To your question #2, why not?
I don’t see how helping out a Bushy in the top 20 list of MAGA campaign promises. Or I missed the chants of “Pardon Scooter Libby!”
Very similar situation. A runaway special counsel was allowed to go after everyone even though no crime existed. Lame Plame was not protected by any law that made it illegal to put her name in the paper. In the end, Libby was targeted and prosecuted to settle an old feud. W (wuss) sat back and did nothing to help his people.
Sound familiar?