While former FBI Director James Comey, whom Donald Trump previously attacked as a leaker and a liar, continues to drop various hints about his former employer while promoting his new book, the president remains busy. Busy on Twitter, mostly, but also busy advancing his own perilous political agenda with things like ordering a review of the U.S. Postal Service in light of his recent attacks on Amazon. That, and officially pardoning I. “Scooter” Lewis Libby, the ex-chief of staff for former Vice President Dick Cheney who was convicted of perjury (among other things) in 2007.
As CNN reports, the White House made Trump’s pardon of Libby official midday on Friday, less than 24 hours rumors began to swirl that the president was considering such a move. “I don’t know Mr. Libby, but for years I have heard that he has been treated unfairly,” the president said in a statement. Hopefully, this full pardon will help rectify a very sad portion of his life.” Libby was indicted on five counts in 2005 and convicted on four (one count of obstruction of justice, two counts of perjury, and one count of making false statements) following a special counsel’s investigation.
President George W. Bush commuted Libby’s prison sentence, leaving him to pay a $250,000 fine and perform 400 hours of community service. However, President Bush did not pardon him, thereby leaving the convictions on his record. As the White House’s official statement notes, “One of the key witnesses against Mr. Libby recanted her testimony” in 2015, which in turn convinced the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to reinstate him into the bar so that he could practice law again.
(Via CNN and White House)