Libby pays $250,000 fine

WASHINGTON - Convicted former top White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has paid his fine of $250,400.

The U.S. District Court posted the canceled check on the docket this afternoon.

(Click here to view larger photo of check and receipt.)

A source close to Libby tells NBC the "Scooter Libby Defense Trust," which has raised more than $5 million dollars in donations, is still paying out legal fees. The source emphasized that the fine imposed by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton was paid entirely from Libby's personal funds.

In commuting Libby's sentence, President Bush said that the former vice presidential aide had suffered enough and that the 30-month prison term ordered up by a federal judge was "excessive."

The president said he respects the jury verdict convicting Libby of four felony charges of perjury and obstruction of the CIA leak investigation.

And the White House still wanted Libby to pay a fine of $250,000 and a $400 special assessment. But now there is a question on whether he will have to serve two years of supervised probation imposed by the trial judge.

Make predictions on news events President Bush will pardon Libby

The federal judge who presided over the Libby trial said that with the commutation of the prison sentence, the probation period may be called into question.

Judge Walton, who was appointed by President Bush, said Tuesday that federal law "does not appear to contemplate a situation in which a defendant may be placed under supervised release without first completing a term of incarceration."

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