President Donald Trump Friday pardoned Scooter Libby, former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff who was convicted of perjury in 2007. Libby was prosecuted for lying to the FBI and for obstruction of justice in an investigation into who leaked the identity of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame. Former President George W. Bush commuted Libby's 30-month sentence but did not pardon him.
"I don't know Mr. Libby," Trump wrote in a statement. "But for years I have heard that he has been treated unfairly. Hopefully, this full pardon will help rectify a very sad portion of his life."
Earlier on Friday, Trump took to Twitter to blast former FBI Director James Comey as a "leaker" and a "liar."
"James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR. Virtually everyone in Washington thought he should be fired for the terrible job he did-until he was, in fact, fired," Trump wrote. "He leaked CLASSIFIED information, for which he should be prosecuted. He lied to Congress under OATH. He is a weak and untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI. His handling of the Crooked Hillary Clinton case, and the events surrounding it, will go down as one of the worst "botch jobs" of history. It was my great honor to fire James Comey!"
James Comey is a proven LEAKER & LIAR. Virtually everyone in Washington thought he should be fired for the terrible job he did-until he was, in fact, fired. He leaked CLASSIFIED information, for which he should be prosecuted. He lied to Congress under OATH. He is a weak and.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
....untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI. His handling of the Crooked Hillary Clinton case, and the events surrounding it, will go down as one of the worst “botch jobs” of history. It was my great honor to fire James Comey!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2018
Speaking to MSNBC Friday, Plame slammed Trump's pardon, stating that it sent a message "that you can commit crimes against national security and you will be pardoned."
The move was backed, though, by former members of the Bush administration.
"Scooter Libby is one of the most capable, principled, and honorable men I have ever known," Cheney said in a statement. "He is innocent, and he and his family have suffered for years because of his wrongful conviction."
Former President Bush added to The Guardian: "President Bush is very pleased for Scooter and his family."
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