# Explanation of the Scooter Libby conviction

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-of-the-scooter-libby-conviction/397603>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [March 26, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-of-the-scooter-libby-conviction/397603 "2007-03-26T20:33:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-of-the-scooter-libby-conviction/397603/1 "2007-03-26T20:33:35Z")

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I tend to remain pretty ignorant about most matters political, as I find it frustrating that it is soo hard - if not impossible - to get straight information instead of “spin.” But I was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me out here.

I was just reading [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=413771) about folks crying treason over the outing of Valerie Plame, and I realized how little I knew about the recent investigation of the Valerie Plame matter and the conviction of Scooter Libby. Would anyone be willing to briefly explain why - if the outing of VP was “a bad thing”, the end result of the investigation was for SL to be convicted of (as I understand it) lying during the course of the investigation? Did any identified individual commit a crime in ordering the relase of VP’s identity, releasing her identity, or reporting her identity?

I understand some individuals were given immunity. With what purpose? To convict one guy of lying under oath? Were any conclusions/charges made concerning the activity itself, rather than peoples’ actions during the course of the investigation?

I post this in GP, because I anticipate some folks might want to argue that the investigation’s success/failure were politically motivated.

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**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-of-the-scooter-libby-conviction/397603/2 "2007-03-26T20:40:48Z")

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What an idiot. I shoulda run that search BEFORE posting this lame OP. You guys already posted plenty of stuff out there for me to read while I was off playing around in IMHO and MPSIMS. Sorry for posting an unnecessary and redundant thread.

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-of-the-scooter-libby-conviction/397603/3 "2007-03-27T03:14:40Z")

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No problem. My finger needed the exercise.  
Closed.