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Former Governor Bevin: Time to strip pardon powers away?

Posted on 12/22/19 at 1:57 am
Posted by SHOtime Tiger
Member since Aug 2019
1361 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 1:57 am
Former Governor Bevin pardoned a lot of convicts, including a child molestor bc the child’s “hymen was still intact”

Imagine what someone like JBE is gonna do in a few years. States should really reconsider granting this unilateral power to their governors IMO.
Posted by C
Houston
Member since Dec 2007
27824 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 2:07 am to
It is ripe for abuse but I’m ok with it.
Posted by OldHickory
New Orleans
Member since Apr 2012
10602 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 3:29 am to
I don’t know much about him. I know the whole education pension system is a mess, and that’s why he lost...the people, voters, and politicians prior to him were not held accountable. Ignorance is bliss.

I don’t think we should reconsider pardons. If you win an election, then you’re the executive authority. If you don’t trust the person’s judgment, then don’t vote for them. If you think someone else could do better, then vote for them.

The person that wins gets to make the decisions.
When he’s gone, the next governor will do the same thing.
Posted by FooManChoo
Member since Dec 2012
41686 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 3:35 am to
All human institutions are prone to abuse but we should allow pardons for the sake of justice, just like the death penalty.
Posted by ChineseBandit58
Pearland, TX
Member since Aug 2005
42623 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 5:41 am to
quote:

reconsider granting this unilateral power to their governors IMO.


I have always advocated that there be no pardon power in the last half of any tenure - president included.

These"out the door and Fukc you!" pardons are a stain on the notion of integrity.
Posted by Rock the Casbah
Member since Dec 2014
940 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 5:51 am to
quote:

These"out the door and Fukc you!" pardons


One idea is any pardon in the last year has to be approved by the legislature before the person is released.
Posted by ChineseBandit58
Pearland, TX
Member since Aug 2005
42623 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 5:54 am to
quote:

One idea is any pardon in the last year has to be approved by the legislature before the person is released.


Yeah - something like that -

OR - leave a list of "desired pardons" for the next Gov to either accept or reject.
Posted by Bestbank Tiger
Premium Member
Member since Jan 2005
71151 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 7:01 am to
Haley Barbour did the same thing (except no molestors). Didn't result in a crime wave.
Posted by Sentrius
Fort Rozz
Member since Jun 2011
64757 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 7:24 am to
quote:

Former Governor Bevin: Time to strip pardon powers away?


No.

Elections have consequences.

When you vote to give power to someone, you are effectively buying a whole package of anything and everything he wants to do his ENTIRE term in office including an unlikable pardon.

You have to take the good with the bad.

The consequences of an election don't automatically end just because someone else is elected. They end the very second the outgoing office holder leaves office and the new guy is sworn in.

quote:

Imagine what someone like JBE is gonna do in a few years.


I will hate and decry such pardons as wholly being JBE's character but I understand that elections have consequences and they will be precisely what Louisiana voted for.

Don't like it? Don't vote for JBE.

quote:

States should really reconsider granting this unilateral power to their governors IMO.


It's a good power that is needed to check the excesses of the legal system, abuse/malpractice from judges and prosecutors and correct incompetence from defense counsel.

Subjecting it to legislative and/or judicial approval defeats the purpose of the pardon power.
This post was edited on 12/22/19 at 7:29 am
Posted by Jizzy08
Member since Aug 2008
11228 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 7:42 am to
The old “just the tip” defense. Classic.
Posted by LSU2ALA
Member since Jul 2018
1928 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 7:50 am to
quote:

Former Governor Bevin pardoned a lot of convicts, including a child molestor bc the child’s “hymen was still intact”

Imagine what someone like JBE is gonna do in a few years. States should really reconsider granting this unilateral power to their governors IMO.


I was thinking about this. I don’t think we take it away completely as I think you want someone who can grant clemency. I don’t like doing it at the last minute. I’d be open to an idea that any pardon issued after an election must be ratified by the winner of that election to prevent something like this. I don’t like the fact people wait until a couple of days before going out of office so there is no chance for voters to speak.
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
54719 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 7:56 am to
quote:

I don’t know much about him.


Yankee carpetbagger who bought a southern state office because it was less expensive

quote:

I know the whole education pension system is a mess, and that’s why he lost


He lost because he announced plans for a toll bridge in NKY prior to his reelection. He lost by about 4,000 votes and the 3 Republican counties (NKY is a suburb of Cincinnati) flipped 2 blue and almost flipped the 3rd on this issue

quote:

the people, voters, and politicians prior to him were not held accountable.


Not the full truth. Both D and R prior had left the retirement system underfunded but at maybe 85 cents to 95 cents on the dollar. Bevins was a PE cowboy from the east and got the retirement system in the state to invest in the funds of his and his friends to the tune of about 100 million in fees per year.

After a few years in office (and a booming investment environment by all funds but his) his funds had dropped by half or more. Instead of having the state sell them he had the state double down and invest more (creating more losses).

If Bevins had been a D or R it did not change his greed of his personal desires. Any corrupt politician usually fails to win when their financial greed affects the voters.
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
54719 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:00 am to
quote:

All human institutions are prone to abuse but we should allow pardons for the sake of justice


The talk in Frankfort is the pardons will remain in place but pardons made 30 to 60 days prior to a governor leaving office would be more transparent and any improprieties in this short window would need to clear stronger hurdles.

If the new process passes it keeps the pardon power intact but limits the last second ones that may be based more on money than true need.
Posted by Sentrius
Fort Rozz
Member since Jun 2011
64757 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:16 am to
quote:

there is no chance for voters to speak.


In Bevin's case, they already spoke when they elected him in 2015 for a FULL 4 year term and that includes the last few days before the term ends.

When you elect someone, you're buying the whole package for a full term, not just only what you like about the candidate.

Elections have consequences.
Posted by Sentrius
Fort Rozz
Member since Jun 2011
64757 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:20 am to
quote:

The talk in Frankfort is the pardons will remain in place but pardons made 30 to 60 days prior to a governor leaving office would be more transparent and any improprieties in this short window would need to clear stronger hurdles.



Subjecting the pardon power to legislative and/or judicial approval defeats the purpose of the pardon power which is to check the excesses of the judicial and legislative branches.

It's a bad idea.
Posted by Zach
Gizmonic Institute
Member since May 2005
112495 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:21 am to
Well, Lincoln pardoned Robt E. Lee. There were union officials who wanted to hang him.
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
54719 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:27 am to
The pardon would be intact as before during the 3 years and 10 or 11 months as before. Just the last second lame duck pardons would come under review. Not sure how this is a big deal except to fix an abuse of power which makes the whole system look bad.
Posted by Placebeaux
Bobby Fischer Fan Club President
Member since Jun 2008
51852 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:28 am to
I had a doctor Hymen when I was younger
Posted by unbeWEAVEable
The Golf Board Godfather
Member since Apr 2010
13637 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:30 am to
quote:

Time to strip pardon powers away


Sounds like a solution to the wrong problem here.
Posted by Cheese Grits
Wherever I lay my hat is my home
Member since Apr 2012
54719 posts
Posted on 12/22/19 at 8:31 am to
quote:

It's a bad idea.


Only when the power is abused

If you want to keep the power fully intact with no review then just limit the power to 30 days from the general election and renew the power when the newly elected governor takes the oath of office. That would mean the power would be limited to between 30 and 60 days every 4 years.

Both parties seem to be driven by the extremist of their parties and that will continue to test the laws until the voters have no faith in the laws and you instigate anarchy.
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