IT WAS the good news story of the day despite its bizarre circumstances.

After more than two decades behind bars Alice Marie Johnson was given a presidential pardon by Donald Trump.

The 64-year-old’s freedom was granted after Kim Kardashian visited the White House to plead on her behalf last week.

The great-grandmother had been sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of a first time non-violent drug offence in 1996

Discussing the issue on Thursday night’s episode of The Project, host Waleed Aly slammed Kardashian’s involvement in Johnson’s pardon.

“She’s actually achieved nothing, she’s achieved something for one person in one case … I reckon this is awful,”Aly said bluntly.

“You now have a president who effectively thinks he can do things by pardons. That’s the way he operates.

“Everything goes through him. I’ll just make a decision, ‘you’re saved, you’re not. You’re free, you go to hell.’ That’s the way it works [but] that the opposite of the way it’s supposed to work.”

Bickmore also took issue with Kardashian being involved, saying it showed an “attachment to celebrity”.

“I feel for all the people who have been advocating on behalf of people for years … Kim just walks in, [and they decide] ‘OK, let her out’,” Bickmore said.

Last week, Kardashian’s meeting with Trump in the Oval Office was widely mocked on social media.

But on Wednesday the reality TV star took to Twitter to celebrate Johnson’s pardon, writing that it was the “BEST NEWS EVER!!!!”

The Project airs on Network 10 at 6.30pm Sunday to Friday

So grateful to @realDonaldTrump, Jared Kushner & to everyone who has showed compassion & contributed countless hours to this important moment for Ms. Alice Marie Johnson. Her commutation is inspirational & gives hope to so many others who are also deserving of a second chance. — Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 6, 2018