Why Did Obama Pardon these People?

[JBeukema]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

 

[Annie]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

Other than in cases of impeachment, the power is without restriction. Article 2, Section 2:

Section 2.

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment...

I think it would be a good idea though. Clinton caught lots of flak for those last minute pardons.

 

[JBeukema]

I never said he had the power.

I just said I want the president to issue a statement explaining his reasons.

 

[Annie]

I never said he had the power.

I just said I want the president to issue a statement explaining his reasons.

I agreed with you. He does have the power and all of them, not just Obama, should give some reason why, IMO, though I'm pretty sure we'll never see an amendment on it.

 

[Trajan]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

I would wager that if one were to check carefully, these folks needed the pardon for a reason, employment maybe, vanity, who knows, and they reached out to their congresscritter, paid up and got moved to the top of the list and viola'. They all do it...

 

[SFC Ollie]

Even if we could get a written explanation for any and all pardons, we couldn't take them for any real value. Some speech writer would write them and 15 party people would approve them.

 

[uscitizen]

I expect those people are related to someone with political or finiancial suction (same thing really).

 

[Mr. Shaman]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

Ya' wanna start, now, huh???? ​

"Six years after the arms-for-hostages scandal began to cast a shadow that would darken two Administrations, President Bush today granted full pardons to six former officials in Ronald Reagan's Administration, including former Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger.

Mr. Weinberger was scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 5 on charges that he lied to Congress about his knowledge of the arms sales to Iran and efforts by other countries to help underwrite the Nicaraguan rebels, a case that was expected to focus on Mr. Weinberger's private notes that contain references to Mr. Bush's endorsement of the secret shipments to Iran.

In one remaining facet of the inquiry, the independent prosecutor, Lawrence E. Walsh, plans to review a 1986 campaign diary kept by Mr. Bush. Mr. Walsh has characterized the President's failure to turn over the diary until now as misconduct."

****​

"The widely and justly criticized pardons of Caspar Weinberger and other Iran-Contra defendants by George Herbert Walker Bush should have been just the beginning of that story. Yet, for reasons best known to the incorruptible watchdogs of the Washington press corps, Poppy's self-interested mercy upon Weinberger instigated no searching examination of the other pardons granted by the departing president. Indeed, the final dozen pardons given by Bush -- including the unexplained release of a Pakistani heroin trafficker -- received virtually no coverage at all."

 

[candycorn]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

I would go further. There should be no Presidential Pardons, commuting of sentences etc...ever. How this crazy privilege of office survived all these years is a sad chapter of American history.

Instead, there should be a separate panel of the 3 most senior members of the Supreme Court who decide upon pardons commutations, etc...

 

[Quantum Windbag]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

Why should he explain anything? The Constitution grants the president the unilateral power to pardon, and it should be used more often. The sad part of this is that Obama waited almost tow years, and then chose to pardon people who don't need it. He obviously chose them because none of these people would create any controversy at all, which tells me all I need to know about his character.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

I would go further. There should be no Presidential Pardons, commuting of sentences etc...ever. How this crazy privilege of office survived all these years is a sad chapter of American history.

Instead, there should be a separate panel of the 3 most senior members of the Supreme Court who decide upon pardons commutations, etc...

How would that be any different than this?

 

[JBeukema]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

Ya' wanna start, now, huh???? ​

"Six years after the arms-for-hostages scandal began to cast a shadow that would darken two Administrations, President Bush today granted full pardons to six former officials in Ronald Reagan's Administration, including former Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger.

Mr. Weinberger was scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 5 on charges that he lied to Congress about his knowledge of the arms sales to Iran and efforts by other countries to help underwrite the Nicaraguan rebels, a case that was expected to focus on Mr. Weinberger's private notes that contain references to Mr. Bush's endorsement of the secret shipments to Iran.

In one remaining facet of the inquiry, the independent prosecutor, Lawrence E. Walsh, plans to review a 1986 campaign diary kept by Mr. Bush. Mr. Walsh has characterized the President's failure to turn over the diary until now as misconduct."

****​

"The widely and justly criticized pardons of Caspar Weinberger and other Iran-Contra defendants by George Herbert Walker Bush should have been just the beginning of that story. Yet, for reasons best known to the incorruptible watchdogs of the Washington press corps, Poppy's self-interested mercy upon Weinberger instigated no searching examination of the other pardons granted by the departing president. Indeed, the final dozen pardons given by Bush -- including the unexplained release of a Pakistani heroin trafficker -- received virtually no coverage at all."

Hey, genius, people questioned those and Clinton's pardons, too

Try looking past your partisan idiocy

 

[ConHog]

I have no problem with Obama issuing these pardons, or with him not giving any explanation. Honestly, people expect to much explanations from the WH for every move they make, It's just not possible for them to keep us informed on EVERYTHING, and it isn't like he abused his powers here.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I have no problem with Obama issuing these pardons, or with him not giving any explanation. Honestly, people expect to much explanations from the WH for every move they make, It's just not possible for them to keep us informed on EVERYTHING, and it isn't like he abused his powers here.

Our reputation as radical, right wing, Obama hating racists is going to go up in smoke if we keep saying he is justified when he properly uses his constitutionally granted powers.

 

[ConHog]

I have no problem with Obama issuing these pardons, or with him not giving any explanation. Honestly, people expect to much explanations from the WH for every move they make, It's just not possible for them to keep us informed on EVERYTHING, and it isn't like he abused his powers here.

Our reputation as radical, right wing, Obama hating racists is going to go up in smoke if we keep saying he is justified when he properly uses his constitutionally granted powers.

never fear, I'm sure Rdean will be along shortly to once again lump us all in with the lunatics who believe that Obama breathing is a sin.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

So true.

 

[shintao]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

I bet it had something to do with pardoning the turkey on thanksgiving.

The coin mutilation is a thrower. Flatten a penny on the rail road track & go to jail. Then they run through a machine and imprint some words on them. Or you join a group where you put your name on $20. bills & spend them, and see where the bill ends up in the World, by bill watchers. Go to jail huh?

 

[shintao]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has granted the first pardons of his presidency, to nine people convicted of crimes including possessing drugs, counterfeiting and even mutilating coins.
No one well-known was on the list, and some of the crimes dated back decades or had drawn little more than a slap on the wrist in the first place - such as the Pennsylvania man sentenced in 1963 to probation and a $20 fine for mutilating coins. The White House didn't explain the charge, but tampering with federal currency is a crime.
The White House declined to give details on the cases or comment on why these particular people were selected by a president who previously had only pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys.

The Daily Astorian - Astoria, Oregon

Am I alone in thinking a president should issue a statement explaining the reason for every pardon given? Why won't this president explain himself? I'm not saying whether these people should have been pardoned or not, just that whom a president chooses to pardon can tell us a lot about the president's character and what (s)he stands for. Why won't they address the question of why these individuals were chosen and pardoned by the president?

I would go further. There should be no Presidential Pardons, commuting of sentences etc...ever. How this crazy privilege of office survived all these years is a sad chapter of American history.

Instead, there should be a separate panel of the 3 most senior members of the Supreme Court who decide upon pardons commutations, etc...

I agree with the first statement. I disagree with the second. There should be no pardons at all. You do the crime, you do the time.

Recidivism rate: Scooter Libby, Iran Contra Affair pardon.

 

[uscitizen]

As I recall Bush actually pardoned himself from Iran contra, his pardon for ALL those involved was so broad.

the Bush pardon also brings into question how do you pardon someone not yet convicted? does a pardon mean they are guilty of what they are being pardoned for?

 

[shintao]

As I recall Bush actually pardoned himself from Iran contra, his pardon for ALL those involved was so broad.

the Bush pardon also brings into question how do you pardon someone not yet convicted? does a pardon mean they are guilty of what they are being pardoned for?

The retroactive pardon. I think only if they can later be found guilty. But the elite live the "Other World," and all have the get out of jail card FREE.