Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Sentencing Law and Policy

Criminal Law

: Sentencing Law and Policy

Commentary on the decision points of pardon from President Bush

By Douglas A. Berman

Margaret Colgate Love astutely spotlighted for me a passage from President George W. Bush's new memoir about his "pardon surprise."  Here is that passage along with follow-up commentary from former US Pardon Attorney Love: This is from President Bush's description of the pardon "surprise" at the end of his tenure (Decision Points at pp. 104-105): "One of the biggest surprises of my presidency was the flood of pardon requests at the end.  I could not believe the number of people who pulled me aside to suggest that a friend or former colleague deserved a pardon.  At first I was frustrated.  Then I was disgusted. I came to see the massive injustice in the system. If you had connections to the president, you could insert your case into the last-minute frenzy...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on November 11, 2010 (boomark / email).