William Otis makes a specious and dangerous argument in an opinion piece in today's Washington Post when he says that the Decider(TM) should decide to decide to commute the prison portion of "Scooter" Libby's sentence and leave the fine as the sole punishment. He repeats the lie, heard so often in cases of "white collar" crime that Libby "is by no stretch a danger to the community". That is absolutely false. A high public official, such as Libby once was and never will be again, has an obligation to the American community to pursue his duties with utmost respect for the law and must be reminded that he is to be held to a higher standard, rather than a lower one, than that applied to the ordinary citizen.
When a person in Libby's position abuses that position to obstruct a legitimate and critical investigation into a serious crime he endangers the American way of life and the American system of justice. In many ways one can argue that this is a crime that deserves greater punishment than a crime of property such as theft, a crime of violence such as assault or a victimless crime such as drug abuse.
Mr. Otis is arguing the opposite and he is just plain wrong!
When a person in Libby's position abuses that position to obstruct a legitimate and critical investigation into a serious crime he endangers the American way of life and the American system of justice. In many ways one can argue that this is a crime that deserves greater punishment than a crime of property such as theft, a crime of violence such as assault or a victimless crime such as drug abuse.
Mr. Otis is arguing the opposite and he is just plain wrong!
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