Earlier today, President Trump made headlines after formally pardoning Irve Lewis “Scooter” Libby, reports The Hill.
A Full Overview of the Pardoning of Lewis Libby
Libby, a former official under the George W. Bush administration once faced a formal declaration of guilt in the case of revealing the identity of Valerie Plame, a then CIA officer. The successful charges brought against Libby consisted of obstruction of justice and perjury. However, after today, President Trump has essentially wiped the slate clean for Libby.
The President’s pardon comes after a 2015 testimony in which a key witness retracted her official statements which contributed to Libby’s conviction. Furthermore, the former official recovered ownership of his law license after the presentation of “credible evidence” to substantiate his innocence.
Finally, President Trump released an official statement, earlier today, regarding his decision to pardon Libby. Key excerpts read as follows:
Reactions to the Pardoning of Lewis Libby
Like many moves made by President Trump, his pardoning of Libby engendered backlash from the former’s critics. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement hours ago:
