The Daily Background

Judge Reggie Walton, the man in charge of deciding how much time Libby would serve, said before sentencing him that “Evidence in this case overwhelmingly indicated Mr. Libby’s culpability.” Walton then went on to give him 30 months in prison and a $250,000 fine. In giving Libby a harsher sentence than many expected (Libby’s team was arguing for probation and plans to appeal the verdict), Walton ignored dozens of letters from people in high places writing in on Libby’s behalf. Check out part of the letters that didn’t convince Walton to give Scooter Libby a light prison sentence.

From Donald Rumsfeld:

“I know a great many of our fellow citizens hope and pray that those who serve in our federal government will be individuals of strong character and integrity, who cherish our freedoms and our way of life. Over these past decades, I have had the privilege of serving with a great many people of that type, and among them, without hesitation, I would include Mr. I. Lewis Libby. …Our country has been fortunate to have had his service.”

From Paul Wolfowitz:

“It is painful for me to reflect on the fact that his life would have been very different if we had never met. He would almost certainly now be a successful attorney in Philadelphia, enjoying a comfortable life with his wonderful wife and their two beautiful children. However, our country would have also been deprived of the very considerable service that he has rendered. …Mr. Libby has made many other contributions to our common security — and put in many long hours of selfless hard work — not out of ambition but solely out of a deep sense of responsibility and a desire to make this country safer for all of us.”

From Henry Kissinger:

“I met Scooter early in the second Bush administration, when he served as chief of staff to Vice President Cheney. …He is a man of strong views, some of which I do not share. But in my observations, he pursued his objectives with integrity and a sense of responsibility. I would never have associated the actions for which he was convicted with his character. Nor do I believe that they will ever be repeated.”

From John Bolton:

“Keeping every detail straight is impossible. No one has a photographic memory, and no one has perfect recall. …I fully understand that letters such as this are not permitted to re-litigate issues before the court, but if I can accomplish nothing else, I hope to convey that Scooter Libby was busy with matters of state of the highest urgency and moment for the American people. As such, information flowed across his desk on a daily basis like water coming out of a high-pressure fire hydrant, with more demands for action than could be humanly met.”

Also among those writing letters on Libby’s behalf were neocon Richard Perle, Richard Myers, General Peter Pace, Douglas Feith, and Mary Matalin (whose letter is oddly but disappointingly signed by her husband James Carville as well).

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