Romney stated that it is "unprecedented" that "an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president." However, Romney has long heralded his respect and support of President George H.W. Bush despite Bush's executive clemency actions for six former senior government officials implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal, including former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. Bush himself was implicated in that scandal and some alleged was protected by their silence.

Nancy Pelosi also just joined the growing club of historical revisionists in declaring that this was "an act of staggering corruption" to pardon someone who "could directly implicate him in criminal misconduct." I do not recall Pelosi's staggering moment when Bill Clinton pardoned Susan McDougal who might have implicated him in Whitewater. Nor was Clinton's pardoning of his own half brother or a fugitive Democratic donor staggering in any way. There was no statement of indignation, let alone a call from Pelosi for an investigation.