Senator Harry Reid: Bush's Commutation of Libby's Prison Sentence Endorses Administration's Culture of Corruption

July 2, 2007 -- Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the following statement today after President Bush commuted the prison sentence of former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby for obstruction of justice:

“The President's decision to commute Mr. Libby’s sentence is disgraceful.

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Libby’s conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq War.

Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone.

Judge Walton correctly determined that Libby deserved to be imprisoned for lying about a matter of national security.

The Constitution gives President Bush the power to commute sentences, but history will judge him harshly for using that power to benefit his own Vice President’s Chief of Staff who was convicted of such a serious violation of law.”

Source: Senator Harry Reid