Cheney aide resigns after indictment

LEWIS “Scooter” Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff resigned last night after becoming the first senior White House aide charged over the leaking of a CIA agent’s identity.

Karl Rove, the man dubbed “Bush’s brain” because of his closeness to the president escaped charges for now, but remains under investigation in a case which has added to the problems faced by a White House which is under mounting pressure over the death toll in Iraq and the withdrawal of a supreme court nominee.

Libby, 55, was charged with two counts of perjury, two counts of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice.