DGS49
Diamond Member
When inaugurated, the governor of California swore an oath to protect and defend - among other things - the laws of California.
Imagine for the sake of discussion that California has criminal laws that provide for the Death Penalty, and that those laws have passed muster with both the California Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court as to,their constitutionality.
And suppose certain persons have been accused of capital crimes under those constitutional laws, have been tried, convicted, and have had their convictions and their death sentences affirmed by all of the relevant appellate courts.
Now, what would you say about a governor who publicly declares that he will nullify those death penalty sentences because he believes, totally without evidence, that some known percentage of the convicts would be executed in error, because they are "innocent"?
In fact, death penalty opponents have thus far not been able to come up with a single case in the entire U.S. in the past 80 years where a factually-innocent person was executed. All 50 states plus D.C.
Has he violated his oath of office? Would that warrant impeachment?
Are you willing to answer honestly, even if you personally oppose tne death penalty?
Imagine for the sake of discussion that California has criminal laws that provide for the Death Penalty, and that those laws have passed muster with both the California Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court as to,their constitutionality.
And suppose certain persons have been accused of capital crimes under those constitutional laws, have been tried, convicted, and have had their convictions and their death sentences affirmed by all of the relevant appellate courts.
Now, what would you say about a governor who publicly declares that he will nullify those death penalty sentences because he believes, totally without evidence, that some known percentage of the convicts would be executed in error, because they are "innocent"?
In fact, death penalty opponents have thus far not been able to come up with a single case in the entire U.S. in the past 80 years where a factually-innocent person was executed. All 50 states plus D.C.
Has he violated his oath of office? Would that warrant impeachment?
Are you willing to answer honestly, even if you personally oppose tne death penalty?