A few days before leaving office as President of the United States, President Barack Obama pardoned James Cartwright. Not a well-known name in the mass media industrial complex, however a significant figure in the leaking of government information.
According to CBS News, "Cartwright, the former vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a pardon, the White House said. He pleaded guilty in October to making false statements during an investigation into a leak of classified information about a covert cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear facilities."
Roger Stone, a long time friend of President Trump, private citizen, with no access to classified information, was found guilty of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction of a proceeding. Stone still maintains his innocence, despite being charged with a suggested sentence of 87 to 108 months.
Roger Stone was hauled before Congress to testify in the Mueller investigation whether or not members of the Trump Administration collaborated with the Russians for Trump to win an election. The 67-year-old Stone was never accused by prosecutors of criminally conspiring with Russia or any other foreign actors. In fact, the Mueller investigation found, "The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."
In the case of James Cartwright, the justice department sought a prison sentence of two years. Claiming that government employees are trusted with sensitive classified information every day. "They must understand that disclosing such information to persons not authorized to receive it has severe consequences,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed in January of 2017.
Roger Stone prosecution had a distinctly different response considering Stone was not a government employee accused of leaking information. When the justice department decided to walk back the seven to nine-year sentence, all four of the prosecutors resigned from the case. Three of the four prosecutors worked on the Mueller investigation.
This action prompted Democrats to blast the decision of the Justice Department. Chuck Schumer, Senate minority leader urged the Justice Department inspector general to “open an investigation immediately.”
Prompting Schumer to send the following letter to Inspector Horowitz
Despite the vitriol from Democrats, there is very little reaction from the Democrats to the pardoning of James Cartwright for leaking classified information.