Colorado Democrats seized on President Bush’s decision to commute former White House aide I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s prison sentence Monday, scorning the president for skirting the justice system.
“I don’t think that justice is very well served when the president just commutes the sentence of his friends,” Colorado Democratic Party chair Pat Waak said. “I think this is a pattern of malfeasance on the part of this White House, and I think the whole pattern will have an effect” in the 2008 elections.
Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, had been sentenced to 21/2 years in prison for lying and obstructing justice during an investigation into the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.
Just hours after a federal appeals panel ruled that Libby could not delay his prison term, Bush stepped in and commuted Libby’s sentence.
Republican state party chairman Dick Wadhams played down any ramifications Bush’s decision would have in Colorado politics.
“Whatever impact the Libby case had on the political process was already there,” he said.
He noted Libby was not pardoned and still has to pay a $250,000 fine.
“He is still paying a much heavier price than what former President Clinton did when he lied under oath,” Wadhams said.
But Democrats in the state’s congressional delegation were not so forgiving.
Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar said, “Mr. Libby was convicted by a jury of his peers, and he should face the consequences of his actions.”
And Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Golden said he was “disappointed.”
“At end of the day, our whole system of justice is based on honesty, so when the president commutes his sentence, it’s a bad message to the country,” he said. “I’m sure the oversight committees will redouble their efforts to keep an eye on this administration.”
Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, said through a spokeswoman that Bush’s action “doesn’t square with his promise to the American people to hold accountable anyone involved in the Valerie Plame leak case.”
Rep. John Salazar said he was “appalled,” noting that “no one is above the law.”
And Rep. Diana DeGette said she was “outraged.”
“President Bush has shown his blatant disregard for the rule of law that our country’s entire judicial system was founded on,” the Denver Democrat said in a release. “Mr. Libby was found guilty by a jury of his peers, and unfortunately, the President has chosen to ignore that decision.”
Republican Reps. Marilyn Musgrave, Doug Lamborn, Tom Tancredo, GOP Sen. Wayne Allard and former Rep. Bob Schaffer, who is running for Allard’s seat, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Tancredo, a candidate for president in 2008, has said he would pardon Libby if elected.
Staff writers Mark P. Couch and Jennifer Brown contributed to this report.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
