Bush was under great pressure by Libby allies to pardon the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.
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.”
Libby was the highest-ranking White House official ordered to prison since the Iran-Contra affair.
The conviction remains on Libby’s record and he still has to pay a $250,000 fine.
Commutations are rarely granted, says CNN’s chief legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin. A commutation is a total right of the president and it cannot be challenged by any attorney or court, he said.
It means that Libby will still have the conviction on his record — unless he is able to overturn it on appeal, which he will likely continue to pursue.
A pardon is a complete eradication of a conviction record, making it appear as if the person has never been convicted. It’s possible that Bush could still grant Libby a full pardon
Bastard…
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