미국의 딕 체니 부통령은 6일 루이스 "스쿠터" 리비 전(前) 부통령 비서실장이 이라크전에 대한 명분을 부풀리고 언론공작을 했다는 혐의와 관련해 유죄 판결을 받은 데 대해 크게 실망했다고 말했습니다.
체니 부통령은 성명을 발표하고 자신은 이번 일이 리비와 그의 가족에게 일어난데 대해 안타깝게 생각한다고 말했습니다. 하지만 체니 부통령은 리비의 변호팀이 새로운 재판을 시도할 것이라고 말했습니다. 백악관은 또 부시 대통령도 리비와 가족에 대해 안타깝게 생각한다고 전하고 하지만 배심원의 판결을 존중한다고 말했습니다.
리비는 6일 위증과 허위진술 등 5개 혐의 가운데 4개 혐의에 유죄를 인정받았습니다. 리비는 부시 행정부의 이라크 전쟁을 강력하게 비판한 조 윌슨 전 이라크 대리대사를 보복하기 위해 윌슨 전 대사의 부인이자 미 중앙정보국, CIA 비밀 요원인 발레리 플레임의 신분을 누설한 사건인 이른바 '리크 게이트'로 기소돼 재판을 받아왔습니다.
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U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney says he is very disappointed by Tuesday's guilty verdict against his former chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, in a case tied to the U.S. justification to go to war in Iraq.
The vice president issued a statement, saying he is saddened for Libby and his family. But Cheney said that because Libby's legal team intends to seek a new trial, he will have no further comment until the proceedings are concluded. The White House also said President Bush was saddened for Libby and his family and respects the jury's verdict.
Libby was found guilty Tuesday on four of five counts of lying, perjury and obstruction of justice in connection with the investigation into who leaked the identity of former covert CIA officer Valerie Plame. Her identity was made public in a 2003 newspaper column.
In reacting to the verdict, Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, told CNN's Larry King Live program it is not a happy day when a senior White House official is convicted of perjury. But Wilson said no individual is above the law.
Chief Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said it is sad that a high-level official who worked for the vice president lied and obstructed justice.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid welcomed the Libby verdict, saying it was about time someone in the Bush administration was held accountable for manipulating pre-war intelligence on Iraq and discrediting war critics.