Bush commutes sentence of vice president's former aide

Washington, July 3 (UNI) In a controversial move, President George W Bush commuted the 30-month sentence of Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide and former chief of staff Lewis ''Scooter'' Libby's conviction for perjury in the CIA leak case.

Libby was convicted in March and was due to begin serving his time within weeks. The president's action, announced yesterday, will help Libby from going to jail.

In a statement, Bush said he took action because ''prison sentence given to Mr Libby is excessive''.

While the President has curtailed Libby's time behind bars, other aspects of his sentence remains in effect. The former chief of staff still has to pay a 250-thousand dollar fine, and he will remain on probation for two years.

Libby was convicted of lying to a grand jury investigating the disclosure of the identity of an undercover operative for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Earlier yesterday, an appeals court refused a request from Mr Libby to delay his prison sentence while he appealed his conviction.

Opposition Democratic Senator Charles Schumer criticised the President's action, by saying ''it tramples on the principle of equal justice under the law.'' Libby is the only person charged in connection with the leak of the CIA agent's identity. He is the highest-ranking White House official convicted for felony since the Iran-Contra scandals of the 1980's.

UNI