[Peace-discuss] Obama and pardons

[Carl G. Estabrook]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Alexander Cockburn <alexandercockburn at asis.com>
> Date: November 26, 2011 1:51:51 PM CST
> To: <counterpunch-general at counterpunch.org>
> Subject: [CP-General] Steve Wishnia on Obama and pardons
> Reply-To: <counterpunch-general at counterpunch.org>
>
> Obama has granted fewer requests for clemency than any President in  
> the last century, even considering that most issue a batch of  
> pardons just before they leave office. As of Nov. 21, he has given  
> 22 pardons and commuted one sentence. Those represent about 0.3  
> percent of the petitions for clemency he has received.
>
> In contrast, George W. Bush gave 189 pardons and 11 commutations,  
> approving 1.8 percent of the petitions for clemency he received.  
> Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush granted clemency at an even higher  
> rate, in 5 to 6 percent of cases. Clinton issued 396 pardons and 61  
> commutations, while Bush I gave 74 pardons and three commutations.  
> What's more, Obama has pardoned 10 drug offenders; Bush II pardoned  
> 36 and commuted the sentences of eight. (Bush’s most notorious  
> commutation was that of Lewis “Scooter” Libby, which he issued just  
> before the former White House aide had to start serving a 30-month  
> sentence for lying to a federal judge.)
>
> Pardoning offenders is a crucial presidential power, says Eric  
> Sterling of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation. It’s mentioned  
> in the same paragraph of the Constitution that makes the President  
> commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
>
> “After three years, to find only one prisoner whose sentence needs  
> to be shortened is a disgraceful failure to use this power,”  
> Sterling says. “It's a gross failure to carry out the duty of  
> correcting injustice. For someone who taught constitutional law,  
> it’s inexplicable. Either he does not care, or he’s profoundly  
> afraid to do what needs to be done.”
>

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