House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., blasted President Obama’s decision to commute the sentence of Chelsea Manning on Tuesday.
“This is outrageous,” Ryan said. “Chelsea Manning’s treachery put American lives at risk and exposed some of our nation’s most sensitive secrets.”
“President Obama now leaves in place a dangerous precedent that those who compromise our national security won’t be held accountable for their crimes,” he said.
The decision to commute Manning’s sentence, which was set to expire in 2045, comes only three days before President-elect Trump inauguration. Manning was convicted in 2010 of leaking sensitive information about American military activities to WikiLeaks, which led to a 35-year sentence.
Manning’s sentence was one of 209 commutations announced by the White House on Tuesday. Manning is set to be officially released in May.
