Cross-posted at StreetProphets, a dKos community.
President Bush issued pardons to 11 people this week, bringing the total number of pardons during his 5 years in office to 69.
As has been his custom, all of Bush's pardons went to people who have completed their sentences long ago. None of his pardons actually got someone out of prison early.
The Constitution gives the President unlimited powers to pardon prisoners held in federal prison. Bush has yet to exercise that power to release someone. There are currently
188,575 federal inmates in the United States. The President couldn't find
even one of them worthy of a little grace during this Christmas season.
Humbug, indeed.
The 11 pardon recipients are:
Carl E. Cantrell of Monteagle, Tennessee. Sentenced in 1967 to three years' probation for violation of IRS liquor laws.
Charles Winston Carter of Hanna City, Ill. Sentenced in 1964 to two years' probation for conspiracy to steal U.S. property.
Harper James Finucan of Charleston, S.C. Sentenced in 1980 to 39 months' imprisonment and five years' special parole for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Bobby Frank Kay Sr. of Suffolk, Va. Sentenced in 1959 to two years' incarceration and a $1,003 fine for operation of an illegal distillery.
Melvin L. McKee of Surprise, Ariz. Sentenced in 1982 to five years' probation conditioned upon 400 hours of community service and a $2,500 fine for conspiracy to make and cause the making of false statements in loan applications and aiding and abetting the making of a materially false statement in a loan application.
Charles Ellis McKinley of Pall Mall, Tennessee. Sentenced in 1950 to two years' probation for violation of IRS liquor laws.
Donald Lee Pendergrass of Ramona, California. Sentenced in 1964 to 12 years' imprisonment for bank robbery.
Charles Blurford Power of Fort Pierce, Fla. Sentenced in 1948 to one year and one day in prison for interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.
John Gregory Schillace of Hammond, La. Sentenced in 1988; sentence amended in 1989 to 20 months' imprisonment and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.
Wendy St. Charles of Denver, Colorado. Sentenced in 1984 to four years imprisonment, four years of special parole and four years of probation, consecutively, for conspiracy to conduct a narcotics enterprise and distribution of cocaine.
Jimmy Lee Williams of Mesquite, Texas. Sentenced to five years probation and a $5,000 fine for making a false statement on a loan application.