn to download.

/Alexander Hamilton wanted the President to hold "lifetime" office. Crazy dude!

If they think it will keep a Senator Palin from happening, yes.

I'd rather they give him a "rot in jail you insufferable asshole" card, personally.

Etchy333: ZAZ: Commutation of sentence on condition that he resign. Welcome, Senator Palin.

Wouldn't the Governor appoint the Senator? I'm sure she's not so stupidly transparent about her dictatorial nature that she would appoint herself....

I said the same thing the other day and someone from AK posted that AK has a special election to appoint a new Senator

Earguy: jerry2a: Presidential pardon.

[unlikely]


O RLY? Let's ask Scooter Libby how unlikely that is.

Just as there's a few democratic members who vote with the repubs, it does go the other way as well.

We'll see how the repubs working phrase of "up or down vote" works this time around.

Pope George Ringo: If they think it will keep a Senator Palin from happening, yes.

Actually I'd prefer Senator Palin because she's too retarded to understand how political power actually works- you can't constantly berate everyone and treat all of your opponents as enemies.

She'd be ineffective and Alaska would get bored with not getting all the crap that Stevens was getting them.

jerry2a: Presidential pardon.

That would destroy the Republican party. However...it'd also be the ultimate 'fark you' to the country as Bush left office.

I'm pretty sure that Reid said there is no way he'll be back in the Senate. I think I read that he is waiting to see if Stevens will do the right thing (obviously he won't) and then giving Senate R's a chance to correct the situation. If they won't, he will.

Maybe Congress should give him a standing ovation a la:

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/congressional-black-ca ucus-gives.html

Remind me why we have a criminal justice system again?

I do suspect that Bush will pardon him on the last day (along with a whole lot of worse people). In the spirit of bipartisanship, I expect Bush to pardon Obama's aunt in Boston, too.

That said, whether he sits or not in a Senate decision. If *I* were Reid, I'd do nothing. He's better as wounded chum than his inevitably-GOP replacement would be. Let him stink up the joint for the Republicans. Let him be the poster child for "this is what the ancien regime was all about". Let him whine his way through every appeal he can muster. Wait till he finally resigns.

Cyborg77: Remind me why we have a criminal justice system again?

To keep the serfs in check

s/in a Senate/is a Senate/

Etchy333: /remember Marc Rich?

Is Bush screwing Stevens wife or something?

If the Senate is going to kick out Stevens, it will have to be the remaining Republicans to lead the way on that as if the Democrats are seen as the ones pushing for Stevens' removal, it will be painted as a partisan thing. The vote for his removal will have to include a majority (if not all) of the Senate Republicans.

Anyone remember Patty Hearst getting a pardon by Clinton? Clinton would hit that.

Yea, convicted senior Republican senator facing Democratic majority Senate. No you cannot has forgiveness, not yours.

Etchy333: Earguy: jerry2a: Presidential pardon.

[Unlikely Tag]

Still President:

[Pic of GWB]

/remember Marc Rich?

Why do you knee-jerk want to believe that Bush would pardon ANY and ALL (R) politicians?
Even if you believe Bush is a crook, Steven's crimes are venial ones with no possible connection to the White House. Seriously, do you actually think that there's some sort of chain or link between Stevens getting free home improvement work done and Cheney having run Haliburton previously, or something? Lacking that, there's no up side to Bush for pardoning Stevens. No one thinks he's being wrongly convicted (except he himself), there's no sign that his sentencing will be excessive, he's not a long-time friend or personal friend of Bush, and having a convicted (R) senator get off via pardon like that would further damage (R) prospects for the next few election cycles.

Most likely?
Steven's conviction will stand, he'll either resign or be kicked out of the Senate.
No pardon likely.

Weaver95: That would destroy the Republican party. However...it'd also be the ultimate 'fark you' to the country as Bush left office.

I say go ahead. I say the sooner we can stop arguing about gay marriage and abortion on the federal level, the sooner we can start arguing over how to reduce the size of the federal government.

When he starts his pardons, Puke Cunningham will be at the top of the list.

On Nov. 4, 2008 the convicted felon from Alaska was re-elected to the Senate,

Maybe. The counting isn't done yet.

Whoah there kids. Stevens hasn't won re-election yet. Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight, who has been right about pretty much everything this cycle, says that Begich is quite likely to win once the outstanding votes are all counted.

Maybe Bush will pardon Jefferson? After all, both cases are about money for political favors. Nah. Guess not. He hasn't been convicted yet. Guess Obama will have to do the deed.

Anyone remember the seemingly innumerable pardons by Clinton the last day of HIS term? Nah. Guess not. Democrat stupidity and near criminal activity are always ignored. It's just the GOP that has to resign. When the the other guy is only one with principles, it's easy to apply them to him exclusively.

Rohnbo: Anyone remember the seemingly innumerable pardons by Clinton the last day of HIS term? Nah. Guess not. Democrat stupidity and near criminal activity are always ignored.

Sure I do. I remembered them, and remembered that Hillary Clinton was waist deep in peddling them. A major reason I did not support her in the primaries.

/ neener

balloot: Whoah there kids. Stevens hasn't won re-election yet. Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight, who has been right about pretty much everything this cycle, says that Begich is quite likely to win once the outstanding votes are all counted.

Yup.

This particular fat lady has not sung yet.

As a side note, for those wondering why Alaska does interim Senators followed by special election instead of doing what most states do with a gubernatorial appointment for the duration of the Senator's term, it's because a few years back, Senator Frank Murkowski of Alaska ran for and was elected governor of the state. To fill the Senate void, the honorable Frank appointed his daughter Lisa. Even for Alaskans(*) this was over-the-top, so they implemented the new system.

(*) It's like Louisiana, only with Republicans and caribou.

Lawnchair: I do suspect that Bush will pardon him on the last day (along with a whole lot of worse people). In the spirit of bipartisanship, I expect Bush to pardon Obama's aunt in Boston, too.

That said, whether he sits or not in a Senate decision. If *I* were Reid, I'd do nothing. He's better as wounded chum than his inevitably-GOP replacement would be. Let him stink up the joint for the Republicans. Let him be the poster child for "this is what the ancien regime was all about". Let him whine his way through every appeal he can muster. Wait till he finally resigns.

Not to mention the inevitable fight in the Republican party over Stevens.

But on the other hand, if Reid does refuse to seat him, there's going to be a very public legal fight over what exactly Stevens's status is. If he hasn't resigned yet, there's a good chance he wouldn't resign even if Reid didn't seat him.

Additionally, the sooner Palin gets to the senate, the sooner she can get back to displaying her stupidity on a national level. In three years, when the Republicans are choosing who to run for president, Palin's many recent failures will be a dim memory. Unless, of course, she's been hillbillying it up in the senate for the past three years.

Lawnchair: I do suspect that Bush will pardon him on the last day (along with a whole lot of worse people). In the spirit of bipartisanship, I expect Bush to pardon Obama's aunt in Boston, too.

That said, whether he sits or not in a Senate decision. If *I* were Reid, I'd do nothing. He's better as wounded chum than his inevitably-GOP replacement would be. Let him stink up the joint for the Republicans. Let him be the poster child for "this is what the ancien regime was all about". Let him whine his way through every appeal he can muster. Wait till he finally resigns.

Obama's Aunt is not charged with a crime. She has a civil order to leave the country. Nothing Bush can do about it. At this point it is a judicial issue, unless Congress passes a private bill to make her a citizen.

Obama, to his credit, has said he will not get involved in the issue.

No President can sign anything (other than the aforementioned private bill if passed by Congress) to keep her in the country.

Interesting, I know it is Wikipedia, but it is the first reference I could find... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate#Vacancies

Alaska does not allow the Gov to appoint a replacement. The seat would remain vacant until a special election could be held! Arizona and MA are the only other states to do this.

Befuddled: If the Senate is going to kick out Stevens, it will have to be the remaining Republicans to lead the way on that as if the Democrats are seen as the ones pushing for Stevens' removal, it will be painted as a partisan thing. The vote for his removal will have to include a majority (if not all) of the Senate Republicans.

It only takes a 2/3 vote of Senate to remove him. Seeing as the Dems have most of that number, it would only take a very few Republicans to cross the floor...

doesn't need a get out of jail card. only the little people (sheeple) have to follow the law in America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powell_v._McCormack

Do your homework. They can't throw him out.

Stevens is actually only up 3000 votes with over 75000 votes still to be counted. With there only being 250K that voted in the first place, that means nearly 1/3 of the votes have yet to be counted. This includes Early Votes, Absentees, and provisionals.

This is far far far from over.

RealFarknMcCoy2: It only takes a 2/3 vote of Senate to remove him. Seeing as the Dems have most of that number, it would only take a very few Republicans to cross the floor...

9 or so. 1 out of every 5 GOP Senators. Assuming unanimity among all the Dems and the Lieberman-lovers. Ugliness either way it goes. Long history or not, you've got to imagine Mitch McConnell would really, really rather Stevens left on his own (and really wishes he hadn't run at all while facing the charges).

Unfortunately, Stevens will probably win his seat. As a Republican, I hope those in my party will vote not to seat him, additionally, President Bush will not pardon him under any circumstance. If he were to pardon Stevens, then for the first time in eight years, you guys would actually have a legit reason to rail on him...

jpo2269: If he were to pardon Stevens, then for the first time in eight years, you guys would actually have a legit reason to rail on him...

Because all of those other reasons weren't legit? Damn, now that's funny!

The guy's 83 years old, this stress (as opposed to the usual graft) might kill him...wishin' n' hopin', and hopin' n' wishin'.

/NO!
//yes.

formless:

I am not talking about the bs made up shiat that you libtards have tried to make a case out of, I am talking about a real, impeachable offense which there have been none. Your hatred blinds you even now when you should take a moment and enjoy the victory, but instead, you are consumed by hatred and will miss your one chance at happiness.

jpo2269: formless:

I am not talking about the bs made up shiat that you libtards have tried to make a case out of, I am talking about a real, impeachable offense which there have been none. Your hatred blinds you even now when you should take a moment and enjoy the victory, but instead, you are consumed by hatred and will miss your one chance at happiness.

First of all, the scenario you described wouldn't even be an "impeachable" offense because
a) Bush would no longer be president and
b) Bush would not have broken any laws granting a pardon to a criminal. After all, that is the whole goddamn point of a presidential pardon. It would be unethical, not illegal.

But for you to say that "If he were to pardon Stevens, then for the first time in eight years, you guys would actually have a legit reason to rail on him..."

Where the fark have you been? I wasn't prepared for that much stupid when I was reading your post. It seemed fairly intelligent at the beginning and then like a freight train out of nowhere you pile on the stupid sauce ricky-tick.

i Mar:

Unless you can predict the future, what is being "debated" would be impeachable offenses, which your democratic controlled house and senate did not take up. Now what offenses will "W" commit from today until January 20th? hmmm?

Your hatred and the hatred of those like you are tearing this country apart. Repeating hypothosese and lies long enough do not make them truths.

I have no problem with anyone who disagrees with my views, or that of President Bush, what I do take issue with are those like you who think throwing around insults will make other fall in line with you irrational beliefs.