Today Judge Walton ruled that Scooter Libby will be jailed pending his appeal, but instead of taking him out of the courtroom in cuffs, Libby was allowed to leave. He has ten days to file an appeal, and the Bureau of Prisons needs 45-60 days to make up the cell for Libby (apparently). There's a lot that can happen that might still deny us our victory of seeing Scooter in jail duds. I'll feel better once he's incarcerated.
From CNN.Com:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A federal judge on Thursday ordered I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby to report to prison while his attorneys appeal his perjury and obstruction convictions.And this is my comment from Fire Dog Lake on the ruling today (and great work today, Pach!):
Libby's attorneys asked that the order be stayed, but U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton denied that and told Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff that he had 10 days to appeal the ruling...
Libby still has 45-60 days before he dons the orange jumpsuit. Call me cynical, but I’m not about to break out the Moet just yet.
I remember our recent premature celebration when Bush pulled Sam Fox’s name out of the approval process when it became apparent that he wouldn’t get the needed votes. Then W goes and gives Fox the job anyway with a recess appointment over Easter.
Those guys have a well-developed sense of treachery. I’ll believe Libby is going to pay for his crime when I see him actually beat Paris Hilton’s time in jail.
Until then, I’ll just keep the bottle corked and my fingers crossed.
4 comments:
I don't think bush will pardon him until he is on his way out the door. If at all. He is vain enough not to want to tarnish his own legacy any more than it alrady has been. (Of which I doubt bubble boy even realizes that!)
Nah, I don't think we'll see a pardon soon either, but I suspect they'll use legal chicanery and political pressure to get Libby's "due date" postponed...possibly until the appeals are complete, which will probably extend to the end of the Bush administration and the big "pardon-party" we'll likely see.
And I'm very proud of myself - my use of the word "chicanery" was exceedingly appropriate; and I spelled it right without having to look it up first!
Pat Buchanan was on Hardball today and basically said something to the effect of, "so Paris has to go to jail for 45 days, and Libby doesn't do any time at all?" arguing in favor of Libby doing jail time. Paris didn't need 45 days to get her cell ready. What's with that?
I think it's a different thing for a scummy presidential felon who's sentenced to federal prison for 2 1/2 years, compared to a drunken skank who needs to do 6 weeks in County. Federal prisons are significantly more complex than the revolving door jails where people do short stays.
Buchanan suffers from that Conservative disease that causes him to overlook facts that differ from his perception.
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