I thought the following to be noteworthy, only because there is usually so little notice of, or writing about, presidential pardons.
Via the AP: Bush Pardons Seven People for Crimes
President Bush granted pardons to seven people Wednesday, including a man court-martialed by the Air Force in 1978. Bush has issued 46 pardons and sentence commutations during 52 months in office.[...]
Bush has granted clemency mainly to allow people who committed relatively minor offenses and long ago served their sentences to clear their names.
Those granted pardons Wednesday were:
• David Thomas Billmyer, North Port, Fla., making a false claim, sentenced December 1978 to two months hard labor following a court- martial.
• William Charles Davis, Blacksburg, Va., income tax evasion, sentenced August 1983 to two years probation and a $10,000 fine.
• Richard Ardell Krueger, Rock Hill, S.C., mail fraud, false information on a government housing loan application, sentenced May 1979 to three years probation and a $1,000 fine for mail fraud, sentenced October 1980 to 15 months in prison on the other charge.
• Michael Mark McLaughlin, Bedford, N.H., conspiracy to commit mail fraud, sentenced August 1983 to 27 months in prison, five years probation and $20,827 in restitution.
• Billie Curtis Moore, Waterford, Mich., income tax evasion, sentenced July 1977 to two years probation and a $10,000 fine.
• James Edward Reed, Kaufman, Texas, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, sentenced January 1975 to 18 months in prison and two years special parole.
• Scott LaVerne Sparks, Pana, Ill., theft of government property, sentenced May 1989 to three years probation.
June 9th, 2025 at 3:11 pm
If these crimes were committed long ago and the sentences already served, why do they need pardons? If they were fined, is the money returned to them once they are pardoned? Just curious.
June 9th, 2025 at 8:48 pm
All it does it erase their records–so that legally it is as if they never committed a crime.