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Libby sentenced to 30 months in prison

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Kristina
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« on: June 05, 2007, 11:03:23 am »

Libby sentenced to 30 months in prison
POSTED: 11:57 a.m. EDT, June 5, 2007
Story Highlights• NEW: Former vice presidential aide also assessed $250,000 fine
• Libby was convicted in March of perjury, obstruction of justice
• Libby maintains his innocence, will appeal his conviction
From Paul Courson
CNN




Former vice presidential aide Lewis Libby leaves the courthouse in Washington on March 6 after being convicted of perjury.


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for lying to investigators about what he told reporters about CIA operative Valerie Plame, whose name was leaked to the media in 2003.

He also was fined $250,000. Libby was convicted March 6 of four counts in a five-count indictment alleging perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements to FBI investigators. He plans to appeal the verdict.

Libby was found guilty in March of lying to investigators about what he told reporters about Valerie Plame, whose identity as a CIA operative was leaked to the media in 2003.

Libby has maintained his innocence ever since he was indicted and resigned in October 2005.

On Tuesday, the judge released dozens of letters written to him by Libby's supporters and detractors, including former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton.

In one letter, Robert Blackwill, who served as presidential envoy to Iraq and in several other posts under President Bush, said he has known Libby for 20 years.

"During these years at the White House, I encountered no one more driven by analytical temperament, fairness of mind and sound policy reasoning than Scooter Libby," Blackwill said.

"Mr. Libby in my judgment has been, over the decades, an exemplary public policy practitioner."

Another person, whose signature was redacted, wrote, "I am writing to urge that Scooter Libby receive the maximum possible sentence. Due to the crimes for which he was convicted, we may never know of the more substantial criminal activities for which he served as a firewall."

The case involves statements Libby made to the FBI and a grand jury during their probe into how the covert identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame was leaked. Libby was the only person charged in the probe. He was not accused of actually leaking classified material.

Plame's name became public when Robert Novak named her in his column on July 14, 2003. Her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, had openly questioned the Bush administration's basis for invading Iraq. (Timeline of key events in investigation)

Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has admitted he disclosed the information to a reporter. Novak pointed to another "senior administration official" -- Bush political adviser Karl Rove -- as the second source for his column.

After the jury returned its verdict against Libby on March 6, lead defense attorney Ted Wells appeared on the courthouse steps with Libby and his other attorneys and declared, "We have every confidence Mr. Libby ultimately will be vindicated." Wells said he believes his client is "totally innocent and that he did not do anything wrong."

Cheney has continued to express support and empathy for his former chief of staff, and it's possible Libby could be granted a presidential pardon before the end of President Bush's term.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/05/cia.leak.trial/index.html
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Kristina
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« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2007, 11:04:35 am »

Can anyone doubt that a Bush pardon will occur somewhere down the line?  No doubt after appeals that will last until the end of 2008.
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"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances."

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Jade Hellene
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« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2007, 01:37:04 am »

Libby supporters press for presidential pardon
Bush gives no hint of his intentions
By Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press  |  June 7, 2007


WASHINGTON -- Allies of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby urged President Bush yesterday to pardon the former White House aide, but Bush rebuffed questions about whether he would intervene to prevent Libby's incarceration .

Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was sentenced Tuesday to 2 1/2 years in prison for lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation.

He became the highest-ranking White House official sentenced to prison since the Iran-Contra affair.

A Republican stalwart, Libby drew more than 150 letters of support from military commanders and diplomats who praised his government service from the Cold War through the early days of the Iraq war.

"The White House is well aware of what a lot of supporters of Scooter have to say about this," said Mel Sembler, who served as Bush's ambassador to Italy and now leads Libby's defense fund. "There really is only one answer. This man has to step up and pardon him."

Bush, traveling in Europe, gave no hint about his plans.

"Yesterday was a very sad day for Scooter and his family," Bush told reporters. "But there's an ongoing process and it wouldn't be appropriate for me to discuss it while the process is going forward."

"My heart goes out to his family," the president added.

Libby's lawyers are rushing to try to forestall the prison sentence. They planned to file papers today arguing that Libby should remain free while his appeals play out.

But that appears to be an uphill battle. Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald intends to oppose the motion and US District Judge Reggie B. Walton said he sees no reason to grant a delay.

© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/06/07/libby_supporters_press_for_presidential_pardon/
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Kristina
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« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2007, 03:20:49 pm »

Judge orders Libby jailed during appeal
POSTED: 2:46 p.m. EDT, June 14, 2007
Story Highlights• Judge tells Libby's attorneys that they have 10 days to appeal ruling
• Judge tells court of harassing and hateful messages he has gotten over case
• Libby was convicted in March of lying about leaking a CIA agent's identity
• Libby was sentenced to 2˝ years in prison in early June




I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby arrives at the courthouse on Thursday for his hearing.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to report to prison while his attorneys appeal his perjury and obstruction convictions.

Libby's attorneys asked that the order be stayed, but U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton denied the request and told Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff that he has 10 days to appeal the ruling.

Libby was sentenced to 2˝ years in prison for lying and obstructing the investigation into who revealed Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative in 2003. He also was fined $250,000.

Libby's attorneys were trying to make a case that Libby shouldn't have to go to jail because special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald didn't have the authority to charge him.

Defense attorney Lawrence Robbins suggested that Fitzgerald had no standing to investigate and prosecute the case, because a letter appointing him as special counsel exempted him from the internal policies and procedures of the Department of Justice.

In addition, the defense argued that Fitzgerald was not accountable to anyone.

"I don't blame Mr. Fitzgerald," Robbins said. "He thought he had all this power. He probably did. And that's what's wrong here, not what's right."

Walton disagreed. At issue, he replied, was a possible conflict of interest.

"Everyone is accountable, and if you work in the White House, and if it's perceived that somehow (you're) linked at the hip, the American public would have serious questions about the fairness of any investigation of a high-level official conducted by the attorney general," the judge said.

Fitzgerald argued Thursday that if he stepped over the bounds of his authority, the error should not cause any appeals court to overturn Libby's conviction.

The prosecutor suggested that examples the defense cited to the judge were "ministerial," such as where he signed a notice that the courtroom might be closed to the public when classified material was considered.

Defense lawyers also challenged the conviction because Walton refused to allow a memory expert to testify at trial.

Libby contended at trial that he couldn't remember certain details for investigators because he was consumed with Iraq war issues and other things in 2003.

Libby is the first sitting White House official to be indicted in 130 years. He resigned after he was indicted in October 2005.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino said in a statement from the White House that, "Scooter Libby still has the right to appeal, and therefore the President will continue not to intervene in the judicial process. The President feels terribly for Scooter, his wife and their young children, and all that they're going through."

Cheney's office declined to issue a statement after the ruling.

At the beginning of Thursday's hearing, Walton told the court he had received "harassing" and "hateful" messages.

"In the interest of full disclosure, I have received a number of harassing, angry and mean-spirited phone calls and messages. Some wishing bad things on me and my family," the judge said. "Those types of things will have no impact."

"I initially threw them away, but then there were more, some that were more hateful," Walton said. "They are being kept."

Libby was found guilty of lying to investigators about what he told reporters about Plame Wilson, whose identity as a CIA operative was leaked to the media.

Plame Wilson's name became public when Robert Novak named her in his column on July 14, 2003. Her husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson, had openly questioned the Bush administration's basis for invading Iraq.

Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has admitted he disclosed the information to a reporter. Novak pointed to another "senior administration official" -- Bush political adviser Karl Rove -- as the second source for his column.

No one has been charged with leaking classified information in the case, but a jury found Libby guilty of trying to deceive investigators and a grand jury as to what went on.

After the June 5 sentencing, Walton said he was inclined to jail Libby after the defense laid out its proposed appeal, but the judge told attorneys he was open to changing his mind.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/14/libby.hearing/index.html
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"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances."

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Kristina
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« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2007, 03:22:52 pm »

June 14, 2007
Libby Judge says he’s received threats




 Libby is headed back to court to try to forestall his 30 month prison term in the CIA leak case.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The federal judge who will decide whether to order Lewis “Scooter” Libby to prison or allow him to remain free pending the results of an appeal of his March conviction said Thursday he has received threatening phone calls and letters.

“In the interest of full disclosure, I have received a number of harassing, angry and mean-spirited phone calls and messages,” U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton told the court at the start of the proceeding. “Some wishing bad things on me and my family.”

“Those types of things will have no impact,” Walton said. “I initially threw them away, but then there were more, some that were more hateful. They are being kept.”

Lawyers for the convicted former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney are trying to keep their client out of prison while they appeal the case.

Walton has said he will hear arguments from the defense and prosecution before he makes his decision.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/06/14/libby-judge-says-hes-received-threats/
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"Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances."

Thomas Jefferson
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