Via Reuters [1]:
WASHINGTON – President Bush Monday spared former vice presidential aide Lewis “Scooter” Libby from going to prison for 2 1/2 years for obstructing the CIA leak investigation, a White House official said.
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.
Here’s the President’s statement [2] on the rationale behind the decision.
Earlier today, Libby had been denied by a federal appeals [3] court to remain free on appeal.
The Nutroots who were out for Rovian blood [4]in the pLamegate case (but settled for Libby’s instead [5] after it was announced that Rove wouldn’t be indicted [6]) won’t be too pleased to hear about this – nor, I’m sure, will Pat Fitzgerald [7] and that liar Joe Wilson [8]. Expect the usual foaming at the mouth and howls of outrage any second now [9].
Good.
More: Here’s CNN’s report [10] on the news. They sound a little depressed. Awww.
Update: Don Surber wonders [11]: Will there be a book deal for Libby?
And the blogosphere goes wild [12].
Cross-posted at Right Wing News [13].