Dick Cheney slams George W. Bush for failing to pardon Scooter Libby

Former vice-president Dick Cheney has slammed his former boss George W. Bush for failing to pardon his former chief of staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was convicted of lying about the outing of a CIA officer.

By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 10:06PM GMT 23 Jan 2009



Mr Cheney disagreed publicly with Mr Bush just four times in the eight years they served together Photo: BLOOMBERG
Mr Cheney told the "Weekly Standard" magazine that Mr Libby, whose sentence of 30 months for perjury and obstruction of justice had already been commuted by Mr Bush, was a victim rather than a villain.

"Scooter Libby is one of the most capable and honorable men I've ever known," Mr Cheney said. "He's been an outstanding public servant throughout his career. He was the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice, and I strongly believe that he deserved a presidential pardon. Obviously, I disagree with President Bush's decision."

Mr Cheney disagreed publicly with Mr Bush just four times in the eight years they served together in the White House - on a gay marriage ban, on dismissing Donald Rumsfeld as Pentagon chief, on Washington's gun ban and on the rapprochement with North Korea.

Mr Bush's decision not to pardon Libby has angered many of his staunchest supporters defenders, who have used word like "disgusting" and dishonourable" about the Texan. On suggested it was like leaving a soldier on the battlefield.

Mr Libby's backers argue that his prosecution in the case investigating who in the Bush administration leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, a covert CIA operative, because her husband Joe Wilson has publicly criticised a justification for the Iraq war was flawed and inconsistent.

Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State and an Iraq war sceptic, was known from the outset by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald to have been the leaker but he was not charged with a crime.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... Libby.html