Bush spares Libby from 2 1/2-year prison term

[William33 110]

WASHINGTON - President Bush commuted the sentence of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby on Monday, sparing him from a 2½-year prison term that Bush said was excessive.

Bush’s move came hours after a federal appeals panel ruled Libby could not delay his prison term in the CIA leak case. That meant Libby was likely to have to report to prison soon and put new pressure on the president, who had been sidestepping calls by Libby’s allies to pardon the former chief of staff to Vice President ####### Cheney.

“I respect the jury’s verdict,” Bush said in a statement. “But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby’s sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19570081/?GT1=10150

Unbelievable!! Presidential pardons should be repealed.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

In Libby's case, the conviction is nonsensical--as no crime was committed in the first place.

(in contrast to Sandy Burglar's robbing of the National Archives)

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

Edited July 2, 2007 by Steven_and_Jinky

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No surprise here. Libby took the fall for Cheney. They owed him this reduction of sentence at the very least.

[William33 110]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

I don't think there a single President or Governor that hasn't pardoned someone or commuted a sentence. It's an executive privilege. Again, the only reason Libby was convicted was because he shielded Cheney. Bush owes him this much.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

[William33 110]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

Whether or not Libby shielded Cheney, or breached national security himself, will never be fully realized.

As a public servant, you are obligated to keep classified information a secret.

Remember former CIA director John Deutch? His clearances were stripped, when it was learned that he mishandled classified material. No leaks, just sloppy operational security.

Libby was involved in a leak.

Having personally worked in an environment requiring a clearance for 20 years now, the gravity of these leaks/compromises of information can be extremely damaging.

I believe he should "do the time", as a lesson to others in high political office who believe they are immune to jail.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

Whether or not Libby shielded Cheney, or breached national security himself, will never be fully realized.

As a public servant, you are obligated to keep classified information a secret.

Remember former CIA director John Deutch? His clearances were stripped, when it was learned that he mishandled classified material. No leaks, just sloppy operational security.

Libby was involved in a leak.

Having personally worked in an environment requiring a clearance for 20 years now, the gravity of these leaks/compromises of information can be extremely damaging.

I believe he should "do the time", as a lesson to others in high political office who believe they are immune to jail.

Perhaps. I just think that he's the fall guy and not the trigger man.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Why don't you do something illegal and let's see if the president bails you out... Hmmmm!!! I think not... How can I join that club?

Edited July 3, 2007 by Sheriff Uling

[GaryC 7]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

Whether or not Libby shielded Cheney, or breached national security himself, will never be fully realized.

As a public servant, you are obligated to keep classified information a secret.

Remember former CIA director John Deutch? His clearances were stripped, when it was learned that he mishandled classified material. No leaks, just sloppy operational security.

Libby was involved in a leak.

Having personally worked in an environment requiring a clearance for 20 years now, the gravity of these leaks/compromises of information can be extremely damaging.

I believe he should "do the time", as a lesson to others in high political office who believe they are immune to jail.

There was never anyone including Libby convicted of leaking Plames name. That is because she wasn't covert. The original crime never happend. Libby was convicted of lying under oath. Be it a faulty memory of an out right lie he still didn't leak anything. If you think that lying under oath is something that should land you in jail then I wouldn't mention that around Bubba Clinton.

[William33 110]

I side with Bush on this one. The sentence was excessive. People have spent less time in prison for far crimes than what Libby did.

This just makes a further mockery of our justice system. "I respect the Jury's verdict, BUT". Yeah right.

All personal opinions aside, he was in fact convicted. Bush thumbed his nose at the justice system, again.

Reminds me of the UN and the coalition of the willing. Bad politics.

The Jury found him guilty - but the Judge decided on the sentence. What purpose would it serve to have Libby locked away for 30 months? He's not a danger to society. What he did was wrong and there should be consequences, but throwing in prison for 2 1/2 years to me is excessive under the circumstances.

Whether or not Libby shielded Cheney, or breached national security himself, will never be fully realized.

As a public servant, you are obligated to keep classified information a secret.

Remember former CIA director John Deutch? His clearances were stripped, when it was learned that he mishandled classified material. No leaks, just sloppy operational security.

Libby was involved in a leak.

Having personally worked in an environment requiring a clearance for 20 years now, the gravity of these leaks/compromises of information can be extremely damaging.

I believe he should "do the time", as a lesson to others in high political office who believe they are immune to jail.

There was never anyone including Libby convicted of leaking Plames name. That is because she wasn't covert. The original crime never happend. Libby was convicted of lying under oath. Be it a faulty memory of an out right lie he still didn't leak anything. If you think that lying under oath is something that should land you in jail then I wouldn't mention that around Bubba Clinton.

Sure about that? The Government covered this up bigtime. If you followed her bio, you will discover a different story alltogether.

The Government will convict on a case that can be won, even if lower grade. The real crime was never addressed.

[giraffemd 0]

I don't understand!!!!! Why did they bother with the whole trial, etc. in the first place...I swear I will never understand the US justice system, or US politics.....NOT saying it is wrong, but I just don't get it

[GaryC 7]

[There was never anyone including Libby convicted of leaking Plames name. That is because she wasn't covert. The original crime never happend. Libby was convicted of lying under oath. Be it a faulty memory of an out right lie he still didn't leak anything. If you think that lying under oath is something that should land you in jail then I wouldn't mention that around Bubba Clinton.

Sure about that? The Government covered this up bigtime. If you followed her bio, you will discover a different story alltogether.

The Government will convict on a case that can be won, even if lower grade. The real crime was never addressed.

The person that wrote the law about outing covert agents said she wasn't covert. With all the stink about this and all the outside news hounds looking into this a cover-up is unlikely. The truth is there was never any crime. But Fitzgerald had to show something for the peoples money so he hung Libby on a "process crime" rap. This was all about trying to get Cheney from the start. It didn't work and Libby got caught in the middle.

[William33 110]

[There was never anyone including Libby convicted of leaking Plames name. That is because she wasn't covert. The original crime never happend. Libby was convicted of lying under oath. Be it a faulty memory of an out right lie he still didn't leak anything. If you think that lying under oath is something that should land you in jail then I wouldn't mention that around Bubba Clinton.

Sure about that? The Government covered this up bigtime. If you followed her bio, you will discover a different story alltogether.

The Government will convict on a case that can be won, even if lower grade. The real crime was never addressed.

The person that wrote the law about outing covert agents said she wasn't covert. With all the stink about this and all the outside news hounds looking into this a cover-up is unlikely. The truth is there was never any crime. But Fitzgerald had to show something for the peoples money so he hung Libby on a "process crime" rap. This was all about trying to get Cheney from the start. It didn't work and Libby got caught in the middle.

This is where the outsiders viewpoint is skewed by the media, and all other misinformation. The terms and specifications used in the law surrounding the outing of covert agents was not done by one person. Just as all other laws pertaining to the protection of classified information. In fact, most legislators don't even know what goes on in the classified world, as they don't have the clearance to see it.