Fitzmas Update 5/25/07

Jane at firedoglake quotes from Fitz's official comments on Scooter's sentencing: III. Response to Certain Arguments in Mitigation In this case, as is his right, Mr. Libby maintains that despite his conviction, he is totally innocent. He has expressed no remorse, no acceptance of responsibility, and no recognition that there is anything he should have done differently – either with respect to his false statements and testimony, or his role in providing reporters with classified information about Ms. Wilson’s affiliation with the CIA. Instead, on Mr. Libby’s behalf his supporters have submitted to the probation office and the Court a variety of arguments challenging the propriety of his prosecution. These arguments for leniency paint Mr. Libby as the victim of an improper, unnecessary, and politically motivated investigation, an unfair indictment, and a wrongful conviction. These arguments mirror comments made by the defense’s public relations team and posted on the defense website, www.scooterlibby.com, before, during and after the trial. The submission of these arguments on Mr. Libby’s behalf is well known to Mr. Libby and his attorneys, and while they have not to date explicitly embraced these arguments, neither have they disavowed them. The government submits that these arguments are completely at odds with the kind of contrition that normally is a pre-condition to leniency. She follows with a quote from Team Libby, which doesn't want to release letters written in support of the unrepentant Scooter: Given the extraordinary media scrutiny here, if any case presents the real possibililty that these letters, once released, would be published on the internet and their authors discussed, even mocked, by bloggers, it is this case. Jane immediately mocks some deserving suspects.