Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Scoot Off To Jail Already Why Dontcha

(Packaged Play)
Scooter Libby has been sentenced to 2.5 years in jail:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for lying to investigators looking into the leak of a CIA operative's identity.

He also was fined $250,000. Libby was convicted March 6 of four counts in a five-count indictment alleging perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements to FBI investigators.

He plans to appeal the verdict. (Watch what led up to Libby's sentence)

Federal Judge Reggie Walton said he would make a decision next Tuesday on whether to allow Libby to remain free while his lawyers file an appeal.

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said that under federal sentencing guidelines, Libby -- if imprisoned -- must serve at least 80 percent of his sentence, or two years.

If the judge decides Libby must start serving his sentence, it could be 45 to 60 days before he must report to prison.

He's a rich white guy, so he'll be going to a lovely jail with quaint cells (à la Jeffrey Skilling) not anytime in the foreseeable future. I'll be surprised if the judge orders him to start his sentence sooner rather than later.

And Atrios is right. If Dick Cheney is such a macho man's man, why is he letting his former underling take the fall for him?

I also meant to add that several people sent Judge Walton letters recommending sentences. Are these people you'd want writing to a judge in your defense?