Western Courier

[QUOTE id="c05191ee-14ed-4b3e-8659-f9d2792c6925"]And where is Mr. Durbin's criticism of his master, Bill Clinton, who pardoned 147 - yes, 147 - people and commutated the sentences of a further 38?
{QUOTE]

Here are Bush's pardons so far. What do you have to say about that Ted?

Charles James Allen (1979 conspiracy to defraud the United States. A former federal employee, Allen was convicted for approving payments to James Hilles Associates Inc., a Virginia firm, for office supplies that were never delivered. In return, Allen received car parts, a radio, a freezer and other gifts from the firm. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Alan Dale Austin (1987 misapplication of mortgage funds)
William Sidney Baldwin Sr. (1981 conspiracy to possess marijuana. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Timothy Evans Barfield (1989 aiding and abetting false statements on a Small Business Administration loan application. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Bruce Louis Bartos (1987 transportation of a machine gun in foreign commerce)
David Thomas Billmyer (1978 military conviction for making a false claim)
Clyde Philip Boudreaux (1975 military conviction for borrowing money from enlisted men, accepting a noninterest-bearing loan from a government contractor and signing and swearing to a false affidavit. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Marie Georgette Ginette Briere (1982 possession of cocaine with intent to distribute)
Carl E. Cantrell (1967 moonshining)
Charles Winston Carter (1964 conspiracy to steal government property)
Meredith Elizabeth Casares (1989 embezzlement of US Postal Service funds)
Randall Leece Deal Clayton (1960 and 1964 liquor laws)
Charles Russell Cooper (1959 bootlegging)
Dale C. Critz, Jr. (1989 making a false statement)
William Charles Davis (1983 income tax evasion)
William Henry Eagle (1972 moonshining)
Mark Alan Eberwine (1985 conspiracy to defraud the United States by impeding, impairing, and obstructing the assessment of taxes by the Internal Revenue Service and making false declarations to the grand jury. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Robert Carter Eversole (1984 theft)
Gerald Douglas Ficke (1992 money laundering)
Harper James Finucan (1980 marijuana possession with intent to distribute)
Anthony Americo Franchi (1983 tax evasion)
Colin Earl Francis (1993 accepting a kickback of about $9,000 for helping a vendor for United Technologies Corp.'s Sikorsky Aircraft division, where Francis worked at the time, land a contract. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Kenneth Clifford Foner (1991 bank fraud)
Victoria Diane Frost (1994 conspiracy to possess)
William Grover Frye (1968 AWOL and 1973 sale of stolen car)
Joseph Daniel Gavin (1979 military insubordination, drunkenness, threats, and other offenses)
George Glenn (1956 accepting $50 bribe while in military)
Samuel Wattie Guerry (1984 food stamp fraud)
Charles E. Hamilton (1989 mail fraud)
Stanley Bernard Hamilton 1990 (money order fraud)
Brianna Lea Haney (1991 failure to report monetary instruments)
George Thomas Harley (1984 aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
David Custer Heaston (1988 false statement)
Melodie Jean Hebert (1984 defrauding U.S. with false claims)
Patricia Ann Hultman (1985 conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Bobby Frank Kay Sr. (1959 moonshining)
James Ernest Kinard, Jr. (1984 fraudulent firearms dealer records)
Richard Ardell Krueger (1979 mail fraud and 1980 and false statement on a loan application)
Devin Timothy Kruse (1979 AWOL from Coast Guard)
Margaret Ann Leggett (1981 false claims)
Raul Marin (1982 failure to appear in court)
Melvin L. McKee (1982 conspiracy to make false statements on a loan application)
Charles McKinley, (1950 moonshining)
Michael Mark McLaughlin (1983 mail fraud and conspiracy)
Michael Robert Moelter (1988 illegal gambling business)
Billie Curtis Moore (1977 income tax evasion)
Richard Arthur Morse[citation needed] (1963 transportation of a stolen vehicle)
Kenneth Lynn Norris (1993 unlawful disposal of hazardous waste)
Joseph Mathew Novak (1994 possession and transfer of an illegal weapon)
Eric William Olson (1984 military conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, possession, and use of hashish. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Donald Lee Pendergrass (1964 armed bank robbery)
Fred Dale Pitzer (1976 transportation of falsely made securities)
Charles Blurford Power (1948 transportation of a stolen vehicle)
Gerard Murphy Rayne (1972 car theft)
James Edward Reed (1975 marijuana possession with intent to distribute)
Thomas R. Reece (1969 violating the Internal Revenue Code pertaining to alcohol. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Cecil John Rhodes (1981 false statement on a loan application)
John Louis Ribando (1976 and 1978 marijuana dealing)
Larry Gene Ross (1989 making false statements in a bank loan application. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Ernest Rudnet (1992 conspiracy to file false tax returns)
Gary L. Saltzburg (1995 theft of government property)
John Gregory Schillace (1988 conspiracy to possess cocaine for distribution)
Russell Don Sell (1995 aiding and abetting a false statement on a loan application)
James Leon Adams Simpsonville (1965 selling firearms to out of state residents and falsifying firearms records)
Scott LaVerne Sparks (1989 theft of government property)
Wendy St. Charles (1984 conspiracy to trade narcotics and cocaine distribution)
David Lloyd St. Croix (1989 disposal of stolen explosives)
Jearld David Swanner (1991 making false statements in a bank loan application. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
James Walter Taylor (1991 bank fraud. Pardoned December 21, 2006)
Johnson Heyward Tisdale (1994 food stamp fraud)
Edward Rodriguez Trevino, Jr. (1997 theft, convicted in military court)
Janet Theone Upton (1975 mail fraud. pardoned December 21, 2006)
Jerry Dean Walker (1989 cocaine distribution)
Joseph William Warner (1995 arson on an Indian reservation)
Jimmy Lee Williams (1995 false statements on a loan application)
Tony Dale Ashworth (1989 unlawful transfer of a firearm)

[edit] Commutations
Two commutations of sentence were granted on May 20, 2004. They were granted to:

Geraldine Gordon (1989 distribution of phencyclidine) (sentenced to 20 years plus 10 years supervised release; sentence commuted after 15 years, term of supervised release left intact)
Bobby Mac Berry (1997 conspiracy to manufacture and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, money laundering) (sentenced to 9 years imprisonment plus 5 years supervised release; sentence reduced to 6 and a half years, terms of supervised release left intact)
A commutation of sentence was granted on December 21, 2006 to:

Phillip Anthony Emmert (1992 conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine) (sentenced to 21 years and 10 months plus 5 years supervised release; sentence reduced Feb. 21, 1996; sentence commuted to 15 years and 1 month plus 5 years supervised release)
A commutation of sentence was granted on July 2, 2007 to:

Lewis "Scooter" Libby (2007 perjury, obstruction of justice) (sentenced to 30 months plus 2 years supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a special assessment of $400; sentence commuted to 2 years supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a special assessment of $400) [3]

Originally posted by

Ted

And where is Mr. Durbin's criticism of his master, Bill Clinton, who pardoned 147 - yes, 147 - people and commutated the sentences of a further 38?

And where does Mr. Turbin...er, Durbin, get off talking about twisting the constitution? This coming from the man and party which says the constitution doesn't REALLY grant the right to bear arms, or to acknowledge God in public schools.

Classic liberals - do as I say, not as I do. And of course, Illinoisans swallow it down loyally as always. No wonder we live in the most corrupt state in the union.

I can understand pardoning someone who committed a relatively minor offense decades ago as long as, in the interim, they've been upstanding citizens and have contributed to or served society in some way. But this list is looking pretty ridiculous. What is the point?

On the other hand, we've also seen that there are many people - even on death row - who were actually not guilty of the crime (shown by forensic testing not available earlier). Many have been released, but I'm sure there's plenty more.

Think our justice system needs a bit of an overhaul?

Originally posted by

Mark Hartzer

Go Durbin!

You really have to wonder who is stupid enough to be a Republican these days.

Agreed. The videos that have been circulating online of crazy repulican supporters have really damaged them. There are tons of intelligent, forward-thinking republicans, but the current campaign has really turned off a lot of people.

Originally posted by

Mark Hartzer

Go Durbin!

You really have to wonder who is stupid enough to be a Republican these days.

Those who believe in the way things should be, as told in the Holy Bible. What's stupid, is the Democratic Party masquerading as the champion of the working class in the USA. They devalue life, promote the killing of innocent unborn children, hate the Pledge of Allegiance, don't want the Ten Commandments to be seen and even want any type of prayer/moment of silence time to be removed from schools and school property. A total demoralization of America! That's the new Democratic Party, not the old Democratic Party. Oh, and don't forget about disarming Americans..they're all about that, too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by

Mark Hartzer

Go Durbin!

You really have to wonder who is stupid enough to be a Republican these days.

Anyone not stupid enough to be a Dumocrat....that's who.

Originally posted by

Frank Joopiter

Ah, the GOP is paranoid as usual. Republicans think there's a Liberal behind every tree, stalking them ... ready to pounce on them. You have to feel sorry for the whole bunch, they live in such agonizing fear. Oh my, what it must be like to be as a small woodland creature so scared, so terrified ... too afraid to rest for even a moment. Well, I've some news for all of you Republicans: Be careful, they're everywhere, they're out to get you ... oh no, look ... there's one now ... quick, run, hide !!!

Hey, Frank.....contrary to your belief, most of us real Republicans would rather stand our ground than run like the cowards I've seen in the Democratic Party. Real Republicans, you see, are traditionally conservative people whose beliefs are grounded in a biblical sense and we see things as they once used to be...honesty, integrity, forthright. As an example: a man's handshake was once his "bond". A contract for anything would never be necessary because he could be trusted to "follow-up" and be a man and do what is right...much unlike the turn-tails of today; many, of which, side with the Democratic Party in their political realm. Can you say the name Rod Blagojevich? There's a real example of what I could not be!! How 'bout you? I don't know where you get off with a stupid statement, such as the one you posted.