These are portions of some letters from the New York Times in response to an article about the Scooter libby verdict. --gk
To the Editor:
The conviction of I. Lewis Libby Jr. on perjury and obstruction of justice charges presents a serious dilemma for President Bush. How does the president now pardon a convicted felon who once worked for the very White House that the president repeatedly promised to restore honor and integrity to?
Jack Nargundkar, Germantown, Md., March 7, 2007
I. Lewis Libby Jr. has been called the fall guy for the Bush administration. His guilty verdict and eventual appeal will probably do little to assuage that argument.
But it is worth pointing out that Mr. Libby simply lied when he should have told the truth. Perhaps he was lying to cover for someone else, but only he will know the truth about that.
But on the same day that Mr. Libby’s guilty verdict was splashed across the headlines, it was reported that nine more soldiers had been killed in bombings in Iraq. Like it or not, our soldiers and marines are the true fall guys of this administration, not Mr. Libby.
Dan Shea, Seattle, March 7, 2007
The writer’s brother, Lt. Col. Kevin M. Shea, was killed in Falluja on Sept. 14, 2004.
The Libby verdict reminds us that after much painstaking effort, one may be convicted of lying to the F.B.I., but not yet of lying to the American people.
Howard Popper, Phoenix, March 7, 2007
If they jailed everyone who lied to the American people, who'd be left running the country. I guess we'd get to give anarchy a try. No government at all. --gk
