Libby sentenced to 30 months in CIA case

Libby sentenced to 30 months in CIA case
By Alex Barker in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
Published: June 5 2007 17:06 | Last updated: June 5 2007 20:01


Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the former chief of staff to the US vice-president, on Tuesday became the highest ranking government official since the Iran-Contra scandal to face imprisonment after a judge jailed him for two and a half years for perjury and obstruction of justice.

The ruling, which drew gasps from the packed court room, marks the closing chapter in a saga that has dogged some of the most senior members of the US government and raised deep questions about how the war in Iraq was justified.

The prison sentence is likely to raise pressure on President George W. Bush to pardon Mr Libby from members of Washington’s conservative establishment, who believe the former aide was ensnared in a politically motivated investigation.

The former administration aide, who was additionally fined $250,000 (£125,000), was convicted of lying to a grand jury about his role in revealing the identity of Valerie Plame, a covert CIA agent.

Prosecutors claimed that White House officials and the office of Dick Cheney, vice-president, leaked her name in order to discredit Ms Plame’s husband, who had publicly disputed intelligence about Iraq’s nuclear ambitions.

No charges were brought against any individual for deliberately breaking Ms Plame’s cover.

As the sentence was read out, Mr Libby stood before the judge with an impassive expression. In a brief statement to the court he showed no hint of remorse.

“Now I realise that the court must decide on punishment as prescribed by law,” he said, speaking quietly.

“It is respectfully my hope that the court will consider, along with the jury verdict, my whole life.”

Judge Reggie Walton re-jected pleas of leniency from Mr Libby and his defence lawyers, who argued that his “exceptional public service” and the “public humiliation” he had endured made him eligible for probation.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Walton said it was “important that people who occupy positions of responsibility know that if they are going to step over the line . . .  there are consequences”.

Patrick Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor who led the investigation, said Mr Libby showed “absolutely no contrition” and deserved three years in prison.

Rise and fall of Cheney’s aide

Convicted in March on four of five counts in the investigation into who blew the cover of CIA analyst Valerie Plame, whose husband was an outspoken Iraq war critic
No charges have been brought against anyone for the actual leaks to journalists. Federal law makes it a crime knowingly to reveal the identity of a covert agent
Known as “Dick Cheney’s Dick Cheney”, Libby was a quiet force in building the Bush administration’s case for the Iraq invasion
Libby also served in the administration President HW Bush as deputy undersecretary of defence and was at the State Department during the Reagan administration
After the sentencing, Mr Bush said he “felt terrible” for Mr Libby’s family but declined to comment about an intervention until the criminal proceedings had concluded. Mr Libby has an appeal pending and was free to leave the court on Tuesday.