Libby Is Disbarred

Posted by Paddy , Cliff Schecter's Blog at 9:16 AM on March 20, 2008.

I'm all verklempt today over the woes of these people. Will they never get a break? Tucker's dad is going to have to step up the fundraising, or Scooter might have to give up his country club membership!!!

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was disbarred from practicing law in the nation's capital on Thursday.

The former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney was convicted last year of lying to a grand jury and federal agents probing the leak of the identity of a CIA agent, Valerie Plame Wilson.

"When a member of the Bar is convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude, disbarment is mandatory," the District of Columbia Court of Appeals wrote in its opinion, which is posted on its Web site.

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Jane Hamsher @ FiredDogLake:

Kind of seems like some old time military "cashiering ceremony" is in order with a formal parade, where they call the miscreant out and break his sword and force him to leave.

I guess we'll have to settle for future disbarring in New York. Sets a nice precedent.

(h/t dakine)

Update: Court order here (PDF), courtesy AZ Matt.

"When convictions on more than one count are involved, disbarment is mandated if any one of them involves moral turpitude," the court added.

Last July, a court sentenced Libby to a 30-month prison term. President Bush later commuted Libby's sentence, calling it "excessive."

Paddy is a regular contributor to Cliff Schecter.com.