The Daily Background
| Reactions to the Libby trial verdict
by Arlen Parsa
Joe Wilson will be on MSNBC’s Countdown tonight, as well as Larry King Live, and Anderson Cooper 360. Fitzgerald still says he doesn’t anticipate making new indictments unless anything new comes out, and that he is going back to his day job. Sentencing is set for June, no talk of appeals until then. Libby is out on bail in the meantime. His wife started crying in court but he had a “half-smile” on his face when they read off the guilty verdicts.
Speaker Pelosi:
“Today’s guilty verdicts are not solely about the acts of one individual.
This trial provided a troubling picture of the inner workings of the Bush Administration. The testimony unmistakably revealed – at the highest levels of the Bush Administration – a callous disregard in handling sensitive national security information and a disposition to smear critics of the war in Iraq.”
Leader Reid:
“I welcome the jury’s verdict. It’s about time someone in the Bush Administration has been held accountable for the campaign to manipulate intelligence and discredit war critics. Lewis Libby has been convicted of perjury, but his trial revealed deeper truths about Vice President Cheney’s role in this sordid affair. Now President Bush must pledge not to pardon Libby for his criminal conduct.”
Senator Obama:
“The conviction today underscores what happens when our foreign and national security policies are subverted by politics and ideology. Leaks and innuendo in pursuit of a flawed policy lead to shameful episodes such as this. It should never happen again.”
Chairman Dean:
“Today the American legal system did something the Bush Administration hasn’t, by holding Scooter Libby accountable for his illegal actions. Many unanswered questions remain about the other key Bush advisors who participated in the Administration’s efforts to mislead the American people and smear its critics who have yet to be held accountable. Ultimately, the buck stops with President Bush. While he failed to keep his promise to fire the leaker, he should pledge not to pardon Scooter Libby.
It’s appalling to think that while President Bush had a high level team in place to sell the Iraq War and viciously smear its critics, it has not given that same attention to plan for postwar Iraq, providing the proper equipment for our troops or ensuring that our troops and veterans receive the care they deserve.”
Partial statement from CREW, which is representing the Wilsons in their civil suit against Cheney, Rove and Arimtage:
“First, Valerie and Joseph Wilson would like to express their appreciation to Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald and the entire team of federal prosecutors for their professionalism and hard work. Their prosecution of a senior White House official illustrates that we are a nation of laws and that no man is above the law. The Wilsons respect the jury’s verdict and thank the jurors for their service. The entire Wilson team is pleased by today’s verdict and believes that justice has been served in this case.
The Wilsons will continue to pursue the civil case against Vice President Cheney, Mr. Libby, Mr. Rove and Mr. Armitage because it hinges on additional and different facts from those underlying the criminal case. The criminal trial was about whether or not Mr. Libby obstructed justice and committed perjury by lying to FBI agents and the grand jury about the fact that he had disclosed to reporters that Valerie Wilson worked for the CIA. The civil suit, on the other hand, hinges on whether or not the defendants violated the constitutional rights of Valerie and Joe Wilson by making those disclosures in a concerted effort to retaliate against Joe Wilson for revealing the falsity of the president’s rationale for the Iraq war.”
