Judge: Libby Sentence Docs Can Go Public

(CBS/AP)  A federal judge said Thursday he will release more than 150 letters he received regarding next week's sentencing of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Some of the letters to the Court urge leniency for Libby, and some express "opprobrium" at his actions and call for "the imposition of a substantial prison sentence," says CBS News Justice Department reporter Deirdre Hester.

Libby, who was convicted in March of perjury and obstruction in the CIA leak case, had asked that the letters not be released. Attorneys for several news organizations argued that the law required the letters be made public. U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton agreed, citing a need for transparency.

Several media outlets, including bloggers, who covered the trial, had asked the Court to release the letters before the sentencing next Tuesday, arguing that the public is entitled to see them, Hester reports.

The letters are significant because they provide a good indication of who Libby's supporters are — and who might be paying his legal bills. Many people are interested in whether Vice President Cheney has in any way come to Libby's defense, Hester says.

The Vice President's press secretary, Lea Ann McBride, would neither confirm nor deny whether Cheney had sent a letter to the judge, CBS News Radio White House correspondent Mark Knoller reports.

"The court has received more than 150 sentencing letters in this case, some urging leniency for the defendant and some expressing opprobrium at the defendant's actions and calling for the imposition of a substantial prison sentence," Walton wrote.

The letters will be released after Libby is sentenced June 5, Walton said. Addresses and other personal information will not be released.

Libby was convicted of lying about his conversations with reporters about former CIA officer Valerie Plame, whose secret position was revealed in a 2003 newspaper column. Libby was not the source for that story, but a jury found that he made several false statements to leak investigators and obstructed the investigation.

Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has asked that Libby receive up to three years in prison. Libby is expected to ask for no jail time.

[realpatriot1]

firststate,

The reason they haven't successfully completed their coup is because of the honorable people in our military and intelligence communities who won't go along with their treason. There are plenty within those communities that will and we will learn some of their names when these letters of support for Libby are released.

Anyone who supports this scum who is protecting traitors who allowed our enemies to have nukes should not be in our government.

[realpatriot1]

briantbweb,

We don't know that someone hasn't been charged with treason and the indictment sealed by the Federal courts or the DOJ.

I cannot believe with all the lies that Rove was caught in that there isn't a sealed indictment. If it was over the Grand Jury would've been disbanded by now.

[brianbwb-2009]

I have a question, if disclosing the ID of a CIA spook while under cover is a crime rising to the level of treason, why has no one been charged with it? Hang treason charges around Mr. Libby's neck, and watch a chickenhawk sing like a canary, he won't sacrifice himself to save Cheney. Three years is nothing, he will come out still rich, maybe even richer, having been compensated by whomever he is shielding. Also, why is Mr. Novak not charged with abetting a treasonous act? It was he who caused the widest dissemination of the ID to the world...

[firststate]

toldyouso21
It's eerily plausible for the kind of administration for which the RICO statutes were intended. Unfortunately RICO was passed before the DOJ became a wholly owned subsidiary of a joint venture between the RNC and the Perverts at PNAC.

The frightening part is that even the truly patriotic Republicans couldn't stop such an attempt any way other than our option of armed defense of our nation. They've been working to put all the pieces for such a coup in place for over 6 years, now. It just remains to be seen whether they are willing to take the chance of actually overthrowing the Constitution. We must be both vigilant and willing to take any actions necessary to prevent and/or defeat an attempted coup d'etat. Our greatest advantage is that the leaders of the administration are cowards who would flee the country at the first hint personal danger.

American patriots overthrew another king george over 2 1/4 centuries ago, and our patriotism still isn't dead. Neither is the patriotism of those brave Americans in our armed forces. The Constitution trumps the chain of command and a commander-in-chief who would become a traitor-in-chief deserves only one final salute.

[toldyouso21]

Talk about your conspiracy theories and paranoia--how is this for a movie plot: 1. Power hungry president and co want to stay in power so they plot a fake terrorist attack.

2. Knowing how skeptical Americans have become and how another 9/11 moment is unlikely, they decide to use bioterrorism. But first they have to set it up

3. They start by having a fake American Al Qaeda threaten greater 9/11 like attacks on our soil, they do this so we will at least see a connection

4. After that speech, they have a person who pretends to be infected show how easy it is to breach our defenses. Before the elections of 2008, a series of germs are released in America, this is done and the connection to the TB cases and porous borders are made.

5. It turns out the US Naval Accademy grad turned lawyer is really an officer in the military working undercover and this was all a scam. No TB, NO breach but a series of events made to look like one
His globe hopping, a dumb guard and a daddy in law who is connected to super TB bugs and work for the CDC are just props.
6. The super bug hits, Bush, er I mean the President declares a national emergency, Martial law and suspends elections indefinitely.

Oh yeah, prior to all of this maybe on May 9, 2007, the Prez signs an order which gives him the right to declare martial law and pre empt every state's power in case of an emergency.

Well...what do you think? Would the story line work? Or is it too way out there?

[sparks224]

He'll probably have his own show on CNN someday.

[sparks224]

You guys should lighten up on lars008,

So he%u2019s an ignorant narrow-minded dishonest conservative weasel,

nobody%u2019s perfect.

[antoniof123]

lars008

Are you for real or do you just act the devil's advocate?

No one could be as stupid as you....

[wogerwabbit]

Lars008 has to be a operative of the GOP... no sane person could believe the poop he spews. He's not deceiving anyone except himself.

[realpatriot1]

lars008,

Before Novak wrote the article nobody was paying Joe Wilson to give speeches and he wasn't the one to divulge his wife's status..you are repeating a lie, a very obvious one.