While O.J. Simpson might still be on the hunt for the “real killer,” Scooter Libby has given up the charade of fighting to prove his “innocence.” AP reports:
Former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby is no longer appealing his conviction in the CIA leak case, a tacit recognition that continuing his legal fight might only make things worse.
Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted of perjury and obstruction but President Bush commuted his 30-month prison sentence in July. As a convicted felon, Libby will lose his law license and, in some states, cannot vote.
The reason for this looks pretty clear. George Bush has commuted his jail sentence, but a successful appeal would lead to a new trial which would cost a fortune, and probably end with the same verdict. If found guilty in a new trial, commutation of his current prison sentence would not apply and Libby wouldn’t have George Bush around to commute a new sentence. Besides, there still remains the possibility that Bush will give him a full pardon before he leaves office.
There might be other repercussions of Libby dropping his appeal:
The Bush White House has refused to comment on unresolved questions in the Libby case — such as why no White House staff member was ever reprimanded — on the grounds that the appeals process was still unfolding. Now that argument is moot, as Libby has dropped his appeal.
I still don’t expect any meaningful response from Bush, who I doubt ever had any intention of keeping his word to fire anyone in this White House who was involved in the leak.
