Obama Administration Defends Chelsea Manning's Clemency

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's spokesman says the president believes Chelsea Manning received "an appropriate punishment."

Obama yesterday cut short the sentence of the transgender Army intelligence officer who leaked more than 700,000 U.S. documents. Manning was one of 273 people receiving clemency yesterday.

Manning will now be freed in May, almost 30 years ahead of schedule.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest tells CNN that the amount of time Manning has served is consistent with the sentence imposed on others who committed similar crimes, but who received less attention.

But House Speaker Paul Ryan is denouncing the clemency for Manning as "just outrageous," saying Manning "put American lives at risk."

Obama yesterday issued a pardon for retired Gen. James Cartwright, who was charged with making false statements during another leak probe. With his last-minute clemency for Manning and Cartwright, Obama appeared to be softening what has been a hard-line approach to prosecuting leakers.

But Obama did not grant a pardon to another prominent leaker, former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, whom the U.S. has been unable to extradite from Russia.

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