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Bush commutes Libby’s jail time |
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By Mike Soraghan
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Posted: 07/02/07 06:56 PM [ET] |
President Bush commuted the 30-month sentence of his vice president’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby yesterday, sparing him from having to serve any time in prison.
“I respect the jury’s verdict,” Bush said in a statement released late Monday. “But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive.”
Bush’s decision pleased conservatives who’d urged a pardon for Libby, saying he was the victim of a political prosecution.
“This will allow a good American, who has done a lot for his country, to resume his life,” said former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), a likely presidential candidate who helped raise money for Libby’s legal defense.
But it enraged Democrats, who control Congress and can use their powers of investigation to continue to turn the spotlight on one of the administration’s most embarrassing episodes.
“Until now, it appeared that the president merely turned a blind eye to a high-ranking administration leaking classified information. The president’s action today makes it clear that he condones such activity,” said House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich). “Now that the White House can no longer argue that there is a pending criminal investigation, I expect them to be fully forthcoming with the American people about the circumstances that led to this leak and the president’s decision today.”
It will also raise new questions about the role of the White House, adviser Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney in the outing of then-CIA operative Valerie Plame.
Bush’s decision came hours after a federal appeals panel ruled that Libby could not stay out of jail while awaiting the outcome of his appeal. The decision probably would have required Libby to report to prison within weeks.
Libby was convicted in March of lying and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of Plame’s identity. Nobody has been charged or is to be charged with leaking Plame’s identity but Libby was convicted of lying about his conversations with reporters about the outed operative.
Until yesterday, Bush had publicly avoided questions about whether he would spare Libby from going to prison.
In his statement last night, Bush said that though he had removed the prison time from Libby’s sentence, he would still face severe consequences for his conviction, including having to pay a $250,000 fine.
“His wife and young children have also suffered immensely,” Bush said. “He will remain on probation. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting.”
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