Updated: Huckabee's Clemency Fetish

Allah links this post and links to another story, one that leaves me with a big question. When asked about his pardons for a story which included the Dumond case, Huckabee said specifically to the number of pardons issue:

"Compared to previous governors, it really wasn't that disproportionate,'' Huckabee said. "The truth can't hurt me on this one.''

As we're dealing with a man from Hope here ... is it wrong to assume he meant but didn't intend to say the truth of the Dumond case could hurt him? A possible truth he is ducking by calling several people liars?

You'll want to read Allah's post here to get up to speed on the Wayne Dumond issue. I decided to do a little looking.

Then I found this:

If you're wondering how Gov. Huckabee's hundreds of clemencies compare with neighboring states, get ready for a shocker.

Huckabee leads the pack.

He has issued more commutations and pardons than all of the six neighboring states combined.

Other governors use their clemency power only rarely, while Huckabee has made it routine. As we've told you before, he has issued more than 700 pardons and commutations during his eight years in office – more than 137 this year alone – and more than his three predecessors combined.

Here are the figures for neighboring states since 1996, when Huckabee took office (and keep in mind the population of these states is nearly 20 times ours):

Louisiana – 213.
Mississippi – 24.
Missouri – 79.
Oklahoma – 178.
Tennessee – 32.
Texas – 98 (in-cludes 36 inmates released because they were convicted on drug charges with planted evidence).

Total: 624 vs. Huckabee's 703.

Governors in neighboring states almost never grant killers clemency, while Huckabee has commuted the sentences of a dozen murderers.

"That is extremely rare here," said one corrections official in a neighboring state.

Comments

[Pistol Pete]

While it is entirely possible Huckabee make some poor judgements on who to give clemency to, I am actually quite encouraged by these stats. It actually shows he's doing what he says he's doing - letting his faith drive his politics.

[Dan Riehl]

"letting his faith drive his politics"

I don't care about faith driving his politics. I expect the rule of law to drive the judicial system. I suppose if his faith told him to execute them,instead of pardoning them, you'd be okay with that, too? If it's warranted, a pardon is fine, but it's an abuse of power for any one man to assume he should so often be the final arbiter of justice.

[Gene]

I used to support Mike Huckabee, but since he pardoned a rapist who went on to rape and KILL two women, he no longer has my support!!! We don't need more politicians like him in office.

[seekeronos]

Ehhh.

Reminds me of Mike Dukakis, 1988. Willie Horton.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC9j6Wfdq3o

Except, this is Willie Horton with a weekend pass to the 80th power.

And on that note, I think I'll drop a note to the Fred Team. Hopefully, he'll run a few miles with it. :P

[Mary]

My daughter was murdered 5 years ago. The pain is unbelievable. Every day I feel like I am being punched in the stomach. I can only think of my daughter in an abstract way, if I try to think deeply about what happened to her I reach the point of wanting to die.

You can not in any way imagine the pain. My father died when I was 18, my husband died when I was 36. My nephew died, my 2 brothers died, my 2 sisters died. They were tragic deaths and sad but nothing prepared me for what I am now going through.

It's not like losing a child through illness or accident. I could have handled that. I would have thought it was fate. But murder is different. It's so unfair, so cold, so cruel, so mean, so evil.

No murderer should ever be pardoned, no governor has the right to do that. His compassion is misplaced. His compassion should go to the victim's family not to some low life cretin who didn't care about the pain he was responsible for.

I didn't like Huckabee before and now, knowing this, I despise him. If he is the nominee I'll stay home.

[Vince]

"letting his faith drive his politics"

So, granting parole to dangerous violent criminals who have a very high recidivism rate is doing the Lord's Work?

I think your need to rethink what that phrase really ought to mean. Would you be willing to use that cliche to explain Mike Huckabee's rationale to the victims' mother?

[seekeronos]

God's COMMANDMENT to the state is to execute justice against the murderer.

And this is a commandment for ALL people and all governments - not limited to Jewish or Levitical law:

"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (Genesis 9:6, KJV)

The Word of God is quite clear then: a murderer must be put to death to avenge his blood.

Therefore, I maintain that Gov. Huckabee has failed in the mandate he received from Heaven through the voice of the voters... and furthermore, is unfit to be a President.

[seekeronos]

EDIT:

"a murderer must be put to death to avenge his victim's blood".

[jkatl]

After reading all the articles on this issue I don't know how he can in good conscience run for president. Then to see him on CNN so smoothly lay the blame on everyone but himself is almost creepy. This guy is even slicker than slick willy himself. And 700 commutations???? Some of these commutations come with favors down the road. Kickbacks maybe???. He's got all kinds of ethical violations as govenor. I sure hope this Dumond issue gains huge traction and his numbers go down in Iowa. If the evangelicals propel this creep to victory in Iowa and he should steal the nomination it would make me absolutely sick.

[meep]

I did not like his policy proposals, and I definitely don't think highly of his judgment now.

I guess I'm being overly Catholic here, because I do not equate forgiveness with absolving people from all punishment.

But more than anything, I dislike sanctimonious politicians. They get my hackles up. I don't care what religion they are, it's very annoying.

[Fred Beloit]

"If it's warranted, a pardon is fine, but it's an abuse of power for any one man to assume he should so often be the final arbiter of justice."

Yes, exactly, and as noted it seems to be correlated with the sons of Hope.

[TheSpartan]

"So, granting parole to dangerous violent criminals who have a very high recidivism rate is doing the Lord's Work?"

Only when the victim was the relative of a political rival.

[Fred Beloit]

Spart, you are so...so...glib; that's it...glib.

[joeb]

The people of Arkansas really send us some winners don't they. Why do people fall for these phoney religious types anyway? HOPEfully he will lose and return to Arkansas.

[templar knight]

"...you are so..so..glib;..."

Fred, glib was not the word that came to my mind when reading his sophomoric comment. He's so....so....

a)immature
b)stupid
c)dumb
d)hypocritical
e)all of the above.

I love it when the Leftys want to criticize someone for releasing dangerous criminals. Hell, that's their policy, along with getting them the VOTE.

[jj]

Uh, joeb, the people of Arkansas didn't send you anyone. But you ought to learn a little bit about Hope, Ar. and its history, and you might understand more about some of the people who came from there, and why they are like they are, and how a small town in Arkansas could produce men of their stature, whether you agree with their politics or not.

For instance, I've heard Huckabee criticized for his stance on immigration, particularly his proposals on behalf of children of illegal immigrants. Well, I can help you with that. Hope is on I-40, and for some reason, a rest stop was created there to allow Mexican migrant farm workers to rest and recouperate. Churches from the Hope area took it upon themselves to make the farm workers stay comfortable and memorable. Many church people in the Hope area developed a soft spot in their hearts for these people, and worked hard to help them, and became very attached to the Mexican people through these migrant farm workers from Mexico. That is why Huckabee is so pro-Mexican. He loves the Mexican people and wants to help them, because that is what he grew up doing, helping them. I disagree with his position, but I understand where he developed it.

As for the Dumond affair, the mutilation of this man by county officials created sympathy for him throughout the state. Frankly, I would never have released the guy, but he wasn't released in a vacumn, as many people in the state believed he had been railroaded and mutilated by corrupt county officials. His subsequent actions proved him to be a bad prospect for early release, to say the least.