George Bush has commuted Libby's sentence so he does not serve jail time.
Democrats will waste their breath on attacking the commutation for all the wrong reasons, even if they are all true: questioning why he did not commute it to a shorter time if he thought the sentence was excessive; indicating the importance of perjury; complaining about unequal justice for those in high places; and the hypocrisy of the right-wing's "law-and-order" mantra.
In addition, despite all of Bush's protestations that he was not considering anything in the Libby case until its course had run, he seemed to have a completely vetted, lawyered, decision and statement ready on the day that course had run. He also said that he "had considered this decision carefully". Really? I thought he was fishing with Putin.
All true. But, all distracting the argument from the key point.
The right-wing will argue that Libby committed no underlying crime, that the trial should not have occurred, and the sentence was excessive. IGNORE THEM, too.
Bush commuted the sentence to prevent Libby from singing. That is the only part of this that is really important. The $250,000 fine remained in place because Libby will keep the lid on for that sum (and probably collect it from his friends).
We all know what he was going to sing about, the Cheney plan to discredit and exact revenge on the Wilsons, because he was unable to refute the truth of the claim that he had hyped the nuclear threat. It would not be surprising if the 16 words in the President's State of the Union were put back by Cheney after having been removed by the CIA.
There is a remedy: now that Libby has a commuted sentence, and Libby cannot be subjected to double jeopardy, haul him before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and investigate what happened, determining whether new laws are required to protect people like Valerie Plame. Libby cannot rely in Executive Privilege because he has already testified about the matter.
So, Dems, the word, and the only word of relevance: COVERUP, COVERUP, COVERUP, COVERUP.
Finally, the pardon should liberate Nancy Pelosi, and she should let Conyers get on with the job of impeaching Dick Cheney. As I have repeatedly written in these pages, Dick Cheney's outing of Valerie Plame gave aid and comfort to enemies of the United States by exposing a critical undercover operation. Whether it is, or is not, a technical violation of law, it is a violation of his oath of office.
C'mon Nancy. Give Mr. Conyers a green light. Let him investigate Cheney for impeachable offenses.
But, don't get lathered about the commutation itself. Don't even get up in arms about the perjury. The issue is Cheney's providing aid and comfort to enemies of the United States, and Libby's role was to help the COVERUP. Don't ever forget: Cheney is the guy who heaps scorn on those whom he falsely accuses of being uninterested in the security of the United States.
Keep your eyes on the ball.
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