Libby’s unreliable track record

February 22, 2006

Scooter Libby’s friends have gotten together to create ScooterLibby.com in order to help the former White House aide pay for a legal defense now that he’s under indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice.

There are plenty of opportunities for mockery here — indeed, some make it pretty easy. Right there on the top of the home page there’s a quote from Dick Cheney praising Libby as “one of the most capable and talented individuals I have ever known,” which seems like odd praise given the circumstances.

But my favorite angle is this one.

The Libby Legal Defend Fund opened a Web site yesterday and reported its advisory committee has raised $2 million since it began in November. The names of donors are not being disclosed. (emphasis added)

If Scooter Libby could be trusted not to disclose confidential names, he wouldn’t be in this mess now. An undercover CIA agent? That name can be shared with reporters. Donors to his legal defense fund? Sorry, that’s confidential.

The irony is rich.

Speaking of disclosure, I’d lke him to disclose how he got the name “Scooter”.

  • I got the list of donors right here:

    — Richard Mellon Scaife & friends

    — House of Saud

    — a sundry of nefarious, right-wing, taxophobic, anal-retentive nut-jobs

  • Perhaps, this situation calls for a government reform legislative initiative. Specifically, a law that would require current or former government employees accused of committing crimes while in office to disclose all contributors to their legal defense fund (including pro bono work by lawyers). The public should know which “fat cats” are trying to save Scooter’s (and Dick Cheney’s) ass(es).

  • Oh…and Ed Stephan,

    “Scooter” is an old family name…the Scooters were at Andover along with the Chips, Bunnies, and Buffies…

    But seriously, Ed, quoting from Wikipedia:

    “For unexplained reasons, Libby has offered differing accounts of how he acquired his nickname. On some occasions Libby has claimed that his nickname, “Scooter”, was due to a childhood comparison to “the Scooter” Phil Rizzuto and on other occasions he has claimed that it was given to him by his father who, upon seeing him move quickly across his crib, apparently described him as “a scooter” …”

    Also from Wikipedia:

    “During the 2001 – 2002 timeframe, Libby was nicknamed “Germ-Boy” at the White House, for insisting on universal smallpox inoculation…”

  • With an eventual pardon in the wings, the name “scooter” will take on a new slant…” to scoot out of jail”

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