| Libby trial delayed right after 2006 elections { February 4 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602040127feb04,1,4874882.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hedhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602040127feb04,1,4874882.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
Libby's trial to start in 2007 Democrats say date is a boon for GOP
By Toni Locy Associated Press Published February 4, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The perjury trial of Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff won't begin until January 2007, after the midterm congressional elections, timing Democrats consider favorable to Republicans.
U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton on Friday set Jan. 8 for jury selection in the trial of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former top White House aide charged with lying to investigators and a grand jury in the CIA leak inquiry.
Walton, appointed to the court by President Bush, said he had wanted to start the trial in September but agreed to push the date back when one of Libby's lawyers had a scheduling conflict.
Democrats had hoped Libby's trial would be held before the November elections to help bolster their attacks on Republican congressional candidates over the CIA leak investigation, the bribery scandal involving former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Bush's domestic spying program.
"The Republicans dodged a bullet," said Democratic strategist Dane Strother. "It's a whole menu of corruption ... and it's a shame we have to wait to have Scooter Libby for dessert."
Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said putting Libby on trial during the fall campaigns could have hurt Republican candidates.
"There's something stronger about testimony under oath in public" compared with information that trickles out in the run-up to a trial, Franklin said.
Libby, 55, was indicted late last year on charges that he lied about how he learned CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity and when he subsequently told reporters.
Plame's identity was published in July 2003 by columnist Robert Novak after her husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, accused the administration of twisting intelligence about Iraq's efforts to buy uranium "yellowcake" in Niger. The year before, the CIA had sent Wilson to Niger to determine the accuracy of the uranium reports.
Ted Wells, one of Libby's lawyers, said the defense team was "very happy" with the January 2007 trial date.
Special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald did not oppose the date during the hearing, and his team left the courthouse without commenting.
Lawyers for both sides made clear Friday that a significant part of their cases will rely on testimony from reporters.
Libby's friends and supporters have raised $2 million to help him pay his legal bills.
The Scooter Libby Legal Defense Trust hopes to raise $5 million to $6 million, or more, said Barbara Comstock, a Republican strategist who is helping the fund's steering committee.
Comstock said contributions have been made by hundreds of people across the country in amounts up to $11,000 or $12,000, the threshold to avoid tax liability for the donors.
A Web site also will be used to solicit contributions. Comstock said it will be up in the next few weeks.
The New York Times first reported Friday that the fund had reached $2 million in contributions.
Comstock said the fund does not have to reveal the identities of its donors under law. But she described the donors as Libby's "friends or friends of friends, colleagues at various jobs he's had over the years and just people who admire his service" to government.
The fund's steering committee includes a few Democrats and several Republicans, including two former GOP presidential candidates, Jack Kemp and Steve Forbes, and three former Republican senators, Fred Thompson of Tennessee, Spencer Abraham of Michigan and Alan Simpson of Wyoming.
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
|
|