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In reply to the discussion: Email I received from Don Siegelman: [View all]Time for change
(13,714 posts)32. Whether you agree with it or not, presidential pardons are legal
Given that they are legal, I see no reason why they shouldn't be used to correct severe injustices.
The question of political risk is a somewhat different, though related issue. I realize that Obama is highly averse to taking political risk. But that doesn't excuse his failure to correct a severe injustice that is clearly within his legal rights to do. Unlike Ford's pardon of Nixon or Bush's commuting of Libby's sentence, Obama could provide detailed sensible rationale for pardoning Siegelman. In doing so, he could not only correct a severe injustice, but he could bring this whole sordid affair to national attention, as it should be.
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You mean like Ford pardoned Nixon? It was widely seen as political. We'd be screaming bloody....
Tarheel_Dem
Jul 2012
#14
Clarification re Bush: He didn't pardon Libby but he did commute his prison sentence
Jim Lane
Jul 2012
#15
Bush didn't worry about the political fallout either, he just did it. And the only people upset by
sabrina 1
Jul 2012
#17
Everyone's personal feelings for Don Siegelman aside, how far do we go down this particular road?
Tarheel_Dem
Jul 2012
#23
I agree with most of what you've laid out. However, my concern is that everyone we like.....
Tarheel_Dem
Aug 2012
#29
You know what? I'm sick of these "causes" being laid at the White House steps. Do you know how....
Tarheel_Dem
Aug 2012
#34
You mean he should do what YOU think is the "right thing". Remember, there's what YOU think....
Tarheel_Dem
Aug 2012
#40
I worked with him on the Carter campaign. You are right == he is a fantastic guy. Unbelievably
Laura PourMeADrink
Jul 2012
#20
Thank you for sharing this inside about this man... Everything I have read about him points towards
midnight
Jul 2012
#24
Wow...poor Don..we should organize a campaign to have Obama pardon him. surprised he
Laura PourMeADrink
Jul 2012
#19