Gov. Huckabee commuted Clemmons' 108-year prison term

[gsvol]

How could you possibly blame Huckabee for this?

Clemmons is just one of 1,103 criminals who were granted clemency by Huckabee.

Nothing new in Arkansas, he actually let out far fewer violent felons than any of the dumborat govs dating all the way back to the Clinton era.

 

[J-P]

Thanks for posting that, Panthro. Facts are pesky little annoyances to those trying to make a political point...

 

[Gramps]

Washington State Tragedy
by Mike Huckabee

12/01/2009


2. The commutation didn’t release him. It made him parole eligible. He had to meet the conditions of parole for the parole board, who in fact paroled him. He had been in prison for 11 years at the time of his release.

If Huckabee had not commutted the 108 year prison term. Clemmons would not have been considered for parole. If not for Huckabee's actions , no way would Clemmons had been released at that time.

 

[KB5252]

Washington State Tragedy
by Mike Huckabee

12/01/2009


2. The commutation didn’t release him. It made him parole eligible. He had to meet the conditions of parole for the parole board, who in fact paroled him. He had been in prison for 11 years at the time of his release.

If Huckabee had not commutted the 108 year prison term. Clemmons would not have been considered for parole. If not for Huckabee's actions , no way would Clemmons had been released at that time.

Perhaps but let's be fair about it, he was acting on the recommendation he was given. It looks like the judge and many in the community also spoke on his behalf in the matter.

I was never a big fan of Huckabee to begin with but trying to lay blame at his feet looks pretty petty. It appears the entire system failed, hard to lay the blame on one man.

 

[utvolpj]

Perhaps but let's be fair about it, he was acting on the recommendation he was given. It looks like the judge and many in the community also spoke on his behalf in the matter.

I was never a big fan of Huckabee to begin with but trying to lay blame at his feet looks pretty petty. It appears the entire system failed, hard to lay the blame on one man.

while that may be true, I still feel like commuting the sentence of a guy on his 5th felony conviction is a bit ridiculous. Sometimes you just gotta let them rot

 

[Gramps]

while that may be true, I still feel like commuting the sentence of a guy on his 5th felony conviction is a bit ridiculous. Sometimes you just gotta let them rot

Agree...

It also seems odd that the 108 year sentence was commuted to 47 years, five months and 19 days which made him eligible for parole at that point.

 

[gsvol]

A look at Huckabee's record.

As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee dramatically increased state spending. During his two-term tenure, spending increased by more than 65 percent .....

The number of government workers increased by 20 percent, and the state's debt services increased by nearly $1 billion. Huckabee financed his spending binge with higher taxes. Under his leadership, the average Arkansan's tax burden increased 47 percent, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, including increases in the state's gas, sales, income, and cigarette taxes. He raised taxes on everything from groceries to nursing home beds.


Huckabee answers these complaints by pointing out that he "cut taxes 94 times" while governor. True. But most of those tax cuts were tiny, like exempting residential lawn care from the sales tax. Some cuts reduced overall state revenues by as little as $15,000. On net, Huckabee increased state taxes by more than $500 million. In fact, Huckabee increased taxes in the state by more than Bill Clinton did.

Huckabee has called for increased federal spending on a variety of programs from infrastructure to health care. He wants more energy subsidies, including, naturally, more subsidies for ethanol.

He says it is "a biblical duty" to pass more regulation to fight global warming.

 

[gsvol]

Agree...

It also seems odd that the 108 year sentence was commuted to 47 years, five months and 19 days which made him eligible for parole at that point.

Man who served time in an Arkansas prison with Maurice Clemmons has been identified as the getaway driver in the fatal shooting of four Lakewood police officers.

Allen was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a 1990 double murder at a Little Rock liquor store. He was paroled in 2004.

No word yet if Hucakbee commuted his sentence also.

Clemmons is just one of 1,103 criminals who were granted clemency by Huckabee.

That link includes more details on some of those cases.

Huckabee very rarely offered reasons for his numerous clemencies, although he was required by state law to do so. His pattern of clemencies usually fell into four categories:

The justice system treated them more harshly than most.

They knew a person who had known the governor.

They worked at the Governor’s Mansion.

A minister interceded for them.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports this:

The Parole Board, then known as the Post Prison Transfer Board, recommended clemency, and Huckabee granted it on May 2, 2000, citing Clemmons’ age and noting that no law enforcement agencies had objected to his release. He was released on parole in August 2000.

On Monday, Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley said his office has a policy of objecting to clemency requests and that he didn’t know why there isn’t an objection on file with the Parole Board in Clemmons’ case.

“All I can surmise is that we never got the notice that he was up for clemency until it was a done deal,” Jegley said. He added, “That wouldn’t have made any difference anyway. I objected to hundreds of others and they always got out.”

Mike Hucakbee's political carreer is over.

He will never be president. He will never be elected to anything. He can keep hosting his show on Fox News – and he’d better – because it’s the closest to politics he’s ever going to come.

........................

One of the biggest concerns I had about Huckabee at the time was his apparent belief that, as a Christian holding the office of Arkansas governor, he should use the power of clemency to somehow extend Christian mercy to dangerous criminals who might take advantage of his generosity to harm others. Here’s what I said about that:

Worse, he seems to see his position of authority as a mechanism to impulsively apply his evangelical agenda. As governor, he pardoned or otherwise advocate (sic) the earlier release of more than 1,000 criminals, with beneficiaries including 13 murderers .............

 

[gsvol]

while that may be true, I still feel like commuting the sentence of a guy on his 5th felony conviction is a bit ridiculous. Sometimes you just gotta let them rot

How right you are!!

Another example.

Lindon Roy Knutson came to Kandiyohi County as a convicted sex offender who had committed numerous sexual assaults in Wisconsin, repeatedly violated probation and recently been arrested for failing to register as a predatory sex offender in Bemidji, Minn.

Ten days after posting $2,500 bail and walking out of jail there, Nelson, 61, walked into a small country church just north of Willmar last Tuesday and asked the church's custodian, a 73-year-old woman, for a tour.

As she escorted him through the building, he suddenly shoved her into a wall, kicked her, beat her and sexually assaulted her, according to criminal charges filed Monday.
....................................

Knutson had been convicted of a string of sexual assaults dating back to the mid-1970s, with his first rape conviction occurring in St. Croix County in 1975. Knutson has admitted to at least 10 previous assaults and was registered as a permanent offender in 2002, requiring lifetime commitment, according to the complaint. A Wisconsin judge released him from commitment last year, the complaint states.
.....................................................

Kandiyohi County Sheriff Dan Hartog said; "From everything we see, as far as his past criminal history is concerned, he shouldn't have been out."

Another item the media REFUSES to report.
(just like the current 'climategate' scandal.)

Black Muslim Group Celebrates “Brother & Martyr” Maurice Clemmons.

“For Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen.” BOW Martyr Against White Terrorist & Racist Police Regime (Maurice Clemmons) Adorned With Virgins, Jewelry & Crowned; “When the Battle is Over, We Shall Wear a Crown.” – Seattle Black Foot Soldiers

The Seattle Blackfoot Soldiers IS an offshoot of the Nation of Islam.

Reportedly Clemmons was recruited to NOI while serving time in an Arkansas prison.

 

[gsvol]

The Arkansas coordinator for Mike Huckabee's political action committee resigned Tuesday, citing the former Arkansas governor's decision nine years ago to grant clemency to Maurice Clemmons, the man suspected of murdering four police officers in Washington state.

Jason Tolbert, who runs a conservative blog, served as Arkansas state coordinator for HuckPAC in a volunteer capacity.

 

[gsvol]

 

[KB5252]

while that may be true, I still feel like commuting the sentence of a guy on his 5th felony conviction is a bit ridiculous. Sometimes you just gotta let them rot

Wasn't aware of this, I would tend to agree he should have served out his sentence.

 

[WA_Vol]

How much time does a Governor have to review criminal cases that come up? If he spent a day on one case, he would probably do nothing but review criminal cases while in office. Most governors simply act on the advice of the parole board, that's all they have time for.

It hurt Dukasis when he ran against Bush (Willie Horton). The problem is we don't have the prisons to hold all these people, that's one of the main reasons for early release, there is no place to house them. If they would start executing people for murder instead of giving them life and stop prosecuting people for marijuana, someone told me 50% of people in prison, are in for using pot. That would be so simple way to fix prison overcrowding.

I think the outcome of this is that governors now are not going to allow any more early releases, I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I think this will be the outcome.

 

[MG1968]

Huckabee commuted Clemmons' sentence, he didn't grant an early release.

 

[Panthro]

The Huck haters are probably right that his political future is destroyed now, but I still don't feel like it makes sense to put all of this blame on him.
He could have been like other Governors who have gone with a strict 0% clemency policy just political reasons...but then again, he's a guy who likes to try and bring a little compassion to the republican party.
Obviously this one was a swing and a miss on his part, but again, there was no way anyone could have possibly predicted this.
Let's move on.

 

[gsvol]

The Huck haters are probably right that his political future is destroyed now, but I still don't feel like it makes sense to put all of this blame on him.
He could have been like other Governors who have gone with a strict 0% clemency policy just political reasons...but then again, he's a guy who likes to try and bring a little compassion to the republican party.
Obviously this one was a swing and a miss on his part, but again, there was no way anyone could have possibly predicted this.
Let's move on.

In the spirit of moving on and in light of the fact that the Huckster's boat is scuttled, whom would you select to be our next president??

I'm not a Huck hater btw, I just don't agree with many of his stated policies. (and what he has accomplished so far in his political carreer.)

Show me a Republican who would bring some compassion for upholding the US Constitution and you have my attention.

 

[OrangeYankee]

All this did was confirm my suspicions of Huck from day one: He's W all over again. I mean the exact same guy with the exact same policy mind. "Compassionate Conservative." Extremely socially conservative, loves to talk the talk of fiscal responsibility and buys the masses by "lowering taxes," but turns around and spends like a sailor. The one thing Huck does worse is the dude is guilty of raising taxes as well. Hell, I think Palin would do better as president than him. If he gets the nod and we have 4-8 more years of Bush, I'm seriously thinking of leaving the country because there will be nothing but Democrat Reds and Democrat Lights.

 

[MG1968]

All this did was confirm my suspicions of Huck from day one: He's W all over again. I mean the exact same guy with the exact same policy mind. "Compassionate Conservative." Extremely socially conservative, loves to talk the talk of fiscal responsibility and buys the masses by "lowering taxes," but turns around and spends like a sailor. The one thing Huck does worse is the dude is guilty of raising taxes as well. Hell, I think Palin would do better as president than him. If he gets the nod and we have 4-8 more years of Bush, I'm seriously thinking of leaving the country because there will be nothing but Democrat Reds and Democrat Lights.

c'mon now, W allowed the state of Texas to execute all manner of people on the TX death row. I think he even denied clemency to a woman and a retarded Mexican.

 

[OrangeYankee]

I'm not really comparing their stances on the death penalty per se. It's just the whole "compassionate" thing overall just gives me the same vibes. I just think in the end Huck would be a lot like Bush, which I still stand as saying would be a complete disaster for the country as a whole.

 

[gsvol]

I'm not really comparing their stances on the death penalty per se. It's just the whole "compassionate" thing overall just gives me the same vibes. I just think in the end Huck would be a lot like Bush, which I still stand as saying would be a complete disaster for the country as a whole.

Dangle a carrot and the rabbits will come hopping.

Romney defends Huckabee. (well, when I started this post CNN had a blog thread quoting Romney coming to Huckabee's defense but I guess they suddenly realized that would lead to Romney's demise also and so they have pulled it, no matter it will turn up somewhere esle soon enough.)

Anyway the quote is this: "Romney says he will take Huckabee at his word."

Pardon me, I'll take neither at their words, they are both liars as far as I'm concerned.

Some compassion, he is just trying to cover his own sorry rino ass!!

Despite Tavares’ long history of violence, the Romney-led Department of Correction took no action on recommendations that he be stripped of “good time” because of assaults on prison guards in 2003 and 2005, said sources familiar with a state probe into the case.

Note; Clemmons should never have gotten his good time either because he had been cited many times for fighting while in prison.

Photo of murdered newlywed couple.

At their wedding.

Washington State is refusing to accept any more Arkansas parolees now, finally.

Outlined in a biography of Hillary Rodham Clinton is a scheme devised back in the sixties by radicals such as herself and other wealthy, prominent, highly educated young elitists of her ilk, to infiltrate certain areas (and Seatle and Washington state was one target, I think Colorado was another, of course we all know of Ayers and company of Chicago and the state of Illinois) and achieve positions of prominence and influence such as AGs, judgeships, elected and appointed political posts, academic positions etc etc and then inflict their pie in the sky elitist agenda on a populace that really didn't know what hit them.

1. It worked, they gained primary control of the political structure in several areas.

2. Their theoretical pie in the sky philosophy didn't work in the real world, as it never has and never will because, despite the wonderful sounding rhetoric, their theory ignores certain facts of life that just can't be ignored.

 

[Panthro]

Huckabee is one of the biggest supporters of the Fair Tax. Isn't that about as conservative as you can get fiscally?

 

[volfanjustin]

Huckabee is one of the biggest supporters of the Fair Tax. Isn't that about as conservative as you can get fiscally?

How is this topic related to the Fair Tax? I am also for the Fair Tax but I don't want felons to be let loose in the street.

 

[Panthro]

Somebody had just previously tried to say he's not that conservative on taxes.

 

[gsvol]

Huckabee is one of the biggest supporters of the Fair Tax. Isn't that about as conservative as you can get fiscally?

I thought you said you wanted to move on????

In a word NO.

We can't be forever divided between conservative and liberal, if so we will always be conquered financially.

Want something intelligent??

Pick up on the federal reserve transparency act of 2009.

This has overwhelming bipartisan support and something that has been sorely need for waaaaay too long.
(about a century.)

Somebody had just previously tried to say he's not that conservative on taxes.

Just what is it specifically in post #32 that you dispute??

We'll go into it in great detail if you insist.

I repeat the same pertinent question I asked you before, now that the Huckster is no longer a viable candidate for president, whom do you support or at least consider???

 

[Panthro]

I repeat the same pertinent question I asked you before, now that the Huckster is no longer a viable candidate for president, whom do you support or at least consider???

Alex P. Keaton.