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'Suspicion' over Libby move
08/07/2007 22:26 - (SA)
Washington - The chief Democrat probing President George W Bush's decision to erase the prison sentence of a former White House aide said on Sunday there is "the suspicion" the aide might have fingered others in the Bush administration if he served time.
House Judiciary Committee chair John Conyers spoke of "the general impression" that Bush last week commuted I Lewis "Scooter" Libby's 2½-year sentence in the CIA leak case to keep Libby quiet.
Bush contended Libby's sentence was too harsh.
Libby was convicted of lying and obstructing justice in an investigation into the leak of a CIA officer's identity. The former operative said the White House was trying to discredit her husband, a critic of Bush's Iraq policy. 'Witch hunt'
A Republican on Conyers' committee took issue with the investigation into Bush's decision in the Libby case.
"It's clearly within the authority of the president," said Chris Cannon. "To go after the president on this issue shows a dearth of any opportunity to go after something substantive in this administration. "I would prefer that we not waste our time in Congress on these witch hunts and frivolous activities."
Bush acted last Monday just hours after a federal appeals panel ruled that Libby could not delay his prison term. Conyers said he wanted Bush to waive executive privilege and let his pardon lawyers or other experts, "who it appears that he did not consult", explain this in a little more detail. "Commutations usually follow after a person has served some period of time. And, of course, this isn't the case here."
In his commutation decision, Bush did not eliminate the $250 000 fine also imposed in the case.
Libby paid the fine on Thursday.
- AP
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