Libby Liberated. Paris Punished.

Paris Hilton and Scooter Libby have one (and probably only one) thing in common -- "excessive" sentencing -- but it's Paris, not Scooter, who actually did the time. Nice to have some friendly Bush on your side!
Scooter Libby and Paris Hilton

President Bush commuted the 2-1/2 year sentence of longtime White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby yesterday, calling Libby's punishment "excessive" -- just as Paris said of her own summertime slammer-time. Libby was busted for leaking a CIA agent's identity, putting her life in jeopardy. Aside from more than a few fashion disasters, Hilton was convicted of what some considered a glorified traffic violation. And who gets the free pass?

Most Americans aren't sympathetic to Paris and Scooter. When TMZ asked whether Paris got what she deserved, an overwhelming 93 percent of the more than 121,000 people who answered the poll responded that yes, Ms. Hilton deserved to do time for the crime. Similarly, most Americans think Libby should've done his too: A SurveyUSA poll revealed that 60 percent of Americans believe that Scooter Libby's 2-1/2 year sentence should stick. It didn't.

Filed under: Paris Hilton

Reader Comments

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1. They both have money and any one else would have done more time.

Posted at 4:04PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by debbie

2. In case some people have forgotten, do you remember how many persons Clinton pardoned? Plenty & among them were 10 Cuban terrorists & what about Mark Rich, whose ex-wife was plenty friendly with Clinton & even contributed money to his campaign. How soon we forget.
TMZ, he's not the leaker. He was found guilty of lying & I could if he went to jail for 6 mos. or so but that's it. He will eventually be pardoned because that's politics. All presidents do it.

Posted at 4:15PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Reine

3. The man could have gotten a women killed. President Bush should be ashamed of himself. The only thing is God will make him pay for lies, and cheating. With enough money and friends in high places, you can do anything. George W. Bush, you are not a good person. Lies, cheats, and you complain that Bill had sex in the oval office. You have screwed the public more than once, shame on you.

Posted at 4:17PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Bush Mafia

4. Really shocked that there isn't a cry of outrage from all the moral
hypocrites on this site. I guess as long as they throw Paris in for
violating probation, all's right with the world. In this case, the
president shows all disregard for our legal system and it just flies
by.

And yes, all presidents have used the pardon, but I don't believe there's another instance of using it to cover up their own shady misdoings.

Posted at 4:19PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Jeff

5. What in the world is happening to this country? Overboard on some and no justice for others.

Posted at 4:19PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Time WILL Tell

6. The Valerie Plame fiasco was a bunch of crap. Scooter Libby was the fall guy and the Dems got him for the only thing they could possibly have made stick - obstruction of justice. His sentence WAS excessive and only the jail time has been commuted. Valerie Plame's life was never in any more danger than the pedestrians Paris could've run over while driving drunk but didn't. Give me a break.

Posted at 4:22PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Kate

7. Yeah, no justice for some! What about the border patrol agents who were doing their jobs. They are still in Federal prison. This guy is Cheney's butt boy.

Posted at 4:22PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by debbie

8. The sad thing about this is Libby's probation for a felony is least time than Paris'.


Posted at 4:23PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by TMZ-me

9. This is what happens when people vote based on religion and not the best candidate for the job. Oh he is such a Christian. Oh, he no longer drinks. Oh, he speaks to God before every deliberation. Blah, blah, blah. Oh he'd fire anyone in his administration found guilty of leaking a name. Blah, blah, blah. He should change his name of George W. Blah.
This administration is a mafia who intimidates, punishes and limits our freedoms. Now that his ratings are abismal, even YAHOO and MSN have turned off their features which allowed readers to voice their opinions. I hope the american people have learned how to vote.

Posted at 4:27PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Mark

10. Scooter Libby was convicted of obstruction of justice. He lied to federal agents investigating who leaked Valerie Plame's name to the press. He was not "busted for leaking a CIA agent's identity" as you incorrectly stated in your article.

TMZ, why don't you stick to making up stuff about famous and semi-famous people. As soon as you try to do a "real" story, you fail miserably. Isn't there some innocent child caught in the middle of a custody battle or divorce out there that you can exploit and embarrass by putting the details of the case out there for all to see (including that child's classmates, teachers and friends). Maybe you guys are too busy censoring the very posts you solicit from the visitors to TMZ. Sure you will count the visitor when you are selling ad space but you will delete the comment if it doesn't fit your agenda. I've already had one post deleted today. No foul language, just a strong opinion. I suspect this post won't be up long either but posters beware...TMZ has officially sold out.

Posted at 4:28PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by simonesdad2007

11. Bush and his cronies wanted to keep Libby's mouth shut so they kept him happy. I think they planned to let him go from the start. Gosh, someone should have told the prosecuter, judge, and jury! Would have saved us all a lot of tax money! All Presidents get by with some dirty dealing in their administration but this was really blantant. We The People? Yeah right!

I think it is the nail in the election coffin for the Republicans , no matter what they will say or do, Dubbya ruined it. And in a nother four or eight years we'll get sick of whatever Democrat gets voted in, that's the way ot goes. . . .

Posted at 4:30PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by We The People? Not With King George Dubbya

12. Amazing how George W. Blah-blah-blah still has blind supporters. At least TMZ still has the feature for users to leave their opinions. Now that W's ratings suck more than Lewinsky, YAHOO AND MSN turned user opinon features off. Go figure who their parent company is linked to....
This administration follows The Soprano's handbook page by page.
I hope the American people have learned how to vote.

Posted at 4:33PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Mark

13. Martha went to jail for the same thing and she did her time, why shouldn't Libby? Bush is a complete moron and I am a registered Republican!

Posted at 4:34PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Doh!!!

14. Cant wait for the Administration and all his idiots to leave office.

Posted at 4:34PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by lucky

15. Come on Harvey, as a lawyer you should know that Paris could not have been pardoned or had her sentence commuted by Bush because she was charged by the state, not the federal government, whereas Libby was charged by the feds. Don't you remember this from your bar review class? It would have been up to the governor (Arnold) to grant her a pardon or commute her sentence. LOVE YOU THOUGH TMZ.

Posted at 4:34PM on Jul 3rd 2007 by Marcy

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