“Mr. Libby did not tell the truth to the system. If someone doesn’t tell the truth to the system everyone suffers. The legal system suffers because you don’t know what the actual facts are and frankly lots of other people suffer since when you don’t know what the truth is people draw all sorts of conclusions.”
This quote is from special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald in response to the verdict that found Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby guilty of obstructiing justice and perjury.
I often wonder, (yes, yes, I know, I have a sad life), but anyway, I often wonder what Irish politicians and civil servants think when they read about how justice is seen to be done in real democracies.
Are they genuinely oblivious to the stark fact that Ireland is the only Western ‘democracy’ that doesn’t actually arrest, charge and jail its political and big business criminals through the judicial system.
Do they genuinely believe that the very expensive and shambolic system of tribunals will ever deliver justice?
Do they ever wonder why numerous powerful people who obstruct justice and perjure themselves on a regular basis are not held to account?
Do they ever wonder who made the decision that prevents Irish police from investigating certain areas of society such as the body politic and financial institutions?
Do they have any idea of the damage done to the credibility of the State as a whole by their absolute refusal to take effective action against the disease of corruption?
I wonder…Do they wonder…?