Governor to pardon son for felony drug conviction

[GummyBearz]

From what the article says, the son was convicted of having marijuana (which is by itself, but thats another topic). Isnt this just being a little hypocritical? The governor says his son should be treated like anyone else who wants a second chance at life... so why is he not pardoning ALL people who have felony marijuana charges???

Anyway, thought it was an interesting story.




Link: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/13/politics/arkansas-governor-will-pardon-son/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Scuba]

1. I'm OK with that.

As long as he pardons all the other drug offenders too.

[GummyBearz]

5. Thats my point, he isn't as far as I can tell. Must be nice to have governor daddy get you out of

jail

[handmade34]

18. list of his pardons...

might be some other drug offenders there I can not criticize the pardon of his son... happy for him

http://governor.arkansas.gov/office/Pages/pendingExecutivePardons.aspx

Executive Pardons
Pending Executive Pardons 2014
November 2014
Phillip W. Allen
Roger D. Barnett
Leah Brandon Ruddell
Richard Burrow
Daniel E. Bush
Robert L. Chisnall
Anna Lee Clark
Preston Cook
LeQuisha A. Dunigan
James Gosvenor
Jerrod W. Holloway
Marcus Hubbard
Michael E. Jackson
Tanya L. Myers Krantz
John M. Land, Jr.
Garrett McGhee
Michael Okoniewski
Raymond W. Owens
John L. Roach
Carly Rogers
Thomas D. Rose
Julie McCown
Gladden Shelby
Jerry Smith
Mark A. Walker
Paul Whitehead

October 2014
Donald Brown
Perry Casey
Naomi Chambers-Gill
Garrett Cowsert II
David Davis
John Faye
Jonathan Fears
Tracy Fisher
Eugene Hovis
Shannon Hovis
Crystal Johnston Haynes
Jason Pavatt
Bradley Moring
Paul Roberson
Larry Tumbleson
Dana Turner
Sharon Turner

September 2014
Brian Armand
Colt Boyd
Jason Crabtree
Carl Daugherty
Steve Estabrook
James Hall
David Haymon
Jimmy Hobbs Jr.
Randall Housley Sr.
Danny Leichman
Amy Rankins
Angela Sims
Zachary Vann
Russell White
Kristy White-Clayborn

August 2014
Phillip Henderson
David Mayer
Charles McNany
John R. Pickartz
Rennae Wilkerson Storment
Michelle Bryan Whitaker

July 2014
Keith Blevins
Kelli Coleman
Brian C. Feathers
Larry B. Fluellen, Jr.
Kevin E. Johnson
William M. Lewis
Jimmy D. Logan
Stan Lynch
Daniel Vinson
Brian K. Yarnell


June 2014
Elvins, Susan
Hicks, DeWayne
Johnson, Mark A.
Monday, Richard G.
Maze, Charlene
Sloss, Jimmy
Smith, Daniel
Weeks, Gary

May 2014
Bolden, Kevia K.
Bowden, Raymond J.
Cossey, David
Green, Mickey
Green, Paula
King, Randy
Lane, Toby
McWhorter, William E
Middleton, Richard
Morris, Nicki
Newborn, Jackie R.
Oliver, Jeremy P.
Ramos, Mynor G.
Siedle, Charles R.
Sykes, Michael C.

April 2014
Jimmy E. Blackwood, Sr.
Brian Earls
Roderick A. Hyre, Jr.
Tyrel W. Kempson
Johnny L. Kesterson
Tony N. Moses
Jarrod A. Petrus
Robert E. Richards, Jr.
Jordan C. Riddle
Adam L. Willfond

March 2014
Tracey A. Green
Ronnie W. Hayes
Billy R. Johns
Edward A. Joseph
Nathan G. Lee
Mary Odom
Tony M. Ratliff
Lloyd V. Renfro
Ellis R. Tidwell


February 2014
Bobby J. Douthit
James R. Hosford
Cloris Jean Espinosa Madrid
Jeffrey D. Petty
Latonya Tripp Washington

January 2014
Bobby J. Bentley
Joshua H. Brown
Byron Scott
Chad L. Wright

Executive Pardons 2013
December 2013
Sarah E. Frazier
Orvil Germany
Walter Henschel
Shawn Lawrence
Donnie F. Maier
Terrill R. White
Patricia K. Williams

November 2013
John E. Bamburg, Jr.
Michael L. Loy
Steve W. Spears

October 2013

Randy Bettger
Robert M. Brown
Ronald G. Holland
Michael C. Horn
Jared L. Jackson
Marcia R. Taylor
Timothy C. Thomas

September 2013
Venton L. Leakey
Steven W. McDonald
Michelle O'Barr
Romillious D. Scroggins
Rodney W. Silvers
Joshua K. Smith
Stephen W. Tencleve

August 2013
Eric Pinter
Louis L. Pledger
Kenneth H. Stump

July 2013
Dustin Hardester
Mathieu Hyatt
Bryan Loving
Tammie Workman

June 2013
Bradley Boyd
Jeffery Champlin
Deniece Nelson
Shannon P. Sanders
Charlie A. Stover Jr.
Finley P. Turner III
Wesley D. Vanlandingham


May 2013
Tim Bumpous
Warren Elliott
Jerry L. Lee
Gary J. Lipe
Tammy L. Murphy
Nancy Ritchie Newell
Johnny R. Pitchford
Gary P. Wilson

April 2013
Willie E. Easley
Robert D. Ellis
Charles D. Kildow
Lee C. Nayles
Calvin J. Tidwell
Renee Davis Victory


March 2013
Gary Owens (commutation)
Leah D. Evans
Keith Flynn
Cleotus Hughes
Victoria Jefferson
Darrell Kading
Nicholas McGhee
David Byron Powell
February 2013
William J. Donahue
Jason R. Holland
Robert P. Lomax
David Lee Waits
Herman T. Warren

January 2013
Larry Brothers (commutation)
Terry Dale
Floyd E. Gattis, Jr.

Executive Pardons 2012
December 2012
Joshua B. Baker
Roger Clark Sr.
Juanita Herrin Godfrey
Nancy Kester
Geoffrey Lueken
Jeff Rousseau
Jason Wheatley

November 2012
Jason Bishop
Ann M. Jackson
James D. Odom, Jr.
Terry A. Rudder
Kimberly Morrow Shurtleff
Denisho Stone
Mickel D. Warren

October 2012
Kyle E. Burton
Keith Heide
James T. Humphrey
Joseph S. Owens
Lisa Teer
Anthony Thompson
Cory W. Whorton

September 2012
Patricia Davidson
Nathaniel M. Mason
Harold D. Stallings, Jr.
Lucas J. Williams

August 2012
Holly D. Hart
Eric A. Neal
Jimmy E. Powell
Perry D. Willhite
Christopher C. Williams

July 2012
John W. Ford
Michael M. Green
Jessica Croft Kalkbrenner
Peggy Susanne Neal
Ryan G. Stone
Willie Wiles

June 2012
Michael Barrow
Jimmy Cowan
Kelsey Edwards
Randy Golden
Shannon Bayless Morrison
Shane A. Staggs
Scott A. Waldo
Jason Walton
James L. Watts, Jr.

May 2012
Steve Y. Frazier
Barris J. Galloway
Charles A. Hastings
Thomas R. Knighten
Delois J. Rainey
Rachelle Benton Rush
Mitchell D. Thompson

April 2012
Terry Ables
Glendale Collins
William L. Conklin
Zachary Jackson
Marzetta Oates
Johnny Suggs
Edward White

March 2012
Jeffery L. Frazier
Anthony Hurrell
Beverice Hice Line
Justin Lutick
Pamela J. Miller
Bryan Stewart

February 2012
Calla J. Duvall
Terra McCabe-Wilburn
Jimmy Ray Morris
Theresa Qualls
Shelia Simpson
Corey Toney

January 2012
Tracy S. Brown
Ricky D. Gillespie
Carrington Jenkins
Bandy L. Shearer

[B Calm]

20. That is quite a list!

[B Calm]

37. Has anybody Google any of the names?

I bet a lot of them are drug related!

[SorellaLaBefana]

2. What is good for the Goose ...

Totally agree.

But, as he won't be pardoning anyone else ...

[handmade34]

10. article

said he has handed out 700 pardons hope he pardons more people with drug felony charges

[demmiblue]

13. People do not read the articles posted, do they?!

[fredamae]

3. Too bad these folks

aren't close relatives of this GOP Gov, eh?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steph-sherer/so-who-is-still-going-to-_b_6141120.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

[JimDandy]

30. AR Gov can't pardon felons in WA State. Fail.

Last edited Thu Nov 13, 2014, 01:21 PM - Edit history (1)

This is a federal charge so not even the WA Gov can pardon them.

But, I'm from Eastern WA and I agree it's ridiculous that this family was ever charged in the first place. Obama really needs to stop prosecuting marijuana possession cases, especially when it's for medicinal purposes or grown for personal use:

"In May, a sea change occurred when the House voted 219-189 to restrict DOJ funds for the type of enforcement that has resulted in the prosecution of the Kettle Falls Five.

As a result of this historic vote, we have a rare opportunity to put a measure on the president’s desk that would stop cases like the Kettle Falls Five in their tracks. That still depends on the U.S. Senate passing their version of the amendment during the lame duck session, but popular will is on our side."

[fredamae]

32. I simply am pointing out the

hypocrisy, lies and disparity for how people are treated differently under the variety of laws, rules and policies governing the same plant.

[JimDandy]

33. True, the hypocrisy and disparity across the nation is terrrible... n/t

[B Calm]

4. Pardon them all Gov, you'll be famous and a hero!

[Coventina]

6. THIS!!!!

[JimDandy]

31. Agree! n/t

[RedCappedBandit]

7. Duh. Those laws aren't meant to oppress rich white dudes.

[B Calm]

8. He did the right thing, lets show a little support. Hopefully he'll be compassionate

and do some more (drug related) pardons.

[RedCappedBandit]

9. No.

If and when he extends his logic to people who aren't his son, he'll have done the right thing.

[B Calm]

14. Well the way I look at it, if you beat him down for doing something

that was right, you will make him afraid to extend his hand to others. I would say six months from now if this democratic governor hasn't pardon anymore, then he deserves our scorn.

[RedCappedBandit]

16. The act of pardoning his son alone is not the right thing

without also pardoning others and acting to end the war on drugs for everybody.

demmiblue thankfully pointed out that he does seem to apply this logic broadly, though.

[demmiblue]

11. According to the article, he has pardoned 700+ (mostly) non-violent offenders.

I am sure that many of those were drug offenders.

I do not have a problem with this.

[RedCappedBandit]

15. That's good. I stand corrected.

So long as this is actually applied fairly and he is not simply giving his family unfair treatment, of course it's a great thing. The war on drugs is a farce to begin with.

[Reter]

12. We're all hypocrites in some way, especially towards our family and interests

n/t

[Shankapotomus]

17. Do you even care that his son suffers from

Affluenza!!?? Do you, Gummy?

[GummyBearz]

24. hahah

Affluenza needs to be cured immediately. A few years of hard community service labor on weekends for the afflicted might be a good start on our search for the cure

[Sunlei]

19. can the President blanket pardon all (no violence) marijuana convictions by mandate?

[leftynyc]

21. The President can only

pardon those convicted of federal charges.

[Sunlei]

22. how about a mandate to totally decriminalize marijuana?

[leftynyc]

25. I guess they could try that

although I think the 10th amendment may become an issue.

[BlueJazz]

23. Pot in Arkansas is a Felony ??? Pot is the same as robbery ??

Weird

[onenote]

26. posssession with intent deliver, not simple possession. and in 2003

progress has been made since then.

My understanding is that Beebe has pardoned numerous others who were convicted of non-violent drug-related felonies and who completed their terms (or probation period) and kept their noses clean for a number of years thereafter. Which is the description that fits his son.

And, for what its worth, Beebe supported legislation that was enacted in Arkansas in 2011 that reduced the penalties for possession of pot, which puts him ahead of a lot of governors of both parties.

[BlueJazz]

27. Ah...I see...thanks for the good info.

[Recursion]

29. How ****ing hard is it not to carry around sufficient herb to avoid an "intent to sell" charge

Seriously.

That's my argument against people who claim it's obviously not addictive: a shit ton of people have risked (and gotten) a shit ton of easily avoidable long prison sentences for selling this one substance that is allegedly "not addictive"....

[B Calm]

34. Hell today in Colorado he would be considered a successful business man. These laws

are insane and as tax payers they are costing us millions.

Marijuana has never been scientifically proven to be addictive.

[Bluenorthwest]

35. Intent to sell is often judged by having a tiny amount in two bags or by having an extra container

aside from the fact that what is considered 'sufficient' by the law is often considered very small by the actual users. A famous comic was arrested in Florida for having 1.5 grams of marijuana, and he said 'when I have 1.5 grams of marijuana, I consider myself to be out of marijuana.'. See what I mean?
So if you were given a bag for yourself and one for grandma, you have intent to sell. Two bags.

And the non addictive nature of cannabis is not alleged, it is just factual. What arrests for possession have to do with the addictive or non addictive nature of the plant I do not know. Can you explain?

[Recursion]

36. Sure. People can avoid carrying around a non-addictive substance if it carries an absurdly

disproportionate jail term, as pot does.

Take sand. Sand I think we all agree is non-addictive. If there were jail terms for carrying around sand, I think we would all find ways to avoid carrying around sand, no?

There are jail terms for carrying around pot, but people still risk those jail terms to carry it around. What is that if not addiction?

[Recursion]

28. Well of course his son is a special snowflake