Four Felons Gained Special Access To Bush To Win Clemency

WASHINGTON -- In December 2007, the names of about 700 federal prisoners seeking commutations reached President Bush's desk. He rejected all but one. Among the disappointed petitioners was Reed R. Prior, an Iowa man serving a life sentence for a drug conviction whose application had been pending for nearly five years.

Last month, Mr. Prior filed a new application with the Justice Department. Not much had changed. But this time, with help from the Iowa governor, Mr. Prior's lawyer secured a face-to-face meeting with the White House counsel, Fred F. Fielding. A week later, Mr. Bush commuted Mr. Prior's sentence.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[RedKnuckles]

Just to be clear, are these 4 felons those who are not members of his cabinet?

[craneman]

Isn't that the way these things are supposed to work ?

[bubbuh]

Well, let's ask the ultimate question: Can a sitting, er, or is it a vacationing President pardon himself.

[ThePhilosopher]

I've always detested President Bush, but I really don't see anything particularly wrong with what happened here. The president's ability to commute sentences is absolute and not subject to any oversight, it's the one power of the presidency not subject to a system of checks and balances. This means that a president can extend clemency to anyone, for any reason, period. Doesn't matter who the president happens to be. So, while we may disagree with Bush's pardonings in this case, it is entirely constitutional.

[kappa08]

umm thanks for clearing that up...

[postman606]

That will teach me to read past the headline. I thought the story would include the names Cheney, Libby, Gonzalez, and Rumsfeld.

[whatawebb]

Not Libby - Rice

[MyTake]

How to get a pardon. Lawyer talks to a lawyer and an aid then gives Bush a pen!

Or is it a "Mason" Lawyer talks to a "Mason" Lawyer who talks to the Skull & Bones President who then signs a paper?

[blurredtruth]

The two border patrol agents will not be part of this group. Wait until his sycophants start asking for money for his library...this will be fun to respond not just no but hell no.

[Georgia1992]

I was hoping the two border patrol agents would've received pardon.

[linfort]

Meanwhile, he does nothing to help review requests from a legitimate candidate who has served more years than anyone after his "ideological" crime which was not for personal profit or gain. He even made a plea bargain that was never honored. This is something that needs to be taken care of before it goes on any longer.

http://www.jonathanpollard.org/facts.htm

[formerprosecutor]

I did read the information on the website. I read it with cynicism and a junduced eye; especially because of the type of actions committed by Pollard.

Obviously, I haven't given the case remotely any "due dilgence"; but at first glance and first impression; I would support a commutation to time served.

Just for what it is worth. (which obviously, isn't much)
My first thought is; what was "Justice's" answer when they were asked (and surely they were) what do you want, what would it take, to support a commutation ?
My other thought , is that they are using Pollard to send a strong message to others that may have divided loyalties; regardless of how alturistic they may be.

I am further surprised that under the circumnstances that Pollard is (now) an Israeli and Israel is willing to accpet him there, that somebody is blocking this, but how exactly ?

Interesting case, that I only vaugely remembered until your posting; but 24 years is enough of a message.

[KHAAANNN]

Strange. You support commutation for a foreign agent who performed espionage damaging to the U.S. National Security and proudly admitted to it.
The nation he did it for is willing to take him in and makes him a citizen in absentia and that makes a commutation O.K. with you?
What if he were a Russian. Would that be O.K. then if they were willing to "take him in" after granting him citizenship?
What if he were a Palestinian. Would that be O.K. then if they were willing to "take him in" after granting him citizenship?
What if he were an Iranian. Would that be O.K. if they were willing to "take him in" after granting him citizenship?
You need to think this through.

[Palemoon]

That's a horrible pardon to ask for! Pollard was a traitor. I worked for the feds as military and civilian. In all my government jobs, all of them required I take the same oath that all members of government are required to take.

Pollard sold us out. Pure and simple. No other way to say it, he sold us out. It doesn't matter if it was one of our allies. He breached his oath and trust placed on him. Once that is breached, it's over. He gave away State secrets for his own financial gain.

Some things you forget to mention, is that Pollard is a dual citizen. He was working for both of those countries while pretending to have sworn an oath to only one. Why did you leave that out? And why didn't you also include the fact that another reason the Israeli's refuse to negotiate with the Palestinians, is because we put Pollard in prison. And we are allowing them to use it against us to prolong hostilities in the Middle East.

That's why I'm against politicians, of which there are several in the current and incoming administrations, who are also dual citizens. They should be barred from serving in government until such a time as they renounce their citizenship to the other country that they are a citizen of. And we all know which country that is. They are starting to operate as a 5th column, controlling our government from the inside.

[SimJack]

George and his mighty musketeers.

[Cheesemelt]

Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzalez and...?

Who am I missing?

[SamEllison]

Addington, David S.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

Rove.... I believe is Who You are looking for

[whitewaterwillie]

From the story....

"...none of Mr. Bush"s decisions have been as controversial as President Bill Clinton"s last-minute pardon of the fugitive-financier Marc Rich."

The decision to commute Scooter's wasn't controversial?????

[Cheesemelt]

Scooter's commutation was not total. Besides, most know that Scooter was almost assuredly a fall guy for Cheney, and the Fitzgerald prosecution was a comedy of government lawyer ineptitude.

What about Armitage, for example?

[SaulBloodworth]

True. He should be in jail, too.

[fireW]

What constitutes "controversial" in those cases was the right wing's morally relativistic compulsion to cherry-pick certain decisions to spew about ad nauseum for political purposes. Would they have continued to be a subject of discussion if these jerks could actually tell the truth and admit the facts of past republican pardons? Probably not . . .

[MarvBitesBack]

Hah! A liberal complaining about moral relativism? Isn't that what your entire philosophy is based on?

[rogerse]

This really is wrong, bush shouldn't commute a drug criminals sentence.

[bygollymissmolly]

Of course he shouldn't. He should hold himself to only commuting the sentences of all those white collar criminals who steal from us.

You have no idea what this drug conviction was for. If he is black and from the south, it could be for possession of marijuana.

[formerprosecutor]

I am curious; why shouldn't he commute a life sentence for a non -violent crime? I really am asking.

[rogerse]

Espionage is a non-violent crime (yet a capital one).

[ThePhilosopher]

He has every right to do so; the president can commute any sentence he wants. Furthermore, mandatory minimum sentences is highly controversial and, I would argue, immoral; it fails to take into account the particulars of a given situation. I, along with many others, would argue that a life sentence for a non-violent drug charge is wrong; the law, in this case, is simply not moral.

[rabiddog6708]

Just wait for the pardons as Bu$h sl.ithers out of office....I'll bet there will be some "interesting" pardons of those with very close access to the White House.

[Wilburrr]

....and in a related story, 84 members of the Bush administration will apparently walk away from felonies without prosecution.

[bygollymissmolly]

And you know this how? Did you look into that crystal ball you bought at Walmart and it told you so?

[Wilburrr]

I would like nothing more than to see these criminals dropped in the slammer with no possibility for parole but the way it's looking I doubt that there will even be investigations.

My Wal-Mart crystal ball said, "You can certainly count on it." After spending 3 hours in the return line I was able to get the entire $2.48 back that I spent on it.

[kellygrrrl]

W just enjoys being amongst his peers

[Wilburrr]

Birds of a feather?

[DFutureIsNow]

Heres the list of the 4 felons who were close to Bush:

- Cheney
- Rove
- Condi
- Rummy

[Amalek]

This is just the disgusting side of politics.

People serve as assistant white house counsel for one reason. Because after they have done it for a year it gives them a license to steal. They can charge outrageous rates to clients who want a pardon because they can deliver. They can get people pardons that they cannot get under the system for everyone else.

This has been the deal. It has been going on for so long by both democrats and republicans that it has become part of the American way. We need to stop it.

Bush can start, and kill any pardon coming through his old staff.

None of this explains the Marc Rich pardon, however, he had Scooter as his lawyer. Go figure.