Video: NBC on Huckabee’s clemencies
posted at 9:31 pm on December 17, 2007 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
The second time in a week that NBC’s cast an exacting eye at his record. Huck’s campaign asks us to keep things in perspective. The numbers:
Here is the breakdown on Governor Huckabee’s Clemency stats from 7-15-96 through 12-31-06:
Pardon requests: 3646
Pardon denied: 2401
Pardon granted: 85866% of the requests were denied.
Commutation requests: 4925
Commutation denied: 4257
Commutation granted: 16586% of the requests were denied.
Firearm rights only requests: 127
Firearm rights only denied: 49
Firearm rights only granted: 6439% of the requests were denied.
Add the pardons and commutations, divide by the total number of weeks in a 10.5 year term, and you’re averaging well over one per Sunday. The Maxwell case mentioned by NBC reflects better on Huck than Dumond does — for one thing, he actually did act with the courage of his convictions in this one, commuting Maxwell’s sentence, and Maxwell apparently hasn’t reverted to his old ways since he’s been out. Why make him the showpiece, then? Probably because of the reason Huck (allegedly) gave when granting the commutation. Watch and see.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
My fellow Southern Baptist is doing his best to discredit electing Christians to high office for the foreseeable future, isn’t he.
Bryan on December 17, 2007 at 9:36 PM
The irony is the victim was a pastor.
Allahpundit on December 17, 2007 at 9:38 PM
One remembers Willie Horton.
conservnut on December 17, 2007 at 9:42 PM
That didn’t seem to be that critical. They even troubled to identify the prosecutor cited as a Democrat. Weird.
Spirit of 1776 on December 17, 2007 at 9:43 PM
I noticed that too.
baldilocks on December 17, 2007 at 9:46 PM
Yeah. The victim was a pastor, and Pastor Huck hears that the perp has got religion, so he gives him clemency. It’s as though Huckabee lacks a basic BS detector, or at least confuses spiritual redemption with secular justice. Either way, his clemency record doesn’t speak well of him at all.
Bryan on December 17, 2007 at 9:49 PM
Exactly.
baldilocks on December 17, 2007 at 9:50 PM
I think Huckabee’s supporters should reflect for a moment and ask themselves, in the event that Huckabee wins the nomination just exactly whose prayers will have been answered, theirs or the Democrats. It’s been a long time since Democrats have been able to take the high road and claim that their candidate is tougher on crime.
FloatingRock on December 17, 2007 at 9:51 PM
True remorse. Genuine remorse. So. What difference does that make. Was a crime committed? Was a verdict passed? Was a sentence handed out? Remorse is fine. Pat the fella on the back, say ‘Good for you’, and then make sure his cell door is still double locked as you walk away. Put him on your Christmas card list, don’t put him on the street.
Limerick on December 17, 2007 at 9:55 PM
What about mercy?
Please note: Huck didn’t let the guy out, he merely commuted his sentence. The parole board did the rest.
Allahpundit on December 17, 2007 at 9:56 PM
What about it?
baldilocks on December 17, 2007 at 9:57 PM
The dude does seem to have reformed himself, no?
Allahpundit on December 17, 2007 at 9:58 PM
What about it? Guess I’m just a Mr.Potter when it comes to this kind of stuff. Crime, trial, verdict, punishment….the story should end there. ‘I promise not to do-it again’ means nothing, sincere or not.
Limerick on December 17, 2007 at 9:59 PM
I mean, where are you saying that mercy should be employed?
baldilocks on December 17, 2007 at 9:59 PM
It is ironic. Contrast that to Bush’s ‘compassionate conservatism’ with, the name escapes me… the lady that converted to Christianity and petitioned for mercy. Which was denied as I recall.
Spirit of 1776 on December 17, 2007 at 10:00 PM
Karla Faye Tucker. She received her heavenly redemption.
baldilocks on December 17, 2007 at 10:02 PM
Karla Faye Tucker. I find myself wondering whether Huckabee would have commuted her sentence.
Slublog on December 17, 2007 at 10:03 PM
Thanks baldilocks, Slublog.
Spirit of 1776 on December 17, 2007 at 10:05 PM
‘He worked at the Governors mansion.’….alarm bells. Motive, opportunity, sucker…….result…boo hoo, poor me, can I plant some more roses for the Misses, praise the Lord, you are a good man, sorry I did that gov, but Jesus will see me though it’….
like I said…sucker.
Limerick on December 17, 2007 at 10:07 PM
YW! I remember that many of the televangelists were advocating for Tucker’s clemency and I was like “What???” GWB wasn’t having it. That was when I first became aware of his existence.
baldilocks on December 17, 2007 at 10:09 PM
I don’t see how Huckabee can overcome the heat he is getting. It is warranted to say the least. I’m glad that the “New Media” was here. The MSM is starting to learn a few things…..
Nelsa on December 17, 2007 at 10:18 PM
Jesus(The Son of God aka TSOG)on the cross: “’sup”
First criminal(FC): “dude! get us down!”
TSOG: /ignore…
Other criminal(OC): “jagoff! don’t talk like that! This guy is TSOG, you better watch it or you’ll get booted! We’re up here for a reason but his deal was completely bogus”
TSOG to : See you at my place after we log off…cool?
OC: cool…
TBinSTL on December 17, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Just wanted a way to illustrate what Jesus seemed to think about repentance and earthly punishment.
TBinSTL on December 17, 2007 at 10:20 PM
not to be crude….nail on head
Limerick on December 17, 2007 at 10:21 PM
According to the Christian religion, God forgives the sins of those truly repentant. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had the omnipotent power to be certain a person was really sorry? Well, we don’t, so all we can do is to try our best to judge our fellow [wo]men.
DannoJyd on December 17, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Though my girlfriends frequently confuse me with a god, I’m not him. Therefore, I say let the bastards rot – God shall surely know his own.
In other words – mercy ain’t in my dictionary. Honestly, all felons should be life sentences, only granted probation after a minimum term and eligible to return for even thinking about breaching conditions. The bloody code has some definite advantages to it. Libertarian doesn’t have to mean soft-headed idiot, but apparently this “conservative” pastor is a born sucker. What will the voracious barbarians and the traitors at State get him to agree to?
libertarianuberalles on December 17, 2007 at 10:30 PM
Why wasn’t this guy on death row,and I like that
phrase,scrutinize,you mean the media all along
hasn’t been the great scrutinizer of Republican’s.
canopfor on December 17, 2007 at 10:31 PM
“… many many years had passed since maybe a crime was committed.”
??????
What I’d like to see is the graph of Pardon and Commutation requests on a year by year basis. If Huckabee was seen as a sucka, then everyone and their jailed brother would start sending requests in after a couple of years, so the numbers game Huckabee’s using will be distorted.
Dusty on December 17, 2007 at 10:34 PM
Many years had passed…
Wasn’t it Machiavelli who said “Take from the weak and not the strong”, because the weak will have little recourse and the strong won’t take offense?
Christian indeed!
/sarcasm
thareb on December 17, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Huck is wrong if he thinks the Christian’s love for redemption should motivate early release. Baloney – a governor’s duty to protect the citizens is primary. You don’t put the public at risk by releasing people based on your “feelings”.
Any student of the Bible knows the repentant soul comes to faith through supernatural grace by the Holy Spirit, not by good efforts or willpower. When a man comes to faith, he understands better than anyone how deserving he is of punishment… just consider the repentant criminal who died on a cross alongside Jesus. It’s mighty presumptuous of Huck to believe he can read hearts in this fashion.
Release someone early because you believe he has come to faith? Wouldn’t be prudent.
T J Green on December 17, 2007 at 10:59 PM
Is this the guy he commuted to like 100 years or something?
bnelson44 on December 17, 2007 at 11:10 PM
Do the freaking time.
As a Christian, I would posit this too: here would seem to be a clear preference to a particular faith. I bet good money Huck’s not swayed by conversion to Zoroastrianism, or what have you.
I’d be the first to argue Christianity’s track record at reforming the sinner, especially compared to other belief sets. But I find many believers to be easily swayed and downright undiscerning if someone starts in with the right phrases. Mike Warnke, anybody? We’re a sadly gullible lot when it comes to picking out the genuine article.
For every Chuck Colson (did he finish his sentence?) there’s a lot of folks just playing our emotions. No way do I want a president who’s demonstrated ineptitude and incompetence in granting clemency.
TexasDan on December 18, 2007 at 12:21 AM
Huckleberry is a creep who would be perfect as Archbishop of Canterbury with his left wing world political correct views. I have learned to despise the man.
Hilts on December 18, 2007 at 1:15 AM
Yes, Christ talked about forgiveness and redemption…but never about not holding someone accountable for his actions. We judge actions, not what is in someones heart. We are told to hold leaders to a higher standard, and Huck does not fit that standard. He needs to set aside his own concerns and protect the people he is sworn to protect.
Huck is a weak man, and worse, he uses the bible to justify his poor weak actions.
right2bright on December 18, 2007 at 1:35 AM
A lot of people become Moslems in prison. Would he pardon them too?
Tzetzes on December 18, 2007 at 2:29 AM
That’s not the King James Version, is it?
Tzetzes on December 18, 2007 at 2:29 AM
Even with his own son. Read this- it’ll trouble ya I bet.
I’ve known many parents like this- the children often grow up to be felons.
Ex-tex on December 18, 2007 at 9:48 AM
I dunno Allah, mercy?
that would have been a useful concept to consider before killing a Pastor. Admittedly the Pastor is dead regardless, but when does Mercy trump Justice?
Justice seems to clearly show that you’ve needlessly and violently taken a life for selfish reasons. Paying for that crime and removing the chance of you committing a similar crime is the goal of most Justice minded people.
Mercifully letting the criminals go to commit new crimes upon the innocents in society doesn’t really seem that “merciful”. At least not to the victims of the crime.
So I guess if you want to consider “mercy” you need to look at which side of mercy you’re more interested in.
Mercy for the victims of crime (preventing more from becoming victims).
Mercy for the perpetrators of crime.
I’m not sure why you’re playing devil’s advocate and arguing that mercy for convicted criminals is a better thing than mercy for the innocents in society.
But justice says let them serve their full sentence, and mercy seems to favor the innocent; so keeping criminals out of society seems beneficial from a viewpoint of purely “mercy” too.
Unless for some reason, mercy to a man who murdered another without justifiable cause is better than mercy for a man killed for no good reason. I can’t imagine anyone taking that position, but it seems the only one where “mercy” justifies this sort of action.
gekkobear on December 18, 2007 at 12:13 PM
I think I captured the essence of the scene….
TBinSTL on December 18, 2007 at 12:14 PM
Comment pages: