Scooter Libby was convicted for covering up crimes committed by his boss, and very likely by the President of the United States. No action was taken against the actual parties responsible for the policy of deceiving the public and retaliating against those who spoke out, most likely as a conservative Republican prosecutor played it too safe and was unwilling to proceed against a sitting Vice President.
George Bush has taken advantage of a holiday week to countermand the little bit of justice we have received in this case by commuting the jail sentence of Lewis Libby. Bush called the sentence “excessive” but it is hard to imagine such a sentence as being excessive. Scooter Libby participated in a conspiracy to lie the country into a war and retaliate against whose who attempted to bring the truth to the American people. Libby, and his boss, are traitors to their country, and his jail sentence was mild compared to the magnitude of the crimes he committed.
The real injustice here is not that Libby received too harsh a sentence but that those above him responsible for high crimes of this magnitude are getting off free. As the criminal justice system is unable to bring these traitors to justice, there is no longer any choice but for Congress to fulfill the role mandated by the Constitution of the United States.
Immediately upon return from the holiday break, Congress should make the top order of business a full investigation of the run up to the war with the purpose of initiating impeachment proceedings against both George Bush and Dick Cheney. It is extremely unlikely that the Senate will convict in this polarized political atmosphere, but history will be the ultimate judge. Once all the facts are laid out, if the Senate Republicans vote as a block against impeachment and conviction, my bet is that the American people will take action against many of these Republicans at the ballot.
Many Democratic leaders fear impeachment after having seen the reaction to the impeachment of Bill Clinton. There is a major difference here. The impeachment of Bill Clinton for such a minor offense was a travesty of justice. Considering the magnitude of the crimes committed by George Bush and Dick Cheney, the travesty of justice in this situation would be the failure to take action against them. I’m betting that the majority of Americans would understand this difference and support impeachment.