Bush Commutes Libby Sentence President spares former Cheney aide jail time; conviction remains By Greg Atwan Posted Jul 2, 2007 5:41 PM CDT Copied President Bush walks to the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, after returning from a trip to Kennebunkport, Maine, Monday, July 2, 2007. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson) (Associated Press) Scooter Libby won't be going to jail: President Bush commuted the former Cheney aide's 30-month sentence for perjury and obstruction of justice tonight, but stopped short of a pardon. The move came hours after a federal appeals court denied Libby's motion for bail pending his appeal. The White House said it "respected" the federal jury's verdict against Libby, who was convicted in March of lying to a grand jury about the leak of covert agent Valerie Plame's identity. But Bush called Judge Walton's prison term "excessive," and pointed out that Libby will still have a $250 K fine and a conviction on his record. Read These Next Venezuela responds to the US seizure of an oil tanker. Hours after Michigan fired its football coach, he was in jail. Another big brand delivers an AI-driven holiday dud. One donor, 197 kids, and a terrible genetic mutation. Report an error