Get Out the Smelling Salts

One of the Village's finest has been wronged:

Former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, dropped his appeal in a perjury case that fueled debate over the Iraq war, his attorney said on Monday.

Libby was found guilty in March of lying and obstructing an investigation into who blew the cover of a CIA officer, Valerie Plame, whose husband had criticized the Iraq war.

President George W. Bush commuted his 2 1/2-year prison sentence in July, but the former chief of staff to Cheney still had to pay a $250,000 fine.

"We remain firmly convinced of Mr. Libby's innocence," attorney Ted Wells said in a statement. "However, the realities were, that after five years of government service by Mr. Libby and several years of defending against this case, the burden on Mr. Libby and his young family of continuing to pursue his complete vindication are too great to ask them to bear."

Bush has not ruled out a full pardon for Libby.

Oh, my poor Scooter!!! Oh the agony!!!! Never mind that he's fund raising to pay that fine.

Like that last line? Bush totally will, that arrogant fuck.