Justice

Years ago, when he used to be funny, Woody Allen said, "No matter how cynical you are, you can't keep up." The Shrub proves Mr. Allen right. Again. Bush spares convicted aide from jail President George W. Bush on Monday spared a former aide of Dick Cheney, Lewis 'Scooter' Libby, from going to prison, according to a White House official. Libby had been sentenced to 2 1/2 years for obstructing the CIA leak investigation - a sentence which Bush has now commuted. The official said Bush 'has commuted the prison sentence ... leaving intact the probation and fines handed down by the court.' 'That means he is not going to jail,' the official said. Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, was sentenced to prison for lying and obstructing an investigation into who blew the cover of a CIA agent whose husband criticized the Iraq war. Bush's move came hours after a federal appeals panel ruled Libby could not delay his prison term in the CIA leak case. That meant Libby was likely to have to report to prison soon. This put new pressure on the president, who had been sidestepping calls by Libby's allies to pardon the former vice presidential aide. 'I respect the jury's verdict,' Bush said in a statement. 'But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend thirty months in prison.' Libby was convicted in March of lying to authorities and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative's identity. JUSTICE, n.: A commodity which is a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service. --Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary