The issue with this whole sorry scenario is that, at best (worst) they were guilty of breaking BP regulations which should have been dealt with administratively. Instead, they were thrown to the political wolves as sacrifices, which makes it harder now for the remaining officers on the line.
Shooting someone is only against Border Patrol regulations? News to me.
Well? So who did he pardon? Do we know yet?
Yep. We did a week and a half or so ago, and without a hint of the pardon-for-pay (or payback) stink that accompanied certain of Clinton’s last-minute pardons. Do an advanced Google search for 'Bush" and “pardons”, then click ‘News’ at the top left of the page, and you’ll find plenty of information about them.
Depends on the circumstances.
Thank you Starving Artist! Here’s a quote from an article at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/19/ED4815D4SF.DTL
"The downside: Bush was stingy with the gift of mercy. He withheld from the worthy and unworthy alike. He issued a mere 189 pardons and 11 commutations. He failed the families of unknown convicts who, like Ramos and Compean, were sentenced to draconian prison time, thanks to federal mandatory minimum sentences.
Last month, I have just learned, Bush denied the commutation application of Clarence Aaron, who was sentenced in 1993 to life without parole for a first-time nonviolent drug offense. Reread that - life without parole for a first-time nonviolent offense."
And to all of you who said Bush wouldn’t issue a blanket pardon of himself or any one else in his administration, the CIA, etc., were right.
Congratulations on your perspicaciousness.
(You were so smart you deserve a $10 word. :D)
Pardons for himself or members of his administration would require him to admit that his adminstration has done illegal things, which won’t happen. Also, someone who’s been pardoned cannot invoke the 5th Amendment to avoid testifying. There’s probably a little corner of Bush’s mind that’s thinking it’s best to give everyone wiggle room if it’ll keep them from flipping on him.
Yes, there were plenty of “hints” about the Clinton pardons. But nothing concrete was ever proven.
Bush II’s pardons are neither newsworthy nor historic. In fact, he could have shown a bit more compassion towards unimportant people in bad situations. But we’ve known all that “kind & gentler” stuff just another lie for some time now.
Bush I is still The Champion Pardoner. For the self-serving pardons that prevented some of the pending Iran-Contra trials. Which might have implicated him…