Repositing this here for posterity:
Bush spares Libby from jail term
US President George W Bush has intervened to prevent Lewis Libby, a convicted former vice-presidential aide, from serving a prison term.
President Bush described as "excessive" the 30-month prison sentence Libby was facing for having obstructed an inquiry into the leaking of a CIA agent's name.
Though no longer required to go to jail, Libby is still due to serve a period of probation and pay a fine.
An appeals court had earlier told Libby he could no longer delay going to jail.
The judge ruled that Libby could not remain free on bail while his lawyer appealed against the sentence.
CIA leak
Lewis Libby, also known by his nickname, "Scooter" Libby, was found guilty in March of perjury and obstructing justice in a case connected to Washington's decision to invade Iraq.
His trial saw the White House accused of having illegally made public the identity of a serving CIA agent, Valerie Plame, in retaliation for Ms Plame's husband's public criticism of the Iraqi invasion plan.
Libby was found to have lied to investigators about conversations where he mentioned Ms Plame but he was not convicted of having directly leaked her name.
He was sentenced to 30 months, or two-and-a-half years in prison, spend two years of probation and pay a fine of $250,000 (£125,000).
'Disgraceful decision'
President Bush said he had until now refrained from intervening in the case, waiting instead for the appeals process to take its course.
"But with the denial of bail being upheld and incarceration imminent, I believe it is now important to react to that decision," he said, referring to the appeals court's decision telling Libby he could no longer delay going to jail.
"I respect the jury's verdict," President Bush said. "But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr Libby is excessive," Mr Bush said.
However, he said, Libby's remaining punishments - the probation period and fine - were "harsh" and would leave his reputation "forever damaged".
The top Democrat in the US Senate, Harry Reid, attacked the president's decision as "disgraceful".
"Libby's conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq war," Mr Reid said.
"Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone," he said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6263616.stm
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2 comments:
Thanks for the very depressing (yet, not entirely unexpected) news from Israel.
What an interesting trip we're having...see some photos if you're interested at www.jerusaleminjuly.blogspot.com
Thanks for the updates from the states, Post Tot...
Any significant backlash to speak of in the states?
No real backlash. Some intimations of Congressional investigation from Conyers, some comments from Hilary and then the piece from Tony Snow. I should put a link to that exchange from Talking Points Memo.
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