Presidential Pardons – Not Just For Feathered Turkeys!
by Flyer and Fryer were pardoned on the White House lawn, as is traditional for the day before Thanksgiving. This action made me stop and wonder who would else the President would pardon before he leaves office. Here are a few names I’m personally nominating for the dubious honor.
As is tradition at the White House, President Bush has pardoned two turkeys that would’ve otherwise been bound for a prized spot on the Thanksgiving Day table somewhere in America . Flyer and Fryer have been officially pardoned and sent to Walt Disney World in Orlando , Florida , to lead their parade.
This public relations stunt that’s nearly fifty years old got me thinking about other presidential pardons that might be in the works for some in the current administration. Their ethical and legal behaviors have left nothing to be desired; this group of politicians has been the total embodiment of the old saying, “been there, done that – bought the t-shirt, sent the postcard.”
So here’s my guess list of those in line for a presidential pardon somewhere down the line:
Donald Rumsfeld – He’s already in trouble and facing legal woes in a German probe regarding his role in detention centers and torture. He has much to answer for: Guantanamo Bay , Abu Ghraib and other facilities, secret CIA rendition flights, and secret prisons in Eastern Europe and the Middle East .
George W. Bush – The commander in chief has already pardoned himself with the passage of the Military Commissions Act, which grants him and his staff retroactive immunity to September 11, 2001. There is one sticking point in this: the German court is also nipping at the President’s heels.
The American public thought the Ford was wrong to pardon Nixon, and now the President has essentially pardoned himself. An international court seems to want to have the last word on this subject, and I hope they do. What an awful precedent to set in the legal system – you cannot only pardon yourself, but you can do it retroactively. This is truly the most heinous abuse of power I think I’ve ever heard of.
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