Taking The Fall For Dick And Karl

By Cernig

Scooter Libby got 30 months and a $250,000 fine for his crime - lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation into the outing of Valerie Plame as a covert agent. The judge said the evidence overwhelmingly proved his guilt.

"People who occupy these types of positions, where they have the welfare and security of nation in their hands, have a special obligation to not do anything that might create a problem," U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said.

Of course there will be an appeal against the sentence, and Bush might yet hand him a "get out of jail free" card. Essentially, however, the story ends here.

But we all know he drew the black bean and was elected to take the fall for more powerful and dishonorable men. Until the actual leaker(s) are identified, tried and sentenced this story shouldn't be over.

Update Over 100 of Scooter's Bush family mafia fellows wrote letters to the judge asking for leniency. That any of them can describe a man convicted of perjury and obstructing the course of justice as "honorable" speaks volumes for the warped and dishonest nature of Bush Family Values but John Cole may be right when he says, "If they don’t have their family, what do they have?”

Bush was certainly all about Scooter's family today.

Bush was informed by aides of Libby's sentencing in Washington two 2 years in prison after he got on Air Force One Tuesday to fly from the Czech Republic to Germany for the G-8 summit of industrialized nations.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino came back on president's aircraft to relay Bush's reaction to the sentence.

``The president said he felt terrible for the family, especially for his wife and kids,'' Perino said.

``He says he feels terrible for them, he's sorry for all that they're going through,'' she added. Asked if Bush included Libby in statement, Perino replied, ``Yes.''

...``The president has not intervened so far in this or any other criminal matter, so he's going to decline to do so now as well,'' Perino said.

So much for the pardon, it seems. Not that I think he deserves one. Still, the logic of the Bush loyalists is that he should get the pardon for being the loyal fall guy and taking the heat. What this proves is that Bush cares about Scooter's family - but not enough he will repay loyalty with loyalty when the chips are down and more powerful figures are at stake. After all, it's more important that Libby be the Judas Goat so that people stop asking about the real criminals - the ones who actually leaked.