Bush Revokes One of His Pardons! Has this ever happened before?

[LiberalHeart]

Apparently Bush didn't vet this crook very well. He somehow overlooked the fact that the guy's daddy contributed a bunch of dough to the GOP and, well, that's just not seemly to then pardon him, right? Especially when Bush didn't even know the extent of the guy's criminal activity till reporters gave him a heads-up.

From the link:

CBS/ AP) President Bush took the very rare step Wednesday of revoking a pardon he had granted only a day before, after learning in news reports of political contributions to Republicans by the man's father and other information.

Mr. Bush pardoned 19 people on Tuesday, including Isaac Robert Toussie of Brooklyn, N.Y., who had been convicted of making false statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and of mail fraud. On Wednesday, the White House issued an extraordinary statement saying the president was reversing his decision in Toussie's case.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the new decision was "based on information that has subsequently come to light," including on the extent and nature of Toussie's prior criminal offenses. She also said that neither the White House counsel's office nor the president had been aware of a political contribution by Toussie's father that "might create an appearance of impropriety."

More here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/24/politics/main4685986.shtml?tag=topHome;topStories

[47of74]

1. Sniff..snifff....

Something stinks in Washington.

[Cheney Killed Bambi]

2. I don't think you can revoke a pardon

My guess is the guy will challenge the revocation, and it might go all the way to the Supreme Court.

[LiberalHeart]

5. That would be interesting. Also, can they blame the guy for what his dad contributed?

Not that I think the developer deserved a pardon, but still -- once it's granted, it's granted. And it makes Bush look like he didn't take the pardon process very seriously if he failed to learn a thing or two about the guy he was pardoning.

[Liberal_in_LA]

23. People who get cheated in the mortgage scam were making a fuss, that may have played into the pardon

also

[rhett o rick]

15. It was done by the King so it is law. nm

[TahitiNut]

26. What does he have to PROVE he was actually, officially pardoned??

It'd be very interesting if he (or his attorney) actually received paperwork to certify the pardon. I have to believe a pardon is accompanied by some kind of documentation.

[LiberalHeart]

28. Well, there's this from Newsday.com (and many other sites)...

Isaac Robert Toussie, the Brooklyn developer who served time in prison for masterminding a massive Suffolk real estate scam, was pardoned Tuesday by President George W. Bush, effectively wiping his criminal record clean.

Toussie was among 19 pardons and one commutation that Bush issued Tuesday before leaving for the holidays in Camp David.
______________

I guess Bush could claim he was just joking.

[TahitiNut]

30. I'm well aware of the announcement but I'm questioning the legal paperwork.

If news stories were official then there's a "pubic inspector" in Benton County, Washington.
:rofl:

[LiberalHeart]

35. There is one, and you wouldn't believe the stuff he's seen. :-0

[backscatter712]

34. Would be nice if pardons could be revoked...

If that precedent was set, Obama could revoke the commutation of Scooter Libby's sentence...

[Angleae]

37. Depends if it had actually been processed.

If not, it could be made into a "clerical error".

[Cha]

3. I bet they rue the days

they "contributed" to the republicon party.

[Pab Sungenis]

4. I don't think he CAN do that.

A pardon is kind of like an execution -- if done in error, it's a tragedy, but can't be undone.

Not to mention it would be a horrible precedent. If the President's pardon power is seen as extending to revocation of pardons, what's to stop Bush from revoking all of Clinton's pardons on January 19th?

I hate to say it, because this pardon was a great example of what's wrong with the system, but to undo it now would raise too many more issues.

[Bolo Boffin]

6. No, it has NEVER happened before.

Is it too late to start impeachment proceedings against him???

Consider this. If Bush can wait a day, what's to stop him from waiting five years? Think of the extortion tool he could hold over someone's head by this new power of revoking pardons.

What about the pardons of other Presidents? Could Barack Obama fix Bill Clinton's little Marc Rich problem? Should Scooter Libby be practicing his shackle walk?

The very notion of revocation of a pardon is ANTITHETICAL to the power itself. I'd compare it to the notion of ex post facto laws. You can decriminalize an offense done by someone, but you cannot criminalize an action by someone and then try them for it. Once given, a pardon should not be able to be revoked. Bush has jumped headlong into yet another Constitutional quagmire that is the coup de grace for his asswipe of a Presidency.

Just when I thought this muthafucka had no more ability to outrage me...

AAAHHHHHHHAAHAHAHHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111!

[LiberalHeart]

8. If only he'd revoke his decision to attack Iraq.

[qazplm]

17. it would seem a pardon

is equivalent to a not guilty verdict.

Once it's done, it's done, even if later evidence comes along to show it shouldn't have been.

That's why the government has the right of an interlocutory appeal that freezes the trial for a decision by an appellate court if they think the judge has made an incorrect legal ruling.

[XemaSab]

7. What a clown

:banghead:

[yardwork]

19. That was my initial, and on reflection, entire reaction. Typical of Bush.

[jmowreader]

9. If a oardon can be revoked, I have a whole list of pardons that should be

Namely, Bush 41's bulk pardons of the Iran-Contra players. Revoke 'em all, get 'em on the stand and let's get GHWB in jail.

[Bluebear]

10. Im sure Bush got off on doing this . "Heh heh heh. Heh heh heh."

[malaise]

16. I'm betting Bush received a phonecall from a Senior Rethug

Senator. "W are you fugging crazy - how can we bring up Mark Rich during the Holder hearings if you pardon this man". This is one more clusterfuck.

[jaysunb]

20. Bingo !

:evilfrown:

[jbfam4]

11. another gut reaction

by the decider-in chief. Guess Bush is reading newspapers.

[Vinnie From Indy]

12. Is there any doubt that somebody's check didn't clear?

It is astounding that Smirky's tally of incompetence continues to grow. He is truly one of America's greatest fuck-ups EVER!

[onethatcares]

13. your thoughts mirror mine.

the dumbbass can't even get a granting of a pardon done right. How many people voted for this asshole? What say we have a beer with him, seems like that kind of guy.:toast:

[rhett o rick]

14. Boy King can't even do a pardon correctly. nm

[lpbk2713]

18. Once a flip-flopper, always a flip-flopper ....

... even a lame-ass duck flip-flopper.



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[gratuitous]

21. Remember, this is the same administration that was ready to hire Bernie Kerik

You'd think that the ongoing problems this administration has in vetting its decisions might catch the attention of even one reporter in the popular media. But if you thought that, you'd be quite wrong.

[GreenInNC]

22. Another example of on the fly decision making nt

[LiberalHeart]

24. Here's a discussion going that says it HAS happened before...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4714479

But the paperwork hadn't gotten to the pardoned folks' hands. So do we know if the paperwork went through on yesterday's pardons yet? Papers might move faster these days.

[TahitiNut]

25. Pardon me??

Only for a day. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[deaniac21]

27. It should have happened with Marc Rich.

[LiberalHeart]

29. I kinda buy into the notion that it should have been a civil case, as Clinton said.

I think he pardoned Rich because he didn't think it should have been a Federal criminal manner.

[deaniac21]

36. I would have just passed on it.

[WillieW]

31. self deleted

wrong board

[Lyric]

32. Sounds to me like he's just testing the waters to see if a pardon CAN be revoked.

Obviously he and his criminal administration have a rather enormous stake in whether or not a Presidential pardon can be revoked--especially if they're afraid that Obama might do the revoking if "new evidence" comes to light.

[LiberalHeart]

33. From the LA Times -- an "explanation" of sorts....

Toussie did not meet Justice Department guidelines for a pardon. The original decision to pardon him had come without a recommendation from the pardon attorney, Ronald L. Rodgers, and the request for a pardon came less than five years after completion of his sentence.

Further, Toussie had taken his case directly to the Oval Office and had hired Bradford Berenson, a former top lawyer in the White House counsel's office, to handle the case.
____

All of which begs the question: So how did he get the pardon in the first place?

[dysfunctional press]

38. once the guy is pardoned- he's PARDONED.

is there anything in the constitution about revoking them?

but then- that kind of detail has never impeded the boy king.