Just hours after a panel of judges rejected Lewis 'Scooter' Libby's plea to remain free while appealing his conviction on perjury and obstruction of justice in the CIA leak case, President Bush saved Libby from serving any jail time by commuting his sentence.

The move, which falls short of a full pardon, but was widely expected in the case of the former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, immediately drew praise from conservatives and condemnation from Democrats, who painted it as another example of what they termed the White House's disregard for the rule of law, according to The New York Times.

"I respect the jury's verdict. But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive. Therefore, I am commuting the portion of Mr. Libby's sentence that required him to spend 30 months in prison," Bush wrote in a statement (see " 'Scooter' Libby Sentenced To 30 Months In CIA Leak Case"). "My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely."

Though he will not have to report to prison in a few weeks, Libby's conviction will remain and he will still have to pay a $250,000 fine and be on probation for two years, as the commutation falls short of a full pardon, which would have wiped out all of Libby's penalties. Libby, 56, can still appeal the fine and probation.

The Times reported that Bush's surprise action — many had not expected him to pardon or commute Libby's sentence until closer to the end of his term next year — came as a shock to all but a few members of his inner circle. It was the first time in his seven years in office that Bush has used his constitutional power to grant clemency in a prominent political case.

Late-term pardons from predecessors including his own father and Bill Clinton have often stirred controversy, and Bush's action drew immediate fire from the special prosecutor in charge of the Libby case, Patrick Fitzgerald, who called the president's action "excessive." Libby had been accused of lying to investigators looking into who leaked the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame (see " 'Scooter' Libby Pleads Not Guilty in CIA Leak Case").

"In this case an experienced federal judge considered extensive argument from the parties and then imposed a sentence consistent with the applicable laws," Fitzgerald said in a statement, according to the Times. "It is fundamental to the rule of law that all citizens stand before the bar of justice as equals."

While one of Libby's supporters, former Defense Department official and longtime friend Kenneth Adelman said "this is not a man who deserves to go to jail in any sense of the word," the response from Congressional Democrats was harsher.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid called the commutation "disgraceful" and said it was yet another example of a White House that disregards the rule of law. "Libby's conviction was the one faint glimmer of accountability for White House efforts to manipulate intelligence and silence critics of the Iraq War," Reid said, according to the Times. "Now, even that small bit of justice has been undone."