Question of the Day
Of all days, why did President Bush choose today to pardon four drug dealers? Are they all well-connected Republican donors or is George just paying them back for letting him crash on the couch? (via Think Progress)
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Bush Issues 14 Pardons
The timing is somewhat suspect, but hey, it’s the thought that counts. President Bush issued 14 pardons today, including four to drug offenders: Adam Wade Graham, Salt Lake City, Utah Offense: Conspiracy to deliver 10 or more grams of LSD;…
Trackback by TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime — September 28, 2005 @ 5:28 pm
What I find interesting is all these pardons are of people that have already served their time. Bush wants to look “compassionate” without risking the Dukakis problem of having someone you released recidivate.
Comment by Marcus — September 28, 2005 @ 10:39 pm
Yes, Marcus, they’ve already served their time. I don’t know that these pardons help Bush look compassionate or anything else. Who reads stuff like this. Who knows about it? It doesn’t seem to be part of a larger “image” plan.
It does seem strange. Favors?
Comment by Screwy Hoolie — September 29, 2005 @ 8:52 am
Perhaps. I suppose if your pardoned it goes off of your criminal record, which could be the real reason for this.
Comment by Marcus — September 29, 2005 @ 12:25 pm
Blackmail? Coverup? Both?
I took a look at the list of the fourteen pardons–where the convicts (pardonees? former detainees? legal combatants? rangers? pioneers?) were from, and when they were convicted:
5/29/63 IN
8/21/92 TX
8/22/89 Ark
3/30/88 Ark
4/26/91 TN
11/23/92 UT
6/17/63 GA
4/17/90 WV
9/29/89 MN
7/19/85 FL
9/6/62 MI
5/21/81 UT
9/14/88 WI
8/21/81 Ark
It’s interesting to note who the president was when each pardonee was originally convicted:
Kennedy: 3
Reagan: 5
Bush Sr: 6
None at all from before Kennedy, or from Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Clinton, or Bush Jr.
Red states: 11
Blue states: 3
All seem to have finished serving their fairly short sentences (many were just probation) many years ago, so the pardons probably just restore some rights (firearms, voting) and maybe a little dignity (and of course remove a nasty blemish on any resume). Otherwise these folks were probably already free to get their blackmail preparations made (copies of letters with friends and in safe deposit boxes), ready to expose drug use and Bush family involvement in the Kennedy assassination, Iran-Contra, rigged American Idol voting, etc. ;-)
Comment by Bob — September 30, 2005 @ 5:34 am