Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Thursday that President Trump should consider a pardon for David Petraeus.
Cornyn,, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said that Petraeus, the former CIA director and retired U.S. Army general who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information, should be “high” on the president’s list for a pardon, citing his taking responsibility for the crime. Petraeus provided classified information to Paula Broadwell, his biographer, with whom he had an affair during his CIA tenure.
“I think Gen. Petraeus is an incredible patriot, and helped guide our country during a very difficult time in Iraq and basically pulled a rabbit out of a hat there. But he made a terrible mistake,” Cornyn told radio host Hugh Hewitt. “What I respect about Gen. Petraeus is he admitted it candidly and publicly, and took responsibility for it. You don’t see that much in Washington.
“So I would be, I’d be happy to see the president put Gen. Petraeus high on that list,” Cornyn added.
Petraeus was considered by President Trump to become secretary of state after he won the 2016 election, but the job offer ultimately went to Rex Tillerson.
A longtime army general, Petraeus oversaw coalition forces during the Iraq War and later served as commander of the U.S. Central Command before moving to the CIA.
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