Libby

by Charley Reese

I was not surprised that President George Bush commuted Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence. It's what you'd expect from a corrupt politician who appears to care not a rat's toenail for justice, truth or principles.

Libby lied under oath before a grand jury, and he lied to the FBI. That's perjury and obstruction of justice. He was tried, convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced in accordance with Justice Department guidelines. Bush's claim that the sentence was "too severe" is just another Bush lie. He knows it was not too severe because he's been the stingiest president ever when it comes to pardons and commutations.

Why the commutation and not a pardon? Because as long as Libby stands as a convicted felon with his conviction on appeal, he can claim the Fifth Amendment if Congress decides to question him. There are a lot of people who don't want Libby to tell the truth, starting with Vice President Dick Cheney, President Bush and even former President Bill Clinton. Furthermore, by not ruling out a full pardon, Bush retains leverage over Libby until the last day of his term.