October 24, 2006

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10/23/06 - Columnist Rob Sanchez Says Keep Up The Pressure On DOD!

A Texas Reader Reminds Us That Presidents Ford And Carter Pardoned the Unconvicted

From: Randy Smith [e-mail him]

Re: Joe Guzzardi’s Column: Amnesty By Executive Order---Don’t Count It Out

In Guzzardi’s column, a New York lawyer, Henry Lenoir, commented that an Executive Order legalizing illegal aliens would be a distortion of the presidential power to pardon.

Lenoir concluded:

"After all, illegal though they are, illegal aliens haven’t been federally convicted of illegal entry and residence, so there is nothing he can pardon."

While I agree that it is likely that Bush may pardon the illegals, I disagree with Lenoir.

In fact, there is already precedent for "pre-emptive" pardons.

For example, in 1974, soon after President Ford took office upon President Nixon's resignation, he pardoned Nixon for any and all crimes committed against America during the Watergate era. Nixon had not yet been indicted.

Also, President Carter pardoned the draft dodgers for refusing to serve in Vietnam. They too were uncharged.