LaRouche on Libby's Plea of Good Deeds: Give Him More Time for "Other Bad Acts"

June 1, 2007 (LPAC)--Stung by the force of special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald's arguments as to why Lewis Libby deserves a 30-to 37-month sentence, Libby's lawyers have come back with a lot of confetti about what a dedicated civil servant, great patriot, and devoted father, is Scooter Libby.

Libby's sentencing memo, filed yesterday afternoon, cites 160 letters from friends and former colleagues, praising Libby for his contributions: overthrowing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos; "liberating" Panama; winning the first Gulf War; building alliances in Eastern Europe after the collapse of the Soviet Union; and protecting the United States from weapons of mass destruction. (The fact that Cheney's and Libby's exposure of Plame--whose assignment was to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction--blew her overseas network and jeopardized lives, is of course ignored by Libby's defenders.)

LaRouche, hearing of these "accomplishments," said there should be a supplemental sentencing, to add on some more years for these "other bad acts" (i.e., other misdeeds which were not allowed to be introduced at trial but are allowed to be considered in the sentencing).

The judge has ordered that the letters will be made public after Libby's sentencing on June 5.

Beyond the personal hagiology, Libby's lawyers resort to the now-discredited arguments that Plame was not a covert agent, or, if she was, that Libby didn't know it, and, secondly, that he wasn't charged with exposing her status and therefore his sentence should not be based on that exposure. But, is that to follow such reasoning, would be to reward someone who successfully obstructs an investigation. "Requiring proof of the commission of the offense under investigation," Fitzgerald contends, "would have the perverse effect of rewarding successful efforts to hide the truth from investigators" -- and this is precisely the "reward" which Libby is asking the court to bestown upon him.