Legal Research

Record Number of Felons Seek Pardons From President

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: Crime and Justice News, July 21, 2008

"Felons are asking President Bush for pardons and commutations at historic levels as he nears his final months in office, a time when many other presidents have granted a flurry of clemency requests, reports the New York Times. Among the petitioners is Michael Milken, the billionaire former junk bond king turned philanthropist, who is seeking a pardon for his 1990 conviction for securities fraud. Milken sought a pardon eight years ago from President Bill Clinton, and submitted a new petition in June."

"Others seeking commutation of sentences are Randy Cunningham, the former Republican congressman from California; Edwin W. Edwards, a former Democratic governor of Louisiana; John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban; and Marion Jones, the former Olympic sprinter. Under the Constitution, Bush can issue a commutation, which reduces a sentence, or a pardon, which forgives an offense and erases the criminal record, to anyone. But even if a felon's petition reaches the Oval Office, most of those seeking mercy from Bush should expect to be disappointed. The Bush administration took office amid heavy criticism of Clinton's last-minute pardons, and Bush has made little use of his clemency powers."

New York Times

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on July 21, 2008 (boomark / email).