President Donald Trump is reportedly prepared to pardon former Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, Lewis “Scooter” Libby, ABC News reported.
Libby will be the second person granted a pardon by Trump.
What’s the story?
In 2007, a jury convicted Libby for obstruction and lying to FBI agents during an investigation into the leaking of the identity of former CIA agent Valerie Plame.
Libby had also publicly denied being the source of information, but several people testified that they received Plame’s information from him.
The leak occurred in 2003 after Plame’s husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, began criticizing the George W. Bush administration.
“My name and identity were carelessly and recklessly abused by senior government officials in both the White House and the State Department,” Plame told Congress in 2007, NBC News reported at the time.
Syndicated columnist Robert Novak revealed Plame’s identity in a column, which she said destroyed her career.
“I felt like I had been hit in the gut, it was over in an instant, I immediately thought of my family’s safety,” Plame said.
Cheney called on then-President George W. Bush to pardon Libby.
Bush refused to grant Libby’s pardon, but he did commute his 30-month prison sentence, stating at the time that it was “excessive.”
Libby’s conviction, a $250,000 fine, and probation terms remained in place.
Since his conviction, the 67-year-old has regained his voting rights, and his law license has been restored, according to USA Today.
Many conservatives, including Joe diGenova, a close adviser to Trump, have urged the president to pardon Libby.
What else?
Last year, Trump pardoned former Arizona Sheriff Joseph M. Arpaio after he was convicted for criminal contempt of court for refusing to comply with orders to stop arresting illegal immigrants.
via TheBlaze.com – Stories
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