Federal Presidential Pardon» commutation

Jimmy Hoffa

Brian J. Zeiger — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:44:29 +0000

In 1964, Hoffa was convicted of bribing a grand juror and received a sentence of 15 years in jail. He appealed. His appeals ran out. In 1967 he was incarcerated. At the time of his conviction he was the president of the teamsters. He handed over the reigns of the teamsters to a Frank Fitzsimmons.

In 1971, Hoffa was given a conditional commutation by Nixon. The condition was that Hoffa not be involved in the teamsters and not be involved with unions for a period of ten years following his release from custody. Hoffa was unhappy with the condition and planned to challenge the condition of the commutation in court.

Before Hoffa got could start his challenge of the condition from Nixon, he went missing in 1975 in Michigan.

Jimmy Hoffa at Home

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby

Brian J. Zeiger — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:46:58 +0000

In US v. Libby, Case No. 1:2005-cr-00394-RBW, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby was sentenced to 30 months in jail for numerous felonies, including but not limited to perjury, making false statements, in connection to leaking the identity of CIA operative Valerie Wilson.

At the time Libby committed the underlying acts, he was a special assistant to the President George W. Bush, but had been chief of staff for then Vice President Cheney. After he was convicted, W. commuted the sentence. Libby did not serve any time in jail.

Joe Wilson, husband of the aforementioned, was interviewed on July 2, 2007, for his take on the commutation, to which he made three quote-worthy statements, “There is nothing this administration does that shocks me anymore – it is corrupt from top to bottom…American citizens were outraged that the president of the United States would short circuit the rule of law and the system of justice…We know in America the difference between right and wrong, even if this administration doesn’t.”

Note the distinction between a pardon and a commutation. A pardon removes the entirety of the conviction, where the commutation only removes the sentence.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña

Brian J. Zeiger — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:50:50 +0000

Fuerzas Armadas de Liberacion Nacial Puertorriquena (hereinafter “FALN”), was a group that advocated for complete Puerto Rican independence. FALN used violence as a means to their end. The Federal Bureau of Investigations classifies FALN as a terrorist organization.

From the 1960s through 1980 FALN claimed responsibility for many bombings in the United States to fight for independence. 16 members of FALN were convicted of various federal crimes, including sedition, with sentences far in excess of those sentences of other individuals convicted of similar of crimes.

In 1999, President Clinton, commuted the sentences of the 16 members of FALN over the objection of the United States Attorney, Congress, Senate, and Federal Bureau of Investigations. None of those commuted had ever been convicted of any acts where people were injured; all 16 had served at least 19 years in jail before their commutation.

Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional Puertorriqueña