What do you think about Trump's recent pardons of non-violent criminals, and his comment about his power?

He has the legal right to do so.

But pardoning four criminals (wealthy, white collar cronies) is sending a message that if you are rich and white, the laws don’t apply to you.

As for the Chief Law Enforcement Office statement statement, he confirmed that we no longer live in a democracy. We are now in a dictatorship.

I think it sends a message that if you are friends with Trump or politically aligned, and in prison or about to go to prison, you have a good chance Trump will get you out. I think Trump does it because he sees himself in them, and for favors in the future. It’s like giving money to political campaigns (which he has talked about) you give money for favors later.

Realize that Trump also went along with reducing sentences for things like crack cocaine also (this was bipartisan) and I think he personally granted pardons to some prisoners who were in jail for drug related crimes. I assume this will be held up by Republicans if examples of Trump not liking people to be locked up, but I haven’t been listening yet to what is being said.

@elbanditoroso I semi-agree with your statement about being rich and white, but note, probably the majority of people in prison for white collar crimes are white, although I don’t know the statistics, so if someone is going to get some sort of clemency or pardon who is in jail for a white collar crime, they probably are white. The change in crack laws will help a lot of blacks people, because they are disproportionately black. Certainly, having friends in high places helps, and it’s still more likely white people are in high places, so the system of course is unfair even across racial lines, so I agree with that.

It is important and illuminating, to state what these people that drumpf is pardoning, have been convicted for.

Milken: racketeering and fraud.
Kerik: tax fraud
Blagojevich: corruption and bribery
Paul Pogue: Tax evasion, his kids donated 200k to the drumpf campaign last year.

You see the pattern?

I bet “stable genius” sees a pattern, they are all misunderstood and picked on GANGSTERS AND THUGS.
He can feel for them in the “first person” there are just like him.

Trump has issued 19 Pardons and 6 commutations so far in his Presidency. Some for white collar crimes others more serious. Hell, Roosevelt granted over 3600 in his term and even Washington granted 16. It’s easy to find a few that you may not agree with but I don’t see anything disturbing about these pardons. Rod Blagojevich was hardly a friend or ally of Trump and 9 years seems to be plenty for what he did. Seems like you scrambling to find things to complain about.

It’s a cover setup for his planned pardons of Cohen, Flynn, Manafort, Giuliani and possibly Barr. Like The awarding of the medal of freedom to Limbaugh, the pardon of so many explicit and flagrantly corrupt individuals is a clear signal to one and all on the fool’s disregard for the gravity of the law. The idiot is a catastrophe for every aspect of the Presidency, an embarrassment for his country and a disgrace to his office.

@Jaxk Wow, has it been 9 years. I hadn’t really counted it up. I actually did feel bad for him when he was sentenced. How much more time was he supposed to serve?

It makes me wonder WHAT he plans on using them for?
Tax Evasion
Corruption & Bribery
All of the above and more for perhaps he seeks experts in crime for his own use?

@Jaxk: I am not sure who you are directing your comment to. If it’s to me (the OP), you’re mistaken as I have not made any complaint in my post.

It’s not who you are. It’s who you know.
That’s the case, in many cases.

I looked it up, Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years. I’m actually ok with him getting out in 9, but I think the problem is Trump is basically saying pay for play and any tactics to get what you want is ok.

Trump knew Blagojevich from Celebrity Apprentice if not before. I watched the show at the time, and I felt like Blagojevich was basically a good guy that got caught up in dirty politics. He should have known better, but it wouldn’t surprise me if what he did was commonplace.

He was a Democrat and did seek pushing through policies to help the masses. In healthcare he went up against the FDA trying to bring in less expensive medication from Canada and Europe. His politics at least in the past doesn’t really line up with what Trump is doing now.

I think it shows he feels strongly about filling our prisons with non violent offenders and just leaving them there until forgotten by all.
I think it is unfair to snip away at one man’s list, unless you plan to scrutinize the choices of all, or at least most.

Which is of course contradicted by his concentration camps filled with children.

Well I’m complaining goddamned LOUD & PLENTY. Everyone of these scumbags is distinguished for sharing Trump’s signature trait—blatant corruption and betrayal of the public trust. The turd’s pardons are all but open endorsement of graft and turpitude as the permissible norm in the public sector.

Something right up your alley, eh, loli?

People are wise to the whole kids imprisoned at the border scare tactic.

We know what conditions were before Trump was elected, and that conditions have been under a great deal more stress since. He is maintaining lawful order at a border, as best can be done considering the numbers.

With over 20,000 Presidential pardons just in the 20th century, I believe he’s correct.

Bill Clinton pardoned his own brother for Federal cocaine possession, so apparently anything goes.

Cocaine and relatives are one thing. And of course the pardon process is ripe for abuse. But this rash of pardons is unique in that it is the excusing of individuals whose crimes explicitly center on the selling of their office solely for self enrichment. Even when it is true, the lesson of public service that “crime does pay—and handsomely” must not be tolerated, let alone encouraged!

@stanleybmanly Sure man, whatever you say. Trump bad, everyone else good. I get it, already.

Lord knows the Democrats that pardoned terrorist groups are still far better than any non-violent criminal Trump pardons….haha! That you honestly believe that is crazy. You should really read the list before making assertions like that.

I think there’s a (future) historical angle to take into account.

Trump is not going to be treated well in history books – his administration is going to described as the downfall of American civilization and the reduction of American power and authority. And history books of the future are going to mention his criminality and impeachment.

So I figure that he knows his reputation in the future will be shitty. So he’s going all in to pardon his cronies, because he figures his historical reputation can’t get damaged much more than it is today.l

There’s little question about that. But @KNOWITALL when have I claimed “everybody else good”? Trump is different from other crooks, and it is the way in which he is different that make this beyond the left/right conflict. You don’t understand that he has effectively recruited your side to open and unprecedented corruption of the governing process. YOU, each of YOU is on the line, and the country rides with YOU and WHAT YOU will put up with. This is beyond matters of politics and comes down to fundamental decency.

@jca2 – I wasn’t targeting you directly however your list is very selective. You picked the few cases that would stir the emotions of the radical left and omitting people like Alice Johnson. I believe your list was designed to get negative responses. Clever but obvious.

@stanleybmanly To me, harping on Trumps non-violent offender pardons, and not mentioning any of the Dem pardons shows a clear bias. Especially since you went on your regular anti-Trump tirade, again.

Apparently our definition of decency is far different than yours, as ours doesn’t include excusing rape and murder of our most helpless citizens because they are babies or elderly, and the perps are illegals. How anyone can chew Reps for excusing Trumps behavior while shrugging shoulders at what illegals do here to our legal citizens, is beyond me. And probably why Trump will win again.

Starting to believe Stanley lost a woman to Trump sometime past.

“as ours doesn’t include excusing rape”
That explains why your side kept endorsing Roy Moore.

@ragingloli Actually many Republicans were not good with Moore, he lost his election and a Democrat won his seat.

@Patty_Melt Who knows. He says he makes money with Trump but doesn’t like him, but takes the money. It’s a bit contradictory unless you actually stand behind your principles.

You 2 knuckleheads are about the only women I know who would be caught walking on the same side of the street with the fool. I’m fond of you both, but considerably distressed with your judgement.

@stanleybmanly There ya go, demean the two women who talk back with name-calling. #metoo (.....unless we disagree with you, that is.)

I’ll be honest, Stan, I’m considerably distressed with anyone who accepts rape and murder, as long as it’s by their ‘team’. My morality isn’t dependent on who’s doing it.

I would gladly promenade with POTUS and FLOTUS, and wave neighborly-like to passers by.

@Jaxk: The three names I used are names that are used in the mainstream media (specifically The Today Show and NBC evening news), as three names that are very familiar to the average American (Kerik because I live in NY and so we’re familiar with him from NYC, Blagojevich and Miliken because their court cases were all over the news to where they became household names at the time). Other names I’ve heard today when I looked at who Trump pardoned, I didn’t know who they were (ladies who were drug dealers, etc.). Some might even argue that pardoning white collar crimes is not so bad as pardoning drug dealers, so actually my list of three were not the worst criminals (which is up for debate, obviously).

I think some of the drug dealers were women who got caught up in their boyfriends being drug dealers, and aren’t even necessarily directly involved, but some might be. My cousin represented drug dealers, and I remember years ago he said the new laws back then for sentencing were horrible. That people were being put away for years for small drug infractions and the judge had no leeway.

Some info on recent bipartisan actions: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-first-step-act-became-law-and-what-happens-next

Meanwhile, I saw Blagojevich say on TV that he will be voting for Trump.

I’m one of thousands who have fled Illinois due to the political corruption there. Illinois leads in states with population loss. My Trump supporting friends from Illinois are perturbed about Rod. That should tell you something.