Declaration of Independence

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, walks to the U.S. District Court in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, accompanied by his attorney Theodore V. Wells Jr., at rear. Libby, who is charged with lying to the FBI and a grand jury about his conversations with reporters in the CIA leak investigation, was at the courthouse to research documents related to his case. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

In celebration of the 4th of July, President Bush declared independence from the rule of law. He commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby as “excessive,” despite the fact it was consistent with most others who have been sentenced for perjury in front of a grand jury. Today we can take heart in our nation’s birthday and the inalienable rights of the President’s loyal staff. As the Declaration now reads:

“When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for the President to dissolve the political bands which have connected the People with another and to assume the powers of the earth…”