From: Rich Gauszka 

The Libby pardon machinery has started

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060501275
.html

The 2-1/2 year sentence imposed on former White House aide I. Lewis
"Scooter" Libby today puts new pressure on President Bush, who
may soon confront the choice of triggering a fresh political storm by
pardoning a convicted perjurer or letting one of the early architects of
his administration head off to prison.

Libby, who served as assistant to the president and chief of staff to Vice
President Cheney until his indictment in late 2005, was ordered to serve 30
months behind bars and pay a $250,000 fine for committing perjury and
obstruction of justice in the CIA leak case. But most disturbing to the
White House may be comments by the judge indicating that he is inclined to
order Libby to begin serving the sentence right away.

f Libby were allowed to remain free pending appeals, as occurs in many
white-collar criminal cases, the White House might be able to defer the
question of a pardon until after the November 2008 elections, when it would
be less politically risky.

But U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said in court today that he doubts
Libby has a viable appeal. "I just don't see it," he said. And
therefore, Walton suggested, he would force Libby to report to prison
unless his lawyers can change his mind at a hearing next week.

The looming prospect of Libby turning in his dark business suit for a
prison jumpsuit instantly rallied his supporters to lobby the White House
for a pardon. National Review, the conservative magazine, posted an
editorial on its Web site barely an hour after the sentence headlined,
"Pardon Him." The magazine argued that Libby had been "found
guilty of process crimes" when the special prosecutor never brought
charges relating to the original leak of CIA officer Valerie Plame's name,
which spawned the case.

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