D.C District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton sentenced former Vice Presidential aide Scooter Libby to 30 months in prison today.
Libby was convicted of lying to FBI agents who were investigating who leaked CIA Operaive Valerie Wilson's name to the press.
Libby was not taken into custody, and while the Judge said he could not think of a reason why Libby should remain free on an appellate bond, he agreed to review memoranda on the issue before setting a surrender date.
Here are some excerpts of what the lawyers said:
“He has fallen from public grace,” Mr. Wells said, his voice dropping to a hush. “It is a tragic fall, a tragic fall.”
But the prosecutor, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, argued that the defendant had shown “absolutely no contrition,” and that the court needed to send a message that lying in a criminal investigation can never be excused.
“Truth matters,” Mr. Fitzgerald said. “The whole system depends on that.”
Mr. Libby’s conduct was inexcusable, the prosecutor said, because as a lawyer he is “educated and experienced in these matters.”
Nor was the defendant’s lying a spur-of-the-moment decision, Mr. Fitzgerald went on. Rather, he said, Mr. Libby lied repeatedly over a period of weeks, rejecting numerous opportunities to change his account and avoid charges.
As for Mr. Libby’s long record of public service, Mr. Fitzgerald said, “We cannot create a special category of people” who are treated leniently just because they are in government
Rumpole says, we are clearly stepping on the toes of everyone's favourite federal blogger, but sometimes there is just nothing else to write about.
We sent some emails to the powers that be regarding the circumstances about Judge Klein's mysterious and rapid retirement from bond hearing duties. Obviously these Judges are way to busy to respond to our humble inquiries.
See You In Court.
W will pardon him the day he leaves office.
ReplyDeleteLet's just get this all out of the way now:
ReplyDelete1. The trialmaster would have had Scooter acquitted.
2. Sources say Scooter is feverishly trying to get the Q to do his appeal.
3. Chris and Alan do not understand what happened
4. The captain will report the 3rd DCA tie in to the Scooter case
5. Scooter's conviction will send Spicoli in to a rage that will cause him to come back and write more dribble that no one, including him, understands
6. A random PD will scream about why Scooter was not taken into custody.
7. Five prosecutors will do the same.
8. Three comments will ponder the identity of Rumpole.
All Libby did was try to protect our country. This is an outrage.
ReplyDeleteFree Scooter Libby! Free Spicoli! Free Larry Korda! Free Maryjane!
ReplyDeleteCheney and Bush should do the time for Libby. Let this serve as a lesson to underlings in government no to protect or take the fall for their bosses.
ReplyDeleteI must say that the prevcious comment is one of the funnier comments, encompassing the spirit of the comments section of the blog.
ReplyDeleteSad to see the only Jew in the White House go down - even if he was guilty. Not surprised that the fundamentalists get immunity, or are given a free ride after three versions of the same FACT (Rove).
ReplyDeleteI filed one of those so-called "Kotsin Motions" in West Palm. The Judge's JA called and put the Judge on the phone. He said he was calling because he didn't know me, and that those motions were the laughing stock of the courthouse. The prosecutor had filed a motion to strike. He offered to sign a written order denying the motion with the reasons stated therein, or hold a hearing on the motion to strike. He implied the motion to strike would be more embarassing to me personally, as my client might not like being in court seeing my work product called inadequate and "boilerplate."
ReplyDeleteI took the order denying the motion.
Screw the Kotsin motions and his big fan club.
4:33- don't forget the "Shumie songs"; the CPS parodies; the anti-Bob Levy rants, and the Hector Lombano attacks. That about covers it. Oh... and the DUI ratings.
ReplyDeleteAnd 43, don't forget GINA MENDEZ LOCKE N' LOAD looms on the horizon of 2008.
ReplyDeletethe JAC is out of money till 6/14/07. -- Libby is a stand up guy. Never ratted anyone out. A better gangster than Sammy Gravano. Gotti could have taken a lesson from Bush.
ReplyDeleteI cannot post the comment on alleged sexual misconduct without getting confirmation, which is proving hard.
ReplyDeleteWhat's a Kotsin motion? I am not familiar with the relief requested and the basis for that relief.
ReplyDeleteHi Rump - Question: if 3rd DCA JNC member Ray Abadin is first cousins with applicant and nominee Sanchez, was there full disclosure of this to the JNC, the Candidates, the Governor, etc.? Isn't this an improper conflict? Did Mr. Abadin actually vote for his cousin and try to influence other JNC members not to vote for others who he investigated in order to help his cousin? There really appears to be reverse discrimination in Dade County Judicial appointments. IT is not the most qualified who get nominated and/or get appointed. Is Mr. Sanchez now the front runner over the others? Can you let us know what his qualifications are, especially if his connections through Hector Lombana, Mark Jimenez, Ray Abadin, Paul Huck, Judge Barbara Lagoa, etc. are all assisting him in his preparation for his interview with Gov. Crist? Who is Manny Kadre and Roberto Martinez pushing for? This is a crucial appointment and we will all be affected by the right or wrong choice....Rumpole, please comment on this....
ReplyDeleteFYI:
ReplyDeleteAs reported from the JAC website:
Court Appointed Criminal and Dependency/Other Civil funds are exhausted. The Justice Administrative Commission has requested additional funding for these appropriation categories. There will be a meeting of the Legislative Budget Commission (LBC) on June 14, 2007. We anticipate a full release of the additional funding requested to cover anticipated billings submitted to JAC through the end of this fiscal year. We are working with the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to coordinate the review of bills and disbursement of payments as soon as possible upon release of additional funds.
Seen late last night in public,
ReplyDeleteJudge Stan Blake in Publix,
Shorts he was a wearing,
White legs he was a bearing.
If the judge knows about my poem before two weeks,
ReplyDeleteThen it confirms he reads Rumpole in frequent sneek peeks
Libby should be pardoned. If you were president and your friend was going to prison, wouldn't you pardon him? particularly if he knew all your secrets? I cant stand Bush, but i think he is even more despicable if he does not pardon libby
ReplyDelete"All Libby did was try to protect our country."
ReplyDeleteProtect the country from whom? It was our own government that outed a covert CIA agent. Everyone involved, including Armitage, should be given life sentences if not the death penalty. Exposing an asset such as Valerie Plame does more damage than we will ever know. How many years of work was destroyed? Were any other undercover operatives made known to our enemies? These people are the very definition of traitors.