Berger Begs (UPDATE: Bush Balks)

Now this is what I’ve been waiting for.

WASHINGTON - Former national security adviser Sandy Berger will plead guilty to taking classified material from the National Archives, a misdemeanor, the Justice Department said Thursday. [SNIP]

The charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison and up to a $100,000 fine.[SNIP]

Berger and his lawyer, Lanny Breuer, have said Berger knowingly removed the handwritten notes by placing them in his jacket and pants and inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio. He returned most of the documents, but some still are missing. [SNIP]

He called the episode "an honest mistake," and denied criminal wrongdoing.

Honest mistake, my behind. A good judge would throw the book at Berger for insulting his/her intelligence. But he’ll probably get slapped on the wrists.

The more I watch the actions of goverment officials, the more cynical I get and why not? This one stuff secrets in his pants and thought he could get away with it. He thought he was dealing with one of the many Clinton-era intel security procedures for which present-day officials now taking the heat. So now he'll say "my bad," figures that he can throw himself upon the mercy of the court and walk away minus a few bucks.

And don't get me started on judicially-dispensed mercy.

Let's just say that if Sandy Berger does time, I'll be greatly and pleasantly surprised.

(Thanks to LGF)

UPDATE: More Berger:

Wizbang
Jeff Quinton
Steve H.
John Cole

UPDATE: No surprise.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal prosecutors will recommend that former national security adviser Sandy Berger be fined $10,000 and lose his security clearance for three years, but receive no jail time, sources said.

This stinks. Wonder what the Burglar has on the Bush administration.

Comments

[birdwoman]

I don't think he'll do time, because he's a Clinton aide. Right now the repubs are in power, so it would look like sour grapes to prosecute a member of the already losing party. They'll save it up as "a favor"

(*)>

[Rae]

OT here, J. Can you take a minute to leave a comment over at Greg Hammond's site today? He is holding a commentathon in memory of his wife who died from breast cancer one year ago today. Sponsors have guaranteed money per comment with all the funds going to help low-income women to afford mammograms.

If you feel so inclined, a post giving a direct link would be even better. The goal today is 10,000 comments for $10,000. He is also giving away a few random prizes such as iTunes gift certificates, iPod shuffles and minis, and even an iBook if the 10,000 goal is met.

Thanks, J.

[chronicler]

Martha did time. Sandy better too!

[Chevy Rose]

Update: Sandy gets $10,000 fine and no jail time.
Side note: Book deal will be reported soon, I suspect.

[Scott]

Every time I get a glimmer of hope about the rule of law in our country something like this pops up to remind me just how deep we are into the rule of men.

This ruling stinks to high heaven and why this got measily non-critical coverage in the MSP just does more to tell me why I have written off most of it.

I am just damn sad for how a once great nation is being drug through the mud by the Lawyer Class.

[Punctilious]

How convenient his security clearance will be eligible to be reinstated just about the time a new administration is taking over in Washington.

[Ken Summers]

"They'll save it up as 'a favor'"

Birdwoman, Rebublicans never learn. No matter how many favors they do the Dems will stab them in the back.

Kennedy, Specter, the White House vandals; the list goes on and on of favors Bush did and got spat on for.

Chronicler: Martha Stewart was convicted of lying about a crime the government did not prove actually occurred. Maybe that's the problem.

[Kevin Murphy]

Bush should do 2 things: Pardon Martha and issue an executive order permanently revoking Berger's clearance.

[StinKerr]

DISGUSTING! Berger should be doing time just like anyone else who violates security.

There are still things I learned 35 years ago that I don't feel I can talk about. I do get a kick out of reading about some of them on the net though and reading more detail than I ever knew.