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Bush revokes a pardon

leanin' H

Well-known member
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush took the very rare step Wednesday of revoking a pardon he had granted only a day before, after learning in news reports of political contributions to Republicans by the man's father and other information.

Bush pardoned 19 people on Tuesday, including Isaac Robert Toussie of Brooklyn, N.Y., who had been convicted of making false statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and of mail fraud. On Wednesday, the White House issued an extraordinary statement saying the president was reversing his decision in Toussie's case.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the new decision was "based on information that has subsequently come to light," including on the extent and nature of Toussie's prior criminal offenses. She also said that neither the White House counsel's office nor the president had been aware of a political contribution by Toussie's father that "might create an appearance of impropriety."

"Given that, this was the prudent thing to do," she said.

The new information came to the White House's attention from news reports, Perino said.

A story in the New York Daily News said Toussie's father, Robert, donated $28,500 to the national Republican Party in April. It came just months before Toussie's pardon petition, the newspaper said.

Outside of the process
The counsel's office generally doesn't include vetting of political contributions in its reviews on such matters, as that would be "highly inappropriate on many levels," she said. The White House decision on Toussie had come without a recommendation from the pardon attorney, Ronald L. Rodgers, as Toussie's request for a pardon came less than five years after completion of his sentence, so that eliminated another step in the review process.

The Justice Department advises the president on who qualifies for pardons. Only people who have waited five years after their conviction or release from prison can apply for a pardon under the department's guidelines. Criminals are required to begin serving time, or otherwise exhaust any appeals, before they can be considered for sentence commutation.

But the president can forgive people outside that process if he chooses. Under the Constitution, the president's power to issue pardons is absolute and cannot be overruled — meaning he can forgive anyone he wants, at any time.

Perino said she is not aware of any other instance of a pardon reversal, in the Bush administration or others.

"The counsel to the president reviewed the application and believed, based on the information known to him at the time, that it was a meritorious application," she said. Bush now believes the case should rest with the pardon attorney.

The Daily News story on Wednesday, and another in Newsday and on blogs, shed light on Toussie's record. He pleaded guilty for lying to HUD and mail fraud, admitting that he falsified finances of prospective homebuyers seeking HUD mortgages. He was sentenced to five months in prison and five months' house arrest, a $10,000 fine and no restitution, the Daily News reported.
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Why not pardon those Border Agents? They should have been the first 2 on the list.


If Bush had read the pardon info first....he'd would not have had to take back the pardon.

Just another example of how " duh" this guy can be.
 

fff

Well-known member
I guess I don't understand. So the guy's dad gives money to the Republican Party. Big deal. That should have nothing to do with whether or not the son deserves a pardon. IMO, to take back the pardon just because it looks bad is worse than giving it for the wrong reason. Unless, of course, the money donated was actually a payoff. Hmmmm.
 

Texan

Well-known member
I bet the Obama/Holder/Change team just LOVES all this talk about pardons. Let's be sure we keep it in the headlines until the confirmation hearings. :lol:
 

kolanuraven

Well-known member
Texan said:
I bet the Obama/Holder/Change team just LOVES all this talk about pardons. Let's be sure we keep it in the headlines until the confirmation hearings. :lol:


Do you NOT think that the Border Agents should have been the FIRST to be pardoned?

They are not even being considered.
 

Texan

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Do you NOT think that the Border Agents should have been the FIRST to be pardoned?

They are not even being considered.
I take it that you don't want to discuss the Marc Rich pardon? :lol:

We've already discussed the Border Patrol deal and I haven't changed my opinion any. If two cops shoot somebody in the back and then lie about it to cover it up and then are convicted by a jury of taxpaying voters, then NO, I don't think the President should step in. The fact that we LATER find out that it was a no-good drug dealer doesn't change that for me - it could have just as easily been some peasant looking for work.

In fact, I don't think the President should ever step in until all of the appeals processes are over - no matter what the case. I can't think of a greater slap in the face to jurors and our jury system than to have something like that happen.
 

fff

Well-known member
Texan said:
kolanuraven said:
Do you NOT think that the Border Agents should have been the FIRST to be pardoned?

They are not even being considered.
I take it that you don't want to discuss the Marc Rich pardon? :lol:

We've already discussed the Border Patrol deal and I haven't changed my opinion any. If two cops shoot somebody in the back and then lie about it to cover it up and then are convicted by a jury of taxpaying voters, then NO, I don't think the President should step in. The fact that we LATER find out that it was a no-good drug dealer doesn't change that for me - it could have just as easily been some peasant looking for work.

In fact, I don't think the President should ever step in until all of the appeals processes are over - no matter what the case. I can't think of a greater slap in the face to jurors and our jury system than to have something like that happen.

Hmm. So did I miss your outrage about Bush commuting Scooter Libby's prison sentence?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/02/libby.sentence/index.html
 

Texan

Well-known member
fff said:
Hmm. So did I miss your outrage about Bush commuting Scooter Libby's prison sentence?

Apparently so.

This is what I said about it in March of 2007 when we were discussing the possibility of a Libby pardon:

Texan said:
Mike said:
Pardon the man (Libby).
Wait until the appellate process is done. What's good for the Border Patrol guys is good enough for Libby.

http://ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194715#194715



And this is what I had to say about it after the commutation:

Texan said:
There is nothing whatsoever to be gained by Scooter Libby being in jail. Nothing. But...

....what's good for the Border Patrol guys should be good for Scooter Libby. He should have had to wait until all of the appeals were exhausted.

I disagreed with his sentence, but that was the decision by the court and nobody should be above the law. This really smells rotten. I'm very disappointed in my President for this.

http://ranchers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=218390#218390


You notice anything about those statements starting almost two years ago and my statement in this thread? It's called consistency and it comes easily when you take a stand based on principle and not on partisan politics.

Now - you see how easy it is to have the principles and integrity to disagree with your guy when he does something that's not right? You libs really ought to try it.
 

hopalong

Well-known member
kolanuraven said:
Texan said:
I bet the Obama/Holder/Change team just LOVES all this talk about pardons. Let's be sure we keep it in the headlines until the confirmation hearings. :lol:


Do you NOT think that the Border Agents should have been the FIRST to be pardoned?

They are not even being considered.

Read the rules for being considered for a presidetial pardon!
UNFORTUNATLY they do not qualify YET
 
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