Members of Congress like judicial discretion … when their friends are sentenced

Peter Henning here spots an amazing story about the sentencing of former White House aide David Safavian, who lied to investigators aout his contacts with Jack Abramoff.  As a Salt Lake City Tribune article explains, one of Safavian’s former bosses, Representative Chris Cannon, has written a passionate letter to the sentencing judge urging a major downward variance in the sentence.  Here is one especially notable passage from the letter:

As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I have personally struggled with sentencing issues, particularly post-Booker although certainly not to the extent you have.  This episode has punctuated for me the importance of taking into account all facets of a person and the unique facts of each case, when determining what the proper and just punishment should be.

As Peter notes, the letter includes much discussion of Safavian’s prior good works and family circumstances, and thus the sentencing philosophy “urged by Representative Cannon is almost the exact opposite of the Guidelines, which largely ignore ‘all facets of a person and the unique facts of each case’.”

This FoxNews piece suggests Safavian’s sentence will be handed down this afternoon.

UPDATE: As detailed in articles here and here, Safavian was sentenced to 18 months in prison. And, during this sentencing, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman  apparently delivered “a 30-minute eulogy for good government in Washington.”