QUOTE
Libby sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison
By MATT APUZZO and PETE YOST, Associated Press Writers
31 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday for lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation — the probe that showed a White House obsessed with criticism of its decision to go to war.
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the highest-ranking White House official sentenced to prison since the Iran-Contra affair, asked for leniency, but a federal judge said he would not reward someone who hindered the investigation into the exposure of a CIA operative. The operative's husband had accused the administration of twisting intelligence to justify the Iraq war.
...
"Mr. Libby failed to meet the bar. For whatever reason, he got off course," said U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who spent years investigating the case, said, "We need to make the statement that the truth matters ever so much." He had asked for a sentence of up to three years, while Libby had asked for probation and no time in prison.
LINK
By MATT APUZZO and PETE YOST, Associated Press Writers
31 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday for lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation — the probe that showed a White House obsessed with criticism of its decision to go to war.
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the highest-ranking White House official sentenced to prison since the Iran-Contra affair, asked for leniency, but a federal judge said he would not reward someone who hindered the investigation into the exposure of a CIA operative. The operative's husband had accused the administration of twisting intelligence to justify the Iraq war.
...
"Mr. Libby failed to meet the bar. For whatever reason, he got off course," said U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, who spent years investigating the case, said, "We need to make the statement that the truth matters ever so much." He had asked for a sentence of up to three years, while Libby had asked for probation and no time in prison.
LINK
More at this link, too.
QUOTE
Smoking Gun Site Has Letters to Libby Judge
Go to Smoking Gun to read the letters. (As you'll recall, we had to wait until today for the judge to release the letters sent him prior to his sentencing of Libby today to 30 months in prison, a $250,000 fine, and two years probation. The judge also redacted certain personal information from the letters.)
No Quarter LINK
Go to Smoking Gun to read the letters. (As you'll recall, we had to wait until today for the judge to release the letters sent him prior to his sentencing of Libby today to 30 months in prison, a $250,000 fine, and two years probation. The judge also redacted certain personal information from the letters.)
No Quarter LINK
Another link.
QUOTE
Wilsons' Statement on Libby Sentencing
NOTE: Joe Wilson will be on Keith Olbermann's Countdown tonight at 8pm ET, on MSNBC. ('course, we need to keep an eye on the GOP debate on CNN at 7pm ET to see if Wolf Blitzer asks the candidates about Libby's sentencing today.)
Via Leslie, a regular contributor: Talk Left received this statement in an e-mail from Joe and Valerie Wilson's representative:
As Americans, both Valerie and I are grateful that justice has been served, reconfirming that our country remains a nation of laws.
We are also saddened for the pain that Mr. Libby has inflicted on his family, friends, and the nation. Mr. Libby benefited from the best this country had to offer: the finest schools, a lucrative career as a lawyer and many years of service in Republican administrations. That he would knowingly lie, perjure himself and obstruct a legitimate criminal investigation is incomprehensible.
It is our hope that he will now cooperate with Special Counsel Fitzgerald in his efforts to get to the truth. As Mr. Fitzgerald has said, a cloud remains over the Vice President.
Every official in this administration must be held accountable for their actions.
LINK via No Quarter
NOTE: Joe Wilson will be on Keith Olbermann's Countdown tonight at 8pm ET, on MSNBC. ('course, we need to keep an eye on the GOP debate on CNN at 7pm ET to see if Wolf Blitzer asks the candidates about Libby's sentencing today.)
Via Leslie, a regular contributor: Talk Left received this statement in an e-mail from Joe and Valerie Wilson's representative:
As Americans, both Valerie and I are grateful that justice has been served, reconfirming that our country remains a nation of laws.
We are also saddened for the pain that Mr. Libby has inflicted on his family, friends, and the nation. Mr. Libby benefited from the best this country had to offer: the finest schools, a lucrative career as a lawyer and many years of service in Republican administrations. That he would knowingly lie, perjure himself and obstruct a legitimate criminal investigation is incomprehensible.
It is our hope that he will now cooperate with Special Counsel Fitzgerald in his efforts to get to the truth. As Mr. Fitzgerald has said, a cloud remains over the Vice President.
Every official in this administration must be held accountable for their actions.
LINK via No Quarter
I'm thinking if Libby stays out of jail until the appeal process is over, at that time Bush should be going out of office. Bush will issue a pardon on his way out of the door.
Just my .02.
From where I sit, Libby will walk and Jefferson will probably get the whole 200 years. 