Cheney quickly replaces Libby

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vice President Dick Cheney, moving swiftly to replace an indicted aide, yesterday named attorney David Addington as his chief of staff and John Hannah as his national security adviser.

Both positions had been filled by I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Jr., who resigned Friday when he was indicted on perjury and other charges in a 22-month investigation of the unmasking of an undercover CIA officer.

Mr. Addington has been Mr. Cheney’s counsel and Mr. Hannah has been his deputy national security adviser.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cheney’s former chief of staff this week faces the first court appearance in his CIA leak case.

Mr. Libby’s arraignment will be held Thursday morning before U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, who was appointed to the court in 1991 by the first President Bush.

Judge Walton also could set a schedule for the filing of motions, and possibly a trial date.

A grand jury charged Mr. Libby on Friday with five felonies involving obstruction of justice, perjury to a grand jury and making false statements to FBI agents. If convicted of all of them, he could face a maximum of 30 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines.

Mr. Libby was not charged with the crime that the grand jury was created to investigate — specifically, who leaked the name of CIA employee Valerie Plame to reporters in 2003.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to answer inquiries about whether presidential adviser Karl Rove, who was not indicted, should remain in his job or other questions about the case. He said he would not comment during the ongoing legal proceedings.

“The reason I can’t comment further is because if we were to get into that, we could be prejudicing the opportunity for there to be a fair and impartial hearing,” Mr. McClellan said. “And we don’t want to do that from this podium, no matter how much I may want to talk about this issue, and I think you know I would like to talk further about it.”