President Bush has commuted the prison term of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, facing 30 months in prison after a federal court convicted him of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators.
Earlier Monday, a federal appeals court unanimously ruled that Libby could not delay his sentence.
[...]In a written statement issued hours after that ruling, Bush called the sentence "excessive." But he also rejected calls for a pardon for Libby.
"The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant, and private citizen will be long-lasting," Bush said.
But he said Libby was given "a harsh sentence based in part on allegations never presented to the jury."
[...]
The conviction remains on Libby's record and he still has to pay a $250,000 fine.
Updated: No, I didn't have Liddy on the mind, it wasn't a Freudian slip, Dr. West.
Tags: