Scooter Libby Disbarred

WASHINGTON — Former top White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was banned Thursday from practicing law in the nation's capital following his perjury conviction in the case of a CIA operative's leaked identity. The disbarment order of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals had been expected.

"When a member of the bar is convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude, disbarment is mandatory," the appeals court ruled.

Last May, a court panel that oversees lawyer ethics recommended that Libby be stripped of his law license in Washington. The Board on Professional Responsibility then found that Libby's conviction for lying to the FBI about the case of former CIA operative Valerie Plame amounted to "crimes that involve moral turpitude."

"This action is required by the rules following a conviction regardless of the merits of the case, and for that reason Mr. Libby expected and did not oppose the court's order," said Libby attorney William Jeffress.

Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was first licensed to work as a lawyer in Washington in 1978. His membership with the D.C. bar also was suspended for failing to pay his dues, records show.

Thursday's appeals court ruling also noted that "neither bar counsel nor respondent has taken exception to the board's report and recommendation."

Libby was the only person to face criminal charges in the case of the 2003 leak of Plame's identity. Plame has since left the CIA and contends the White House was trying to discredit her husband, a critic of President Bush's Iraq policy.

Last July, Bush commuted Libby's 2 1/2-year sentence, sparing him from serving any prison time after being convicted of perjury and obstructing justice. Libby dropped appeals to have his convictions overturned. He has paid a $250,000 fine and remains on two years probation.

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On the Net:

The disbarment order can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/2rhu9q

(This version CORRECTS name of court to District of Columbia Court of Appeals)

Comments

[gaydem]

Human dreck.

[Navy26Yrs]

I suppose he'll go to Maryland and practice "law" there now.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

It couldn`t have happened to a nicer person!!!

[sammy333]

No problem for Scooter. CNN will appoint him as their impartial commentator in no time. He is and will be rewarded generously by his "neoconservative" friends who are still in control of both parties for his little role in pushing this country into a downward spiral of war and economic devastation.

[booker52]

Good. At least there is something that has come out of this that Libby cannot count on to the good.

[pc51]

He deserves to be put in jail.

[Irons]

Turns out Libby is a corrupt little scum bag.

[johnmorgan]

Two kinds of justice in the USA:

If a poor black man commits a crime, Republicans are "tough on crime." The man goes to jail and they throw away the key.

If Bush's friends commit a crime, a two-year sentence is suddenly "too harsh." Sentence commuted. Probable future pardon.

[hip dibler]

so let me see if i got this right,

you can't be a criminal and practice law but you can be the POTUS?

[wcfar]

Jail is where he should be but his president chose to interfere with the workings of the court. He participated in outing a CIA operative who was working to protect our country and our citizens. It is not enough that this man gets probation and can't practice law in DC. I would venture that he can still practice law in Maryland or Virginia. Much the same thing as being licensed in DC. No matter, this case is a disgusting mockery of justice.

[samuraijack]

In the old days, you know the G. Gordon Liddy days, some "operatives" would have taken care of this guy a long time ago. Maybe smeared some LSD on his steering wheel, or some other nasty things like that. Poor Scooter, no longer a DC lawyer, and he has such a weenie nickname.

[NelsonJ]

Clearly, not enough punish,emt

[htown419]

Disbarred. Now he is like Bill Clinton!

[stop7997]

The cry of the chickenhawk: "But, but, but... But Clinton! But, but , but... But Clinton!"

[htown419]

More like...ba ba ba ba bye bye CLinton!

[Gordon]

His conviction will be erased when he's pardoned as Bush leaves office. I would imagine his law license will be re-instated at that time. No conviction for a crime of moral turpitude=no disbarrment.

[semorg]

What a joke! Maybe Paster Wright was right on America after all.

[RepublicanMicky]

Disbarred?? This man is an American Hero!!!!!! America needs more men like this,.....­willing to do what's in the best interest of this great country,..­...He should have been promoted!!!

[ObamaSeeChange]

He's a traitor pure and simple.

[tcuoohjohn]

The joke is your spelling.

[AgentMacGyver]

"Gotta" love the spelling rebuttal. Thanks for contributing, tcuoohjohn.