Libby is the highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandal since John Poindexter, the national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan in the Iran–Contra affair
In October 2005, Libby was
indicted by a federal
grand jury concerning the
investigation of the leak of the covert identity of
Central Intelligence Agency officer
Valerie Plame Wilson. Plame's position at the CIA was considered
classified information. Libby was indicted on five counts relating to the
Plame affair: Two counts of
perjury, two counts of
making false statements to
federal investigators, and one count of
obstruction of justice. Libby resigned all three government positions immediately after the indictment was announced.
In the subsequent federal trial,
United States v. Libby, the jury
convicted
Libby on four of the five counts in the indictment (one count of
obstruction of justice, two counts of perjury, and one count of making
false statements) and
acquitted on the second count of making false statements.
The day after his conviction in that trial, he resigned his later appointment as senior advisor at the
Hudson Institute (January 1, 2006 – March 7, 2007)
On July 2, 2007, when Libby's appeal of Walton's order failed, President Bush
commuted Libby's 30-month prison sentence, leaving the other parts of his sentence intact.
In commuting Libby's prison term, Bush stated: "I am commuting the
portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend thirty months
in prison. ... My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in
place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby.
Presidential candidate and New York Sen.
Hillary Clinton
described actions that led to Libby's conviction as part of a larger
effort by the White House to silence critics of the war in Iraq.
Clinton said; "Today's decision is yet another example that this
administration simply considers itself
above the law," said Clinton of
Bush's decision to commute Libby's sentence. "This case arose from the
administration's politicization of
national security intelligence and
its efforts to punish those who spoke out against its policies.
"Four years into the Iraq war, Americans are still
living with the consequences of this White House's
efforts to quell
dissent. This commutation sends the clear signal that in this
Administration, cronyism and ideology trump competence and justice."
Looks like the pot is calling the kettle black.
