Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who faces prison soon in the CIA leak case, asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to delay his serving of the sentence.

 

The former chief of staff to Vice President Cheney, Libby was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for lying and obstructing an investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's identity. A federal judge has denied a request to stay the sentence while Libby appeals his conviction.

 

In a motion to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Libby argued that the ruling was inappropriate. He said he has a good chance of having his conviction overturned and should not have to serve jail time while the court challenge plays out.

 

"The Bureau of Prisons will shortly designate a prison facility and direct Libby to report within a period of two to three weeks after designation," his attorneys wrote. "Accordingly, we respectfully ask that the court expedite action on this application."

 

A delay in the sentence would give President Bush more time to consider whether to pardon Libby, who also served as an assistant to the president. Libby's supporters have called for a pardon, saying Libby was not the source of any leak and got caught up in a political investigation.