Shades of Mercy: Presidential Forgiveness Heavily Favors Whites

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2011 To avoid repeating a scandal like his predecessor’s, George W. Bush gave career lawyers in the Justice Department far-reaching authority to choose who got presidential pardons. The result: Whites are nearly four times as likely as minorities to win a pardon, even when the type of crime and severity of sentence are taken into account.Whites are nearly four times as likely as minorities to win a presidential pardon. Dig deeper ( 16 Min. Read )

Turkeys

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Nov 28, 2011 Dig deeper

Florida Finally Gets Over Morrison’s Jimmy

Staff / Truthdig Dec 10, 2010 Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has pardoned the late Doors frontman Jim Morrison on a conviction of showing his penis to a Miami concert audience in 1969. Morrison's bandmates have long claimed that the singer may have been belligerent, drunk and obnoxious that night but kept his instrument in his pants. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Report: Karzai Set Taliban Leader Free

Staff / Truthdig Apr 8, 2010 A professional kidnapper and Taliban commander was released from an Afghan prison 10 years early and may have won a hush-hush pardon from Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the BBC reports. Karzai’s people say the president “could not recall the matter.” Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush Left Scooter ‘Hanging in the Wind,’ Says Cheney

Staff / Truthdig Mar 16, 2009 The former vice president is still sore that his top aide didn't get a presidential pardon. Dick Cheney told CNN that he and the president had a "fundamental difference of opinion" that ultimately "left Scooter sort of hanging in the wind, which I didn't think was appropriate." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush Pardons a Loyal Turkey

Staff / Truthdig Nov 27, 2008 The Onion has the skinny on "Scooter" Libby's backdoor pardon. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush Pardons 14

Staff / Truthdig Nov 25, 2008 George W. Bush pardoned 14 criminals Monday, including a convicted violator of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Of the 14, 12 were from states that voted for the president in 2004. Most had been convicted of drug-related crimes. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Howdy, Pardoner

Staff / Truthdig Nov 24, 2008 It's that time again. Felons seeking pardons and commutations had best get in line, as the president already has a backlog of applications, including convicted congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham and junk bonder Michael Milken. So far Ted Stevens and "Scooter" Libby haven't asked. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Saudi King Pardons Rape Victim

Staff / Truthdig Dec 18, 2007 Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah marked the first day of Hajj by pardoning the so-called Qatif girl, who was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison because she was traveling with a man when she was attacked and gang-raped. The Saudi justice minister said that, despite the pardon, the king was "convinced and sure that the verdicts were fair." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Scooter Libby Cries Uncle

Staff / Truthdig Dec 11, 2007 I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has made the "tactical" decision to drop his appeal. After all, why spend millions of dollars in legal fees when you still have friends in high places? President Bush earlier commuted Libby's sentence, keeping the former Cheney aide out of prison but leaving him with a criminal record and a fine. The White House won't comment on whether Bush intends to pardon Libby. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pardon Fight!

Staff / Truthdig Jul 6, 2007 The White House isn't taking kindly to former President Bill Clinton's characterization of the Libby commutation as being "consistent with their philosophy; they believe that they should be able to do what they want to do " Oh, snap! Bush spokesman Tony Snow fired back with a reference to Clinton's own pardon record: "I don't know what Arkansan is for chutzpah, but this is a gigantic case of it". Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Olbermann Calls on Bush to Resign

Staff / Truthdig Jul 4, 2007 In another of his not-to-be-missed special comments, Keith Olbermann takes the president to task over his commutation of "Scooter" Libby's sentence. The "Countdown" host compares Bush to Richard Nixon, who, he says, at least had the decency to resign once his abuse of power was exposed. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )