Loading ...Parsing the pardons: Huckabee’s landmines
flockwoodYesterday morning on the East Coast, 2008 Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee told Fox News he was leaning against running for president in 2012.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, a Huckabee clemency recipient was allegedly preparing to carry out a murderous attack on four law enforcement officials.
Of the more than 1,000 people who received pardons, commutations or clemency from Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, at least two of them, apparently, have ended up killing innocent people. And there are hundreds of other potential landmines out there, just waiting to detonate.
It’s a tragedy for the good people of Lakewood, Washington. And it’s an ominous sign for Gov. Huckabee. Given recidivism rates, there are bound to be other blowups between now and Election Day 2012. Hopefully, none this awful. And they’ll haunt Huckabee from first to last.
I’m guessing there are people out there who got a second chance from Gov. Huckabee and who turned their lives around. I’d like to hear some of the success stories. But this is shades of Willie Horton and Michael Dukakis back in 1988. And operation research will be pouring over every single pardon, commutation and clemency petition if Huckabee casts his hat in the ring in 2012.
November 30th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I used to live in that county in WA state, it is a very violent place, with lots of gang activity and other problems. I don’t like Mike Huckabee or his right wing Christian politics, but he was not the only player in this story. The clemency boards in most states make the selections and send the names on to the governor. There was a judge who agreed with the decision. In Washington they arrested him recently and knowing his history let him out on bail. He seems to have some kind of mental health issues as he during one strange incident said he was Jesus and he seemed to want to attack those in authority showing possible paranoia. I know Washington is good at dealing with mentally ill legal offenders because I used to work with them myself. Somehow this man slipped through a lot of cracks and Huckabee is not responsible for all of them. His crazy rationale for using Christianity as a reason for pardoning people is inexcusable, but not the whole story here. The statistics show 1 in 7 are in prison for crimes they did not commit. I would hate to see governors not grant clemency in cases of injustice because of this incident.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:08 am
Don’t really see what this has to do with spirituality…
December 1st, 2009 at 11:46 am
Would Jesus have granted this man clemency? Hmmm…
December 1st, 2009 at 11:49 am
The fact that Huckabee commuted Clemmons sentence to 47 years (hmmm…how old was Clemmons when he died?) making him ELIGIBLE for parole does not in the most remote sense determine causality in the murderous rampage committed by Clemmons. This incredible blast of lunacy from the Huckabee haters only blame Huckabee now because they never wanted to see him be president in the first place. They know the causality isn’t there. The fact that they ignore everything else that has happened from Clemmons teenage years up until now is so stupid (this word fits) as to deserve a new category of Darwin award. What’s amazing is that the finger pointing is happening by the very people that had more directly to do with letting Clemmons go than Huckabee himself, namely LARRY JEGLEY and the Washington state judges. So Clemmons at 16 gets 108 years for burglary charges – commutation to 47 years was the right thing to do. Let the punishment fit the crime. Jegley botched up the paperwork AFTER Clemmons violated his parole and was sent back to prison resulting in his being released – major FU. Bail set at $15,000 for a rape of a 12 year old (Clemmons was not a rapist at age 16) – major FU.
Its time Jegley man up and own that he let this man go. Its time those Washington state judges let these guys they let go babysit their own kids.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:56 am
In defense of the Governor, I have had the impression from th start that his mission was not to be president but to be “effective” in aiding that choice. This is another example where the small thing makes the great difference.;We can’t be perfect and one can’t but respect his intent. Thus he should just make clear that his trust in the judgement of others he respected led him astray. and that he hopes there are not other imperfections waiting to spring. His program is superb. He is part of a winning team on Fix News. Hope the other feel as do I. Dr. Dick- Please just get on with it.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:31 pm
He very well could be for Huckabee what Willie Horton was for Dukakis. One difference is, Horton does not(to my knowledge) profess to be Jesus Christ like Clemmons did.