Watch List: Stevens Not in the Pardon Pool

We placed Alaska Senator Ted Stevens (R) on our Pardon Watch List very grudglingly (see previous commentary in PardonPower posts here and here). But, today, The Hill reports that Stevens will not be seeking a presidential pardon. We never really expected that he would and we seriously doubt that the president will grant an unrequested pardon. See story here.

UPDATE: The Crypt asked Stevens to elaborate on his decision not to seek a pardon from President Bush. Stevens responded, "I didn’t say anything about that at all. I said nothing about it. No comment, that’s all. I have no comment." PardonPower remains unconvinced Bush will be granting a pardon to Stevens.

Campaign 08: New Pardon Standards for Palin

The Anchorage Daily News suggests that the following question be asked of Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin:

Sen. Ted Stevens' trial is still pending; he has declined to say whether he would accept a pardon from President Bush before he leaves office Jan. Do Alaska voters deserve an answer to that question before they cast their vote for or against Stevens in November? What is your position on a president pardoning a public official before a jury has ruled on guilt or innocence?

The logic, of course, is that we (the American people) need/deserve to know how Palin feels about these matters - even though she will not have the pardon power as vice-president. No, she is just one step away from the presidency, so we must see what kind of president she would be and how she would use the pardon power and for whom.

Which raises this obvious question: Where were all of the questions about the use of the pardon power for Al Gore, who was a vice-presidential candidate in 1992 and 1996 and a presidential candidate in 2000? Did anyone ever ask him about the Marc Rich pardon, or a dozen others, which were granted when he was vice-president, a mere heartbeat from the presidency? Did anyone ask him any specific questions about specific cases in the aftermath of one of the greatest pardon scandals in history? PardonPower certainly welcomes this new level of scrutiny/prurient interest in pardons. But we also hope that it is a consistent, rather than intermittent, feature of the press. See story here.

Alaska: Palin and the Pardon Power

In honor of John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin for the vice-presidency, PardonPower found this article from February 20, 2007:

Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today signed Senate Bill 46 and House Bill 69. The Governor was joined by Senator Donny Olson and Representative Ralph Samuels at the bill signing.

Senate Bill 46 extends the deadline for coastal communities to revise their plans for environmental oversight and development. By signing SB 46, coastal districts will have until September 1, 2007, to revise their plans. Without this extension, 12 districts that make up 70 percent of Alaska’s coastline are in jeopardy of losing their ability to have local involvement in their coastal areas.

“I thank Senator Olson for sponsoring this bill,” said Governor Palin. “I know that these coastal districts have worked hard on their revised plans and by extending the deadline, we can ensure they will not lose local control.”

House Bill 69 now makes it mandatory for the governor and the Board of Parole to work together to ensure any decision on clemency is based on a thorough review of the case, and made in deference to victims and their families.

“In a perfect world, this bill wouldn’t be necessary,” said Governor Palin. “Unfortunately, we all know why such legislation has come through with unanimous support and why I sign this bill without hesitation.”

In his final hours in office, Governor Murkowski granted an executive pardon to a company convicted of criminally negligent homicide. Whitewater Engineering Corporation pleaded no contest in 2001 to the charge in connection with the 1999 death of one of its employees. The pardon was granted on November 30, 2006. No one from the Murkowski administration notified the victim’s family of the request for clemency or that the pardon was granted.

HB 69 not only ensures that victims of crimes are notified of the governor’s intent to grant clemency but also allows them to become part of the process.