Posted on 06/06/2007 5:02:48 AM PDT by theothercheek
Three months after his felony conviction on perjury and obstruction of justice charges, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, 56, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and fined $250,000.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald asked U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton to impose a sentence of 30 to 37 months, on the grounds that Libby had lied about his role in leaking the identity of former CIA staffer Valerie Plame and impeded a serious investigation, and has not expressed remorse. Libby's lawyers argued for leniency, considering that no one was ever charged with leaking Plame's identity and that Libby wasn’t even the original leaker.
Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was the original source for columnist Robert Novak’s article on Plame's identity – a fact that Fitzgerald had found out before Libby testified before the grand jury.
Libby is appealing his conviction. Walton does not appear disposed to allow Libby to remain free while his appeal plays out, as is common practice in white collar cases, according to The Washington Post. A hearing to determine Libby’s fate is scheduled for next week.
During their third debate last night in Manchester, NH, CNN moderator Wolf Blitzer asked the 10 Republican candidates whether they would pardon Libby, The New York Times reports:
[W]hile none of the top candidates said, outright, they would take such a course if President, they also voiced dismay at his sentence. Mr. Giuliani was the most outspoken, saying the sentence was "way out of line." Citing his experience both as a prosecutor and recommending pardon while working in the Justice Department under President Reagan, he said he would seriously consider it, especially in light of the harsh sentence.
When Mr. Blitzer, tried to cut him off, he stopped him, saying, "A man’s life is at stake." He said that it was "incomprehensible" made all the more disturbing because there was no underlying crime, and he had a real problem with the sentence.
Mr. Romney, following Mr. Giuliani, also criticized the sentence and left the door open for a pardon. Mr. McCain, who answered first, said that since the case was still being appealed he did not think it proper to comment.
President Bush has hitherto brushed aside all talk of pardoning Liibby until the appellate process has run its course – which is to say, after the 2008 election. But now, Bush has less than a week to act so that a loyal, hard-working aide is spared imprisonment.
The Stiletto adds her voice to the growing chorus of those who ask Bush to pardon Libby.
[Editorial Note: Though he did not participate in the debate, Fred Thompson, who is also a former prosecutor, is already on record as stating that he would pardon Libby immediately.]
This “Judge†is not a real Judge, as shown by his partisan based decisions. He need to be removed from the bench. He is ignoring every possible avenue for leniency and normal procedure. This is a political event of gravest consequence.
Was Libby under oath when he apparenlty lied to an FBI agent?
However, if Libby is sent to jail before his appeal is heard, I think that Bush needs to pardon him.
He got Martha Stewart-ed
You don't have to be under oath and they simply get to interpret that you knowingly said something they deem untrue
LESSON 1: Don't speak with them
LESSON 2: SHAME ON BUSH for letting this get this far and shame on him for not issuing a pardon yesterday
Bush has lost me over this and the Amnesty Bill
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Thank you. So he wasn’t UNDER OATH when they say he lied to them. Because Glen Beck stated that he WAS under oath and compared him to CLinton. I was stunned.
and the verasity of your statements are subject to the opinion of those asking the questions.
SHAME ON BUSH for not stopping this and issueing a pardon at least yesterday
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Actually, James Comey (D), Deputy AG less than three weeks on the job, pressured AG John Ashcroft to recuse himself from Plame case, then appointed Patrick Fitzgerald, his former coworker, friend and godfather to his son, to the position of SP. James Comey (D) was appointed by Bush on the recommendation by Chuck Schumer (D-NY) because of his aggressive prosecutions in NY (Martha Stewart etc).
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=comey
Of course, all these appointments, including Judge Walton-Ito, required President’s signature, but I doubt he really knew them, they usually come from a list with recommendations of sometimes well-meaning people, supposedly vetted by political and “professional” cadre of WH staff. Of course, “new tone” and “uniter not a divider” attitude played a role. Republicans, like a turtle, never expect a scorpion to bite while they carry one on their back through the lake.
Does anyone have an email address for Fitz or Walton?
“The Bush family noblesse oblige is simply a suicidal way of dealing with the Dems”...
Well said. Yes, the “new tone” attitude is really a “tone-deaf” one. One can try it once, but if it fails then “fool me once...” principle should start kicking around in the brain, or should I say, the skull (bad pun, but couldn’t resist).
To me, W’s benevolence towards his avowed domestic enemies and relationship with Kennedy is like Peggy Noonan’s apt description of Bush Sr. relationship with Bill Clinton - “creepy”. I don’t understand these. To paraphrase, noblesse oblige is not a suicide pact, there should be limits. But, then again, I was not brought up Bush, and my blood only turns blue when it lacks oxygen.
For everyone who asked (I don’t know how to post a reply to more than one person), this article explains why Libby should never have been convicted in the first place:
http://thestilettoblog.com/2007/02/26/the-daily-blade-why-scooter-libby-is-not-guilty-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt.aspx
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