WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush has granted pardons to 14 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of two others convicted of misdeeds ranging from drug offenses to tax evasion, from wildlife violations to bank embezzlement, The Associated Press learned Monday.
The new round of White House pardons are Bush's first since March and come less than two months before he will end his presidency. The crimes committed by those on the list also include offenses involving hazardous waste, food stamps, and the theft of government property.
Bush has been stingy during his time in office about handing out such reprieves.
Including these actions, he has granted a total of 171 and eight commutations. That's less than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their time in office. Both were two-term presidents.
On the latest pardon list were:
_Leslie Owen Collier of Charleston, Mo. She was convicted for unauthorized use of a pesticide and violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
_Milton Kirk Cordes of Rapid City, S.D. Cordes was convicted of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, which prohibits importation into the country of wildlife taken in violation of conservation laws.
_Richard Micheal Culpepper of Mahomet, Ill., who was convicted of making false statements to the federal government.
_Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer of Fort Worth, Texas, for reporting or helping cover up a crime.
_Andrew Foster Harley of Falls Church, Va. Harley was convicted of wrongful use and distribution of marijuana and cocaine.
_Obie Gene Helton of Rossville, Ga., whose offense was unauthorized acquisition of food stamps.
_Carey C. Hice Sr. of Travelers Rest, S.C., who was convicted of income tax evasion.
_Geneva Yvonne Hogg of Jacksonville, Fla., convicted of bank embezzlement.
_William Hoyle McCright Jr. of Midland, Texas, who was sentenced for making false entries, books, reports or statements to a bank.
_Paul Julian McCurdy of Sulphur, Okla., who was sentenced for misapplication of bank funds.
_Robert Earl Mohon Jr. of Grant, Ala., who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
_Ronald Alan Mohrhoff of Los Angeles, who was convicted for unlawful use of a telephone in a narcotics felony.
_Daniel Figh Pue III of Conroe, Texas, convicted of illegal treatment, storage and disposal of a hazardous waste without a permit.
_Orion Lynn Vick of White Hall, Ark., who was convicted of aiding and abetting the theft of government property.
Bush also commuted the prison sentences of John Edward Forte of North Brunswick, N.J., and James Russell Harris of Detroit, Mich. Both were convicted of cocaine offenses.
Under the Constitution, the president's power to issue pardons is absolute and cannot be overruled.
Some high-profile individuals, such as Michael Milken, are seeking a pardon on securities fraud charges. Two politicians convicted of public corruption — former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif., and four-term Democratic Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards — are asking Bush to shorten their prison terms.
One hot topic of discussion related to pardons is whether Bush might decide to issue pre-emptive pardons before he leaves office to government employees who authorized or engaged in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Some constitutional scholars and human rights groups want the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama to investigate possible war crimes.
If Bush were to pardon anyone involved, it would provide protection against criminal charges, particularly for people who were following orders or trying to protect the nation with their actions. But it would also be highly controversial.
David Roscoe Blampied (possess with intent to distribute cocaine)
William Arthur Borders Jr. (Conspiracy to corruptly solicit and accept money in return for influencing the official acts of a federal district court judge (Alcee L. Hastings), and to defraud the United States in connection with the performance of lawful government functions; corruptly influencing, obstructing, impeding and endeavoring to influence, obstruct and impede the due administration of justice, and aiding and abetting therein; traveling interstate with intent to commit bribery)
Arthur David Borel (Odometer Rollback)
Douglas Charles Borel (Odometer Rollback)
George Thomas Brabham (Making a false statement or report to a federally insured bank)
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Humans clearly attend closely to status, an important part of status is dominance, and a key way we show dominance is to tell others what to do. Whoever gets to tell someone else what to do is dominating, and affirming their own status. But we are also clearly built to not notice most of our status moves, and so we attribute them to other motives. And as long as we are making up motives, we might as well make up the most admired of motives, altruism. --Robin Hanson
[B]Do you think Bush's Commutations and Pardons list will exceed Clinton's list?????????
If he is going to pardon everyone, from himself, down to the lowest person on the list, who were all complicit in lying to the world about why it was necessary to invade and occupy a country, remaining there, terrorizing the people, causing the deaths of thousands, then I would say that the list of those pardoned will be quite a bit longer than the Clinton list.
Of course, Bush may take the gamble that everyone will be so relieved that he and his merry band have ankled off into the sunset that they are willing to let bygones be bygones.
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A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.
Oscar Wilde [1854-1900]
If he is going to pardon everyone, from himself, down to the lowest person on the list, who were all complicit in lying to the world about why it was necessary to invade and occupy a country, remaining there, terrorizing the people, causing the deaths of thousands, then I would say that the list of those pardoned will be quite a bit longer than the Clinton list.
the good thing is that I don't think he can pardon people who haven't yet been charged with anything, so people can still be charged after he leaves office. am I right in that assumption?
If he is going to pardon everyone, from himself, down to the lowest person on the list, who were all complicit in lying to the world about why it was necessary to invade and occupy a country, remaining there, terrorizing the people, causing the deaths of thousands, then I would say that the list of those pardoned will be quite a bit longer than the Clinton list.
If.
__________________
Humans clearly attend closely to status, an important part of status is dominance, and a key way we show dominance is to tell others what to do. Whoever gets to tell someone else what to do is dominating, and affirming their own status. But we are also clearly built to not notice most of our status moves, and so we attribute them to other motives. And as long as we are making up motives, we might as well make up the most admired of motives, altruism. --Robin Hanson
the good thing is that I don't think he can pardon people who haven't yet been charged with anything, so people can still be charged after he leaves office. am I right in that assumption?
He can legally pre-emptively pardon but the odds against Patricia's hypothetical pardoning spree being true are 1,000-1 against.
It's ridiculous for Goody and Patricia to condemn in advance for the hypothetical.
Clinton abused his pardon power in a serious way and was rightfully criticized at the time.
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Humans clearly attend closely to status, an important part of status is dominance, and a key way we show dominance is to tell others what to do. Whoever gets to tell someone else what to do is dominating, and affirming their own status. But we are also clearly built to not notice most of our status moves, and so we attribute them to other motives. And as long as we are making up motives, we might as well make up the most admired of motives, altruism. --Robin Hanson
It's ridiculous for Goody and Patricia to condemn in advance for the hypothetical.
I hope I am wrong.
But, seriously Gordon, do you think anyone will be held to account for the massive deception resulting in thousands of deaths.
If that were not enough, how about the destruction in Iraq to the families of ordinary people and draining of the U.S. National treasury that has taken place in the last eight years.
Letting bygones be bygones, as long as the Bush Administration promises to go quietly hardly seems just.
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A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.
Oscar Wilde [1854-1900]
Last edited by patricia; November-25th-2008 at 09:43 AM.
No, but Bush knows enough about the American system to know that nobody will be held to account, and that pre-emptive pardons are unnecessary.
Something we agree on.
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Humans clearly attend closely to status, an important part of status is dominance, and a key way we show dominance is to tell others what to do. Whoever gets to tell someone else what to do is dominating, and affirming their own status. But we are also clearly built to not notice most of our status moves, and so we attribute them to other motives. And as long as we are making up motives, we might as well make up the most admired of motives, altruism. --Robin Hanson
All I am saying is that it is extraordinary to me that an Administration can screw up this badly, creating what can only be described as criminal chaos, resulting in thousands of deaths of innocent people, on the basis of the original lie and walk away, unscathed.
An analogy might be one in which you worked for a company and your actions directly caused the deaths of thousands of people, the theft of billions of dollars and the loss of the prestige of your company and NOTHING HAPPENED TO YOU.
You were not fired.
No criminal charges were brought against you.
You continued to hold the same job, despite your obvious incompetence.
You retired as was customary at the end of your contracted eight years.
You received a generous pension and lifelong security for you and for your family.
If that happened, you would be living in some parallel universe.
And yet...........................................
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A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.
Oscar Wilde [1854-1900]
Last edited by patricia; November-25th-2008 at 12:18 PM.
All I am saying is that it is extraordinary to me that an Administration can screw up this badly, creating what can only be described as criminal chaos, resulting in thousands of deaths of innocent people, on the basis of the original lie and walk away, unscathed.
That describes most administrations in my lifetime, Republican and Democrat.
Probably several of these pardons were justified. Of course he's going to get any off the hook who did environmental damage. Compared to Shrub's activities, they are small potatoes.
The World Court should file charges against Bush, Chenby and Rumsfeld for war crimes. Shrub can't issue a pardon there.
The most criminal administration in our history, more than Nixon, must be Called to account.
The Center for Constitutional Rights will be pursuing them out of the United States because it is unlikely that they will be brought to justice here. You might remember that Rumsfeld had to sneak out of France last year for fear he would be indicted:
There's a problem with seeing the bipartisan foreign policy of the United States as an indictable war crime. Can the new Secretary of State travel abroad without fear of charges of aiding and abetting?
There's a problem with seeing the bipartisan foreign policy of the United States as an indictable war crime. Can the new Secretary of State travel abroad without fear of charges of aiding and abetting?
BTW...if the numbers are an issue, here's a breakdown of the past six presidents plus the current prez:
Bush II- 179 [and counting....]
Clinton- 456
Bush I- 77
Reagan- 406
Carter- 566
Ford- 409
Nixon- 926
The republicans [1897] got the Demo's [1022] beat by a mile and a half; Nixon is the Champ [926] and almost beats the Demo's singlehandedly.
That's five Republicans for two Democrats, of course it's going to be more. If you calculate average pardons per president, the average Republican president made 399.4 pardons and the average Democrat made 511. If you break it down by presidential term, the average Republican presidential term yielded 285.29 pardons and the average Democratic presidential term yielded 340.66.
Kind of hard to make a partisan issue of this. If you do, the Dems don't come out on top.
Anyway, if it wasn't for Ron Thorne and those Alaskans none of the Republicans would have won in the first place.
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