Handicapping Last-Minute Bush Pardons

Scooter Libby? Alberto Gonzales? The entire CIA? Speculation swirls

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 19, 2009 9:39 AM CST

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Handicapping Last-Minute Bush Pardons — President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush walk across the South Lawn as they arrive at the White House yesterday. (AP Photo)

President Bush has shown no inclination to go on a Clinton-esque pardon binge, but that won't stop Josh Gerstein of Politico from speculating. Here are the potential pardon/commutation prospects, and the odds:

All CIA and military interrogators: Bush could make a big splash with a blanket pardon to anyone who may or may not have tortured suspects in the war on terror. But it’d be legally tricky and enrage many. Odds: 4 to 1

I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby: Bush already saved him from prison. Does he want to drag the Valerie Plame case back into the news? Odds: 1 to 2.
Alberto Gonzales: It’s a decent bet Bush’ll pardon his ex-minion, under multiple investigations for his activities as attorney general. Odds: 1 to 1
Randall “Duke” Cunningham: He’s got prostate cancer, and he’s old, but Bush once called his crimes “outrageous.” Odds: 50 to 1

For more, click the link below. (More Bush administration stories.)

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