Bush withdraws 1 of 19 pardons he issued Tuesday

[ProSense]

Bush withdraws 1 of 19 pardons he issued Tuesday

By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven, Ap White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush took the very rare step Wednesday of revoking a pardon he had granted only a day before.

Bush pardoned 19 people on Tuesday, including Issac Robert Toussie of Brooklyn, N.Y., who had been convicted of making false statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and of mail fraud. On Wednesday, the White House issued an extraordinary statement saying the president was reversing his decision in Toussie's case.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the new decision was "based on information that has subsequently come to light," including on the extent nature of Toussie's prior criminal offenses. She also said that neither the White House counsel's office nor the president had been aware of a political contribution by Toussie's father that "might create an appearance of impropriety."

"Given that, this was the prudent thing to do," she said.

The new information came out in news reports, Perino said. The counsel's office generally doesn't include vetting of political contributions in its reviews on such matters, as that would be "highly inappropriate on many levels," she said. The White House decision on Toussie had come without a recommendation from the pardon attorney, as Toussie's request for a pardon came less than five years after completion of his sentence, so that eliminated another step in the review process.

Perino said she is not aware of any other instance of a pardon reversal, in the Bush administration or others.

"The counsel to the president reviewed the application and believed, based on the information known to him at the time, that it was a meritorious application," she said. Bush now believes the case should rest with the pardon attorney.

Yeah, new information: Toussie's victims feel like the roof has fallen in

Republicans were probably catching hell.

[elehhhhna]

1. OMG WHATA FUKUP. ROFLMAO!

[KansDem]

2. Bush: "Pardon my pardon" (nt)

[ZombieHorde]

3. Imagine being told that you were pardoned, just to be told latter the pardon has been taken back.

Ouch!

[monmouth]

4. There's a comment further down re this and I apologize because I

didn't read the entire post. One of the reasons this Pardon could NOT happen had to do with the hearings coming up of Holder. IOW, this would have looked bad/hypocritical at the Holder hearings if this Pardon had been granted. Again, I apologize for not reading the entire thing so will search for it now...

[monmouth]

5. It's Babylonsister's OP. Toussie scammed home buyers...n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

6. ...because it would fuck up our Holder strategy...

[sakabatou]

7. * loves toying with people lives

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

8. What? A do-over?

He finally admitted he had done something wrong and corrected it?

[justinaforjustice]

9. Did His Check Bounce?

Toussie's father's political contribution check must have been returned for insufficient funds. Only possible explanation.

[IndianaGreen]

10. That must have been it!

Pardons for sale have become a Presidential tradition.

[chascarrillo]

11. That can't be legal. If it is, though, then Obama could revoke any Bush pardons.

I'm not a constitutional lawyer (though I play one on the internet), but assuming the paperwork has gone through, a pardon can't be revoked, can it?

If pardons can be revoked, then Clinton missed a big opportunity when the Iran-Contra pardons were announced. And, more importantly, this would set a precedent if W. tries to pardon his cronies. Obama would then be able to revoke them. Hell, revoke Libby's, too.

[Muttocracy]

12. that's what I'm wondering about! nt

[Hippo_Tron]

14. I assume the paperwork hadn't gone through yet

[davidpdx]

13. I'm glad it was reversed, but this was a screw up none the less

This guy has caused people hell and deserves his punishment.

[grantcart]

15. For the love of God would someone take his pen away.