Gus Bilirakis Responds--Avoids Hypocrisy Charge!

From the St. Pete Times:

"I do not agree with President Bush's decision to fully commute Lewis Libby's prison sentence," Bilirakis said in a statement. "While commutation is perfectly within the President's constitutional discretion, Mr. Libby was tried by a jury of his peers and was convicted of a felony.

"The fact that Mr. Libby committed this crime while serving as a public official makes it all the more egregious. Excessive or not, Mr. Libby's sentence should be respected."

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/07/gus-bilirakis-s.html

I guess Gus Bilirakis was caught between a rock and a hard place on this one. I think that our phone calls brought it to his staff's attention that he couldn't support Scooter Libby's "Get out of jail free card" so soon after his no amnesty statement about immigration.

I applaud Gus for his statement about Scooter Libby even though he buffered it with a nod to Bush's ability to abuse the U.S. Constitution any time he wants to.

My Call to Congressman Gus Bilirakis' Palm Harbor Office

I just got off the phone with Patty in Congressman Bilirakis' office. I asked her if he had made a statement about George Bush's communtation of Scooter Libby's prison sentence. Her response was that he hadn't made a statement yet. She then asked me, "What organization are you with?" I replied that I was a member of many organizations but that I was calling as a resident of Congressional District 9. I told her that I would like a call back when he made a statement. She took my contact information and again asked, "So you are calling for yourself?"

I got the feeling that Patty was expecting the call. Please let us know what response you get when you call the congressman's office.

Gus Bilirakis and Double Standards

Here's a statement that Congressman Gus Bilirakis made about the failed immigration bill last week:

“As an American, I do not accept this line of thinking. The reality is that amnesty is not an answer to this complex and endemic problem. As a nation of laws and a nation of legal immigrants, it is simply wrong to reward unlawful behavior with amnesty.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/fl09_bilirakis/pr_070301_senill.html

I wonder what Gus Bilirakis thinks about George Bush commuting the prison sentence of Scooter Libby. Is there a double standard at play here? Is there one standard for those who break the law by entering our country to seek a better life, and another standard for White House cronies who have broken the law at the behest of the administration? I urge you to call Congressman Bilirakis' office tomorrow and ask him.

Washington DC Office
ph: 202-225-5755

Temple Terrace Office
ph: 813-985-8541

Palm Harbor Office
ph: 727-773-2871