Manning to go free May 17
President Obama on Tuesday commuted the remainder of Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence, ensuring the former Army soldier will be released this May instead of in 2045.
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 Mannings treachery put American lives at risk and exposed some of our nation’s most sensitive secrets.”
Washington Examiner reports,
Manning was convicted of leaking sensitive information about American military and diplomatic activities to the government transparency site WikiLeaks in 2010.
Manning was originally sentenced to 35 years in prison and moved to solitary confinement after attempting suicide in an Army prison last July. Manning has been pushing the military to cover the expenses of a sex reassignment surgery Manning hopes to have. Manning was known as Bradley Manning when he was caught leaking the information.
The Manning commutation was one of 209 sentences Obama commuted on Tuesday. He also pardoned 64 inmates Tuesday, bringing his total to 212.
