The sentencing of Bush administration official Scott Bloch was delayed today after federal prosecutors filed a last minute motion to try to save a plea deal they had worked out with the former head of the Office of Special Counsel that would prevent him from heading to prison.
Federal whistleblower David Pardo, who was in the courtroom, told TPM in an e-mail that both prosecutors and the defense agreed to submit pleadings in support of the government’s motion for reconsideration in the upcoming weeks and the parties agreed to reschedule Bloch’s sentencing for Thursday, March 10 at 2:30 p.m.
The judge said last week that Bloch, who pled guilty to misdemeanor contempt of Congress for ringing up Geeks on Call to wipe his government hard drive clean as his alleged retaliation against employees was being probed, must spend at least one month in jail.
Prosecutors argued in their motion to reconsider that they found other cases which lead them to believe that “that unless Congress has expressly precluded probation… then a sentence of probation is allowed.”
Disqus Conversations
Click here to read the Disqus Commenting FAQ.