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Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly!

By TChris, Section Misconduct
Posted on Mon Aug 29, 2005 at 08:22:00 PM EST
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by TChris

Violating the law is virtually stress-free when your buddy is the governor. No need to hire a lawyer or confront charges or contend with a trial that might expose messy facts to public scrutiny. Just ask your pal for a pardon.

Claiming that criminal charges against his appointees were "paralyzing their ability to serve," Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher declared an "amnesty" for appointees accused of illegally replacing state employees with Republican loyalists. At this point, at least, the governor hasn't pardoned himself, but he proudly announced that he'll take the Fifth when he's called before a grand jury on Tuesday.

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    • Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#6)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 09:49:03 AM EST
    And Marc Rich had not been convicted when he was pardoned by Clinton.

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#7)
    by txpublicdefender on Tue Aug 30, 2005 at 09:54:51 AM EST
    I'm not sure what the impeachment or recall procedures are in Kentucky, but it seems to me that if the people of Kentucky stand for this, they have decided to have a King instead of a governor.

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#8)
    by cpinva on Wed Aug 31, 2005 at 01:23:38 AM EST
    you're correct. i did some research (which i probably should have done before i originally posted!), it turns out that pardons can be both pre and post conviction. i need to buy me a gov. and pres., and get me one o' them all purpose pardons!

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:54 PM EST
    Not quite right. Check out the entry on bluegrassreports.org. One person who wrote into that blog writes: The Governor just has no authority to pardon indicted persons because there is no fine to remit, no sentence to commute and no punishment imposed from which to grant a pardon or reprieve. There sure as hell is no authority to pardon persons who "might" be indicted! http://www.bluegrassreport.org/bluegrass_politics/2005/08/legal_problems_.html

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#1)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    The moral clarity is killing me.

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#2)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    Also, if I ever get charged with a crime, it will probably paralyze my life, too. Can I get a pardon as well? Thanks.

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#4)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    i always thought that, in order to be pardoned, one had to have already been convicted. i guess what he's saying is that, yes, they are guilty, but i'm pre-emptively pardoning them, or something like that. funny though, he's accusing the democrat AG of doing exactly what the republican congress did to clinton, with far less evidence of actual wrongdoing than it would appear the KY AG has in his pocket. i wonder, does he appreciate the delicious irony of his plaint?

    Re: Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! (none / 0) (#5)
    by TChris on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:02:56 PM EST
    Nixon hadn't been convicted when he was pardoned by Ford.

    Pardon Me? Oh, Certainly! | 8 comments (8 topical)