President Bush made a statement today on his decision to commute the prison term of Lewis "Scooter" Libby. I have translated the original statement to show what he really meant. Such subtleties can be lost in such formal language.
Please enjoy:
The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today rejected Lewis Libby's request to remain free on bail while pursuing his appeals for the serious convictions of perjury and obstruction of justice. As a result, Scooters will be required to turn himself over to the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his prison sentence.
I have said throughout this process that it would not be appropriate to comment or intervene in this case until Scooters’ appeals have been exhausted. But since my buddy might actually have to go to jail to cover my ass, I believe it is now important to make sure he suffers no real consequences.
From the very beginning of the investigation into the leaking of Valerie Plame's name, I made it clear to the White House staff and anyone serving in my administration that I expected full cooperation with the Justice Department as long as they didn't reveal any important information. Dozens of White House staff and administration officials dutifully cooperated.
After the investigation was under way, the Justice Department appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick Fitzgerald as a Special Counsel in charge of the case. Mr. Fitzgerald is a highly qualified, professional prosecutor who carried out his responsibilities as charged.
This case has generated significant commentary and debate. My allies have been critics of the investigation. They have argued that a special counsel should not have been appointed, nor should the investigation have been pursued after the Justice Department learned who leaked Ms. Plame's name to columnist Robert Novak. It makes sense. Why should he be accountable for his crimes after another person was guilty of another crime?
Furthermore, my friends point out that neither Scooters nor anyone else has been charged with violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act or the Espionage Act, which were the original subjects of the investigation. Frankly, I believe that if you're not charged with one crime, you shouldn't be charged with any others either. It just doesn't make sense.
Finally, we say the punishment does not fit the crime: Scooters was a first-four-time offender with years of experience as crony. He's been with my pal Wolfowitz for the past 25 years. He was handed a harsh sentence simply because he was convicted of 1 felony count of obstructing a federal investigation, 1 felony count of making false statements to F.B.I. Investigators and 2 felony counts of perjury before a grand jury when we all know his only crime was love. Love for his country and for his fellow Americans. If that isn't a good reason to lie to the F.B.I. and a grand jury, then I don't know what is. Well, I can think of a few other reasons, but they're not appropriate for comment right now.
Others point out that a jury of citizens weighed all the evidence and listened to all the testimony and found Scooters guilty of perjury and obstructing justice. They argue, correctly, that our entire system of justice relies on people telling the truth. And if a person does not tell the truth, particularly if he serves in government and holds the public trust, he must be held accountable. They say that had Scooters only told the truth, he would have never been indicted in the first place.
Both, my friends and the American people have made important points. I have made my own evaluation. In preparing for the decision I am announcing today, I have carefully weighed these arguments and the circumstances surrounding this case.
Scooter was sentenced to thirty months of prison, two years of probation, and a $250,000 fine. In making the sentencing decision, the district court rejected the advice of the probation office, which recommended a lesser sentence and the consideration of factors that could have led to a sentence of home confinement or probation. I believe that while it's appropriate to imprison the brown or the poor Americans for minor crimes for far longer than 30 months, my friends shouldn't be subjected to the same standards.
I it's nice to say that I respect the jury's verdict, I don't. The justice system that all Americans are subject to just doesn't work for me and my friends. I'm sure the American people can trust me to dole out fair and just punishment for myself and my pals. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Scooters’ sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.
My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place very little punishment for Scooter's. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is enhanced by his ability to escape any accountability for his actions. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The miniscule fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony convictions on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be not matter much. I will likely pardon them at the end of my term anyway. He's already joined the Hudson Institute as a senior advisor.
The Constitution gives the President the power of clemency to be used when he deems it to be warranted, and frankly, I deem it warranted. It is my judgment that a commutation of the prison term in Scooter's case is an appropriate exercise of this power. Heck, I deem any exercise of my power warranted, constitutionally granted or not.
Thank you for your time.
