President Bush grants clemency for Libby

Saying that the sentence of former Vice President Cheney’s Chief of Staff, I. “Scooter” Libby, was excessive, President Bush granted a degree of clemency by dropping the entire jail sentence imposed by the judge in the case.

The whole essence of the case was simply stated by Federal Prosecutor Fitzgerald: there was evidence that someone in the administration purposely disclosed the identity of an undercover CIA agent and that Libby lied to a Grand Jury to prevent the disclosure of that act of treason. After a lengthy trial, Libby was convicted of lying to cover up that very serious crime and blocking efforts by the Justice Department to expose those involved.

Did Libby lie to protect Cheney? Did he lie to protect himself? There is no need to speculate why Libby lied; the facts in this case are settled: he obstructed justice and lied about a very serious matter. In the words of George H.W. Bush, “I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources. They are, in my view, the most insidious of traitors.”

While governor of Texas, George W. Bush sent 152 men and women to their deaths with little or no review of the facts in their cases. Using statistics from The Innocence Project (the group that secures the rights of convicted rapists and murderers to have DNA tests prove their innocence), as many as 15 of those Bush put to death were, in fact, completely innocent of the crimes of which they were convicted.

So, one the one hand, Bush coldly and casually put 152 men and women to death; on the other hand, he commuted Libby’s jail time, calling it too excessive. Those who applaud both actions should examine their sense of right and wrong and ask if this is a good example of the American system of justice.

Jon Monday