Bush’s caution in granting pardons is primarily due to his proven incompetence on the subject. Bush Has Had Trouble With Past PardonsBy Cliff Montgomery – Nov. 25th, 2008George W. Bush on Monday granted pardons to fourteen people and commuted the sentences of another two found guilty of such crimes as drug violations, bank embezzlement, tax evasion and wildlife offenses.This round of presidential pardons are Dubya’s first since March, when he pardoned such individuals as William Bruce Butt, found guilty in 1990 of bank embezzlement; William Marcus McDonald, sentenced in 1984 via U.S. Air Force court-martial, for “distribution of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, use of cocaine, possession of cocaine, use of marijuana”; and Kenneth Charles Britt, sentenced in 1998 for “conspiracy to violate federal and state fish and wildlife laws.”Bush has not often granted pardons during his eight-year stay in the White House. The Associated Press yesterday printed that Bush has “been stingy during his time in office about granting clemency,” adding that in granting only “171 pardons and eight commutations” so far, Incurious George has given “less than half as many as Presidents Clinton or Reagan issued during their [comparable] time in office.”True enough. But regardless of what the corporate media would have you believe, that’s not due to some Texan “geet tuff” policy on criminals. The caution has much more to do Bush’s proven incompetence when it comes to granting pardons and clemency.TalkLeft, “The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news,” ran a telling report shortly after Bush’s February 2004 pardon of former Texas Mayor David B. McCall Jr.:”Bush [has] pardoned a former mayor of Plano, Texas, who pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 1996, the Justice Department announced Monday.”David B. McCall Jr., who is battling cancer, served six months in prison for his role in fraudulent loans at the Plano Savings and Loan Association,” stated TalkLeft. The saving and loan failed during the mid-1980s.”McCall and four other men…were indicted in August 1995 on allegations they created a web of transactions designed to transfer troublesome loans from one institution to another.”TalkLeft openly wondered about Bush’s pardon of a “Texan who pleaded guilty to fraud in one of the 1980’s Savings and Loan scandals…because that was what Neil Mallon Bush had been involved in.”Though an initial search did not immediately reveal a connection between Neil Bush–Dubya’s brother–and McCall, TalkLeft stated: “We’re still curious as to why this guy deserved a pardon.”And then there was the mistaken pardon of Steven Raney in 1995, an act George W. Bush performed while governor of Texas.Then-Governor Bush pardoned Steven Raney for his 1988 marijuana conviction.”A few months after being absolved of his crime, the unpaid Ellis County constable was caught stealing cocaine from a drug bust,” stated a January 2000 Austin Star-Telegram interview with then-Governor Bush.”That caused a complete review of the process,’ declared Bush in the interview.”I have nothing against pardoning. I just haven’t been very aggressive on it. There’s no philosophical reason. It’s just that it kind of slowed us down initially. I said, `Whoa!’ because it was a pretty rough story,” Dubya added about the Raney pardon.Among those recently pardoned by President Bush:
- Leslie Owen Collier of Charleston, MO. Collier in 1995 admitted to the unlawful murder of three bald eagles in Missouri. He wrongly mixed pesticide with hamburger meat in an attempt to kill coyotes; Collier in fact killed several other animals, such as the bald eagles.
- Milton Kirk Cordes of Rapid City, SD. Cordes was found guilty of conspiracy to break wildlife conservation laws.
- Andrew Foster Harley of Falls Church, VA. Harley was convicted via U.S. Air Force court martial of distribution and wrongful use of cocaine and marijuana.
- Carey C. Hice Sr. of Travelers Rest, SC. Hice was found guilty of income tax evasion.
- Geneva Yvonne Hogg of Jacksonville, FL. Hogg was found guilty of bank embezzlement.
- William Hoyle McCright Jr. of Midland, TX, guilty of bank fraud.
- Paul Julian McCurdy of Sulphur, OK, convicted for misuse of bank funds.
- Daniel Figh Pue III of Conroe, TX, guilty of illegal storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste.
Bush commuted the prison terms of James Russell Harris of Detroit, MI and John Edward Forte of North Brunswick, NJ. Both men were found guilty of cocaine violations.The U.S. Constitution ensures that presidential pardons cannot be overruled.Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now! Wait, why does an independent news source run advertisements? The Spark answers in its advertising policy. * Please check out our ads–they help keep this news site running. Thanks!
