Commentary on the Libby Case

Michael Berry has written an interesting piece over at the First Amendment Center online. Here are some excerpts:

When I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby dropped his appeal last month, the legal case against the former vice presidential aide officially closed. The legacy of Libby’s prosecution in the Valerie Plame leak case, however, remains open ...

... Just look at Libby’s case. A special prosecutor was appointed to investigate a supposed breach of “national security” and then used his subpoena power to pursue reporters’ sources. Yet the nation’s security was never at risk, and no national security crime was ever committed.

... Conservatives have often noted that Libby should never have been the subject of a criminal investigation, for no underlying crime was ever committed. As Libby’s legal battle draws to a close, it also remains clear that the Plame leak never should have sparked subpoenas to the press. That is one of the certain legacies of Libby’s case, and it should live on in a federal shield law with conservative support.

The complete article can be found here.