This is pretty classic. Backstory not necessarily covered in the article: the guy gets investigated for mishandling classified info, probably on the pretty minor end of the scale, nothing at all akin to Snowden. Instead of allowing the investigation to reach this natural conclusion, however, he goes out and destroys his camera and computer’s hard drive immediately after he’s interviewed by the FBI. Suddenly this minor case got very serious, and he was charged and convicted after the FBI recovered bits of hard drive in the woods outside his house.
So he and his lawyers concoct a strategy to get him a pardon. Say “This is just like Hillary! Double standard! So unfair!” (focusing on the pretty low-level mishandling that started the investigation, not really mentioning the hard drive smashing incident at all) and get on FOX News so that they get some exclusive and uninterrupted Executive Time with the President.
Crazy plan? Stupid plan? It worked. He has now been pardoned. Lesson? Don’t fuck with the FBI, but the President can be played like a cheap fiddle by complete amateurs.
If what ultimately got Saucier got in trouble was freaking out, sounds good to me. He’s served his prison term. I’m pretty sure Trump mentioned this case during his campaign. And you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think Trump is playing everyone else like a cheap fiddle by granting this pardon.