E-Mail 'An Open Letter To President Trump: Time for More Pardons' To A Friend

Email a copy of 'An Open Letter To President Trump: Time for More Pardons' to a friend

* Required Field






Separate multiple entries with a comma. Maximum 5 entries.



Separate multiple entries with a comma. Maximum 5 entries.


E-Mail Image Verification

Loading ... Loading ...

66 Comments

    1. Because all Bradley Manning did was report on illegal activity and the murdering of innocent civilians, and the military coverup of the crime. And, he was given tough sentencing without the benefit of a trial. He was guilty until proven innocent. Worse, he was sentenced to solitary confinement until trial.

      1. Actually Ms Manning did far more than that. It is likely that a dozen or more people died directly as a result of the classified information dump that he/she/it made. What he deserved was the firing squad.

  2. On Child support and some other matters, the President can only pardon federal crimes IIRC, not state convictions. It would have to be the governors of the various states.
    Also pardoning things like child support just means the judge will reimpose it as some kind of “contempt of court”. It is a problem and a cause of Veteran suicides
    http://www.secondclasscitizen.org

    Other than the possible jurisdictional complications, I fully agree.

  6. Sorry, including Snowden and Manning on your list makes me question your ability to analyze. As a former Intelligence Officer you know full well that both were briefed into Top Secret/SCI compartments, and understood the ramifications of exposure of those compartments.

    There is and always has been a method for whistleblowers in the IC to present either the IG or one of the Intelligence Committees with material they believe proves a crime, waste, fraud or abuse. Neither Snowden nor Manning took that route.

    1. Old Paratrooper, I did 3 years as The Inspector General for a two star command, and then a short tour as IG advisor to an Afghan Army one star Inspector General. The IG system only works as well as the commanding general implements it. Usually the system, while well designed and trained, is not used to success.

      As far as Snowden’s transgression, he informed us all-evil and good folk alike, about much we were once blissfully ignorant about and are now painfully but gratefully aware of. Informed is forearmed. And if Hillgal isn’t even investigated, let alone prosecuted, I say pardon Boe Bergdahl and Snowden. In my opinion our enemies already were SCI of most of what Snowden revealed.

      The war we seem to be losing is in state courts and U.S. congress. Just my opinions here. May God Bless us with protection from the evil one, the prince of this world. Best wishes OP.

  7. While some of these pardons may be appropriate, appeasement never works; not with terrorists, not traitors and not with evil people.

    “The foregoing pardons and commutations, are clear gestures of good will. Collectively they will be an opportunity to silence many of your critics.”

  8. I cannot agree across the board. I would prefer better more fair sentencing guidelines for all crimes. But some of the people on your list are absolute criminals and it would be a miscarriage of justice to pardon them because they are lumped into a “political prisoner” category.

    I also disagree with the pardon for Snowden. He was essentially a traitor. There are legitimate avenues for someone in government to “whistleblow” and Snowden choose to not do that. Instead he gave our enemies a present of a massive amount of classified information. It is likely that military and non-military Americans died as a result of Snowden’s traitorous acts.

  9. James has gone off the tracks with this one.

    As an example, Blake Layman is a criminal. If he had not undertaken the illegal actions he did, (1) he would not be in trouble and (2) the other man may be alive. When one undertakes criminal activity that results in loss of life, is there no responsibility of the death on the willing participant? Should it be manslaughter or some other charge? Maybe.

    The Guardian says, “It would be easy, a harm-free ruse to get hold of some spending money.” Meaning stealing personal property is harmless? Well, it is not as this young man found out.

    He does not deserve a pardon. He may deserve a lesser sentence.

  10. Re: calling Trump and Republicans fascists. I have to agree with Pastor Chuck Baldwin.

    Quoting Baldwin,

    “When the Democrats control things, America gets more socialism; when the Republicans control things, America gets more corporatism, which is a polite word for fascism. Socialism requires government to own everything, while fascism requires government to control everything.”

    1. Now that we are all in agreement that neither socialism nor fascism are the correct path, how do we we as a nation of free and fare minded people find common ground. I’m tired of the liberals against the conservatives. The black hats against the white hats. Good guys against the bad guys. We need to work for a solution somewhere in the gray area that we can all agree on. This country is tearing itself apart.

      1. “how do we we as a nation of free and fare minded people find common ground.”

        well … you don’t. there are tribes out there that have thoroughly infiltrated our government that regard you and me as talking animals to be harnessed. there are corporations out there that have thoroughly infiltrated our society that regard you and me as bugs to be harvested. and there are movements out there that have thoroughly infiltrated our culture that regard you and me as resources to be used in their own quest for corporate and tribal power. they are huge, they are well-funded, and they just won’t stop until they are physically and forcibly stopped.

      2. “this country is tearing itself apart”

        no. the country is not tearing itself apart, it is being torn apart by power mongers who are all motivated by a “my way or I destroy it all” attitude.

      3. Maybe the solution isn’t somewhere in the gray area but rather the solution is “secession.” That way we can all live around people who believe like we do.

      4. Big John, compromising our conservative principles is how we got down this rat hole. The devil is in the gray. The compromising started with some of the Founders abandoning the Articles of Confederation in favor of the Constitution and creation of a central government. Folks can debate this ad nauseum but the facts are that the Constitution both created the monster of a central government, and failed to contain its power. It is time to move on.

        It is noteworthy that the creation of a central government was rejected by Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, George Mason and other Anti-Federalists. Jefferson (who unfortunately was in France) detested a big central government. He was adamant that any new constitution must include term limits for all federal officials. It didn’t.

        Big John, I know you don’t want to hear this but you are right. The country is tearing itself apart. And it will come apart. Jefferson predicted this eventuality. His ‘tree of liberty’ is going to fall on our watch. Prepare according and remember how we got here.

        1. I, as many others, started my younger years as a liberal. During the Reagan administration I was serving in our military
          In my youth I ddon’t remember all the screaming and judgment and lies and cheating. Call me old fashioned, I try real hard to be an optimist. But I believe the Democrats are all national socialist determined to drag us down the same rabbit hole as Venezuela.
          .

    2. Socialism, communism and fascism are merely different variations of socialism and all of them are left wing political systems. In Fascism the socialist control and regulate business but the goal is still the same as pure socialism.

      Corporatism does not exist except as a insult. What you really mean is capitalism. Capitalism is not a political system or form of government it simply ‘IS’ just as night and day is and gravity is. We are all capitalist and human life couldn’t exist without capitalism. But you seem to imply that the problem is big business or corporations or any capitalism bigger than a small business. but it is natural that some businesses will grow quite large and it is also natural that the government would implement controls/regulations. And because government regulates business it becomes necessary that business lobby government and sometimes their interests seem to be contrary to our/your interests. But that doesn’t mean that either corporations or government are your enemies. Everyone acts in their own interest and sometimes even when they act totally correct it is still contrary to what someone wants. But that is natural and unavoidable and most importantly not bad or criminal.

      1. Whoa OneGuy, not so fast. Natural? Corporations are not normal natural businesses. They are a creation of government. They are granted special protections. Does ‘corporate personhood’ and ‘limited liability’ sound natural to free enterprise to you? Ha. Try taking Amazon to court. Do you honestly think Jeff Bezos would see the inside of a jail? What a joke. He is protected. He has no skin in the game. Corporate CEO’s are a government-created-protected class.

        Not bad or criminal? Google is currently worth more than three-quarters of a trillion dollars. All built on enormous data gathering capabilities. What kind of information? Have you watched ‘Snowden’? Substitute ‘Google’ every time one of Washington’s evil alphabet agencies is mentioned. When you say it is not bad or criminal you are implying not illegal. Guess who makes the laws?

        The federal government forced the Bell System to break up when it hit $150 billion. Google is now 5 TIMES LARGER than the Bell System. Ask yourself, why does the government refuse to enforce our antitrust laws when it comes to Google? Think ‘evil’ and you will be a lot closer to the truth.

        1. “Corporations are not normal natural businesses. They are a creation of government.”
          So how does that matter? Partnerships are a creation of the government. Every form of business in the U.S. (and internationally too) is defined and regulated by the federal government. While there may be some things you don’t like about the government regulating businesses I really see no other option.

          ‘limited liability’ is a necessity in business. If we didn’t already have it we would be forced to invent it. Show me an example where this harmed you or others? The REAL problem is class action lawsuits, ambulance chasing lawyers and dumb juries.

          ” Google is currently worth more than three-quarters of a trillion dollars.” Who cares. If they get too big for their britches or break laws I would expect congress will regulate them.

          “The federal government forced the Bell System to break up when it hit $150 billion.” But NOT because they were worth $150 billion. Because there was no other competition in an essential industry.

  11. I have SERIOUS objection to at least one of JWR’s selections for amnesty, which puts the entire list in a DEEP shadow of doubt. That one is Bradley “Chelsea” Manning. A US Army private entrusted with Top Secret information, who released them to WikiLeaks, putting FedGov agents in danger (among other things).
    I won’t go into a further rant, but suffice it to say that I served, honorably, in the US Army, and find Manning’s actions deplorable and despicable. Thus ends this, before I go off on a verbal rampage.

  13. I also disagree with most of these recommendations.

    The felony murder rule ( which applies to a number of these convictions) posits that if anyone (victim, criminal, police, or bystander) does during the commission of a felony, then all criminals involved are guilty of murder. If you partner up with a violent or crazy person to commit a crime, you are tarred with the same brush. It’s the decision you make when you commit a crime.

    Additionally, pardoning bombers and revolutionaries just to signal virtue and hope the Left will agree is delusionary.

    JWR, normally I agree with you but here I fear you’ve gone astray.

  14. Animal House has it right. There is nothing Trump can do to calm or appease the left and caving will only perpetuate and even hasten our decline. We need to take the threat from the left seriously. They are out for blood and will stop at nothing to destroy this country. Libertarians and conservatives need to grow a pair. There is no such thing as goodwill with the left. http://www.unz.com/pbuchanan/are-republicans-born-wimps/

    And Bradley Manning should still be rotting in Leavenworth……why didn’t you include Bergdahl? That Coast Guard washout was obviously mentally unfit for service.

  15. Father Gordon MacRae, a Catholic Priest wrongly accused, sentenced in 1994 to 67 years in New Hampshire Prison for sexually abusing boys who later recanted.
    Look at his award winning blog “These Stone Walls”, a real eye opener.

  16. There seems to be a misunderstanding of what a pardon is, amongst several commentators. A pardon does not mean someone is declared innocent. It simply means that their rights are restored, and they have been, for lack of a better term, “forgiven” by the United States of their transgressions. Personally, the fact that the US has the highest incarceration rate in the “free” world is reason enough to question our justice system. For the purposes of Mr. Rawles list, 1. Drug laws are a joke, and a bane on a free society. Prohibition of Alcohol didn’t work. How’s that War on Drugs working out for you? 2. “Cop Killers” the ones referenced in Mr. Rawles list were all convicted during a period of massive racial tension in the country, and an argument could be made that there was extrajudicial violence on the side of both parties (anyone wanna tell me Fred Hamptons death was by the book police work??). No, it does NOT make it right, but they’ve done 30+ years at this point, and an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. 3. “Traitors”. I agree that Manning and Snowden did NOT follow established protocols for reporting abuses in the system. But I challenge you to present a single instance of their information leading to the death of an American or ally. I’ll wait. It was embarrassing and dangerous, and potentially unnecessary, and it cost Manning 7 years and is costing Snowden every day. They’ve paid.

    The above are just my opinions. Feel free to respectfully disagree and present opposing opinions. But if you’re just gonna call me a liberal commie pinko anarchist know that I’m absolutely not and you’ll be ignored.

    1. I do respectfully disagree. A pardon is a legal erasure of your crime. Once pardoned of a crime you can even say under oath that you did not do it was never convicted etc.

      70,000 Americans die every year from overdoses. Should we simply open that up to everyone? Perhaps we can get it to a couple 100 thousand if we legalize it. Drug laws are necessary. If you have children it is likely that one of those “good drug users” is trying to get your son or daughter hooked without you knowing it. While it may irritate you that we cannot simply inject/consume whatever we want to drug use is a killer and we need some effort to prevent it and reduce it. What we have isn’t perfect but I would rather have it than abandon all efforts to control it.

      If you choose to belong to a group that opposes law and our country (the Black Panthers) and you commit crimes and that brings the police to your door. And you carry and use guns. THEN expect that maybe you might get shot. The police have never come to my door and shot at me and that is because I don’t rob or rape people or sell drugs or commit crimes. Those who live by the sword die by the sword.

      1. RE > “A pardon is a legal erasure of your crime. Once pardoned of a crime you can even say under oath that you did not do it was never convicted etc.”

        In which jurisdiction is that true??? To the best of my knowledge a pardon is simply a pardon, and it must be acknowledged as such in sworn testimony.

          1. Again, I believe you misunderstand what a pardon is/means. It is not a declaration of innocence or an admission of error. It is not saying the defendant did not receive a “fair”’trial or denied due process in the legal sense of the word. It is only a restoration of rights and, again, for lack of a better word, forgiveness for the crimes committed.

          2. I referred to the case(s) when the reason to pardon the delinquent, was that his Trial wasn´t considered fair.
            An innocent delinquent Need IMPOV no forgiveness, he has the Right to ´ve his public Honor and freedom restored, to be recompensated for the injustice done to him

        2. I have seen a pardon and it explicitly states that arrest and conviction records are expunged and you are not required to and should not reference the arrest and conviction that was pardoned.

  17. While I applaud the sentiment behind the letter to President Trump, I honestly doubt ANY of the MSM will stop the attacking of him and his administration.

    The left is desperate and are grasping at threads to maintain their power. The more “wins” Trump can tout means more hysterical antics from the MSM and Far Left leaning Dems.

    The hysteria, character assassinations, and inflammatory rhetoric will only continue to escalate until decent, fair-minded people get tired of their BS and stop voting for them… and the Dems will work harder than ever before to figure out a better way to cheat and not get caught!

  19. I like the idea. Especially a pardon for the patriot Edward Snowden. I would add the current supreme court judge nominee. The democrats are going to try to lock the guy up for drinking beer in high school.

  20. I think anything like pardons for both left and right will benefit the Trump’s Administration is missing the larger point.

    The US is experiencing a Coup right now. The attacks from the left have now gone so far that innocent until proven guilty is not even part of the Deep State agenda.

    Since we have arrived at a point in time that a “ baseless” charge with zero evidence can damage a US Citizen where is justice?

    And when did the FBI’s authority include 3 decade olds charge about high school students sexual inappropriate behavior.
    And who trust the FBI anyway. They are part of the leadership in the ongoing Coup.

    Sadly President Trump has the authority and power to clean house but fails to use it.

    1. At least than make it fair. Each parent should have to pay the exact same child support and each parent should face the same penalty if they don’t contribute. As it stands now it would seem to be used to destroy only men’s lives. Each parent has exactly the same responsibility each should be held to the same exact standard.

      1. I am a child of divorce all my life I’ve been told that I don’t understand. I didn’t just lose my father but I lost my mother and my brothers and my sister I was declared a ward of the state and while in the orphanage I was used to find the maximum safe dosage for the ridaline they give your children today. Do you know how to find the maximum safe dosage? You keep the subject at the edge of overdose for years. I was 31 years old when I had my first memory before The age of 13. Our government courts are guilty of years of child abuse. As a child of divorce I have every right to speak on this subject. In my opinion the only acceptable manner to handle child custody is that as long as both parents remain in the same school district than the child should stay one week with the father then one week with the mother. Each parent shall pay for all expenses during their custody there by eliminating child support and all the bitter anger that goes with it, if one parent makes less money then that is a good thing it teaches the child to understand those less fortunate the he/she this arrangement hurts only the government lawyers and all the other government programs and their employees thereby decreasing the size, cost and abuses from government, a win all around. Why say you?

      2. Amen. The entire society is stacked against manhood. Longer sentences for committing the same crime, wealth transfers in divorce, firings at work on the woman’s word alone spoken to HR, sexual harassment through women liberating themselves from the marriage bed, over 90 percent child custody cased won by women, men register for selective service and die in war, their babies aborted as it’s a woman’s right to choose solely without the mans say, most tax payers are men, most tax dollars go towards women programs and on and on. Just look at Bret kavenaugh and they want manhood to pay for kicking women up in families in which men provided for thousands of years.

        This must stop. Women need to find their place again and it’s not in the workforce in a man’s role.

    2. Are you implying that everyone in jail for child support is a dodger?.. isnt that the same as saying everyone behind bars must be guilty or they wouldnt be there?. The obvious lack of critical thinking is a sure sign that there are people who have no interest in an issue, and should be excluded in the decision making process.

      1. What are you thinking, LO? If someone is jailed for non-payment REGARDLESS OF GENDER – it is because there is a clear issue of not supporting their offspring. It doesn’t matter one bit if they are ordered to pay $100/month per child or $5,000/month – that amount is decided by the judge based on the non-custodial parent’s current earnings. So if they don’t pay to support their children, YES THEY ARE A CRIMINAL AND DODGING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. This whole idea of wholesale pardons and commutations is just a wetdream appeasement of the Left. It won’t change the Left’s approach to manipulating the American people.

        1. We outlawed debtors prisons long ago because a good portion of those folks were just flat out poor. The amounts are NOT set by a judge based on the parents earning, unless those earnings are high enough on their charts and are verified, If they cannot be verified they are IMPUTED ( read whatever the state says you make ) No consideration is given for the living expenses of the NCP, obviously you have never attended a show cause hearing, or a civil contempt hearing. They are FULL OF BROKE PEOPLE who dont have a pot to pi$$ in or a window to throw it out of, so they go to jail. You also don’t seem to understand how the child support industry works, and It’s not my job to educate every uninformed person with an off the cuff opinion as to how that industry is run, or what fuels it. It’s not a liberal or conservative issue…its a matter of trampling the rights of a certain class of people. But then If you have no real interest in it you will go along with whatever is being dished up.

        2. It DOES matter. Many/most of the child support payment requirements were put in place by government DHS employees without either a hearing or legal representation for the father. ZERO of these were child support payments to be paid by mothers. All child support should be split equally and paid for equally by both parents. NO ONE should go to jail.

          Yes we should support our children but as it stands today child support and spousal support is used as a bludgeon to punish fathers only and has zip to do with actual support of the children. They take a way their drivers and professional license too, is that fair? Child support in this country today is the feminist (female lawmakers) getting mass revenge against men. It is unfair and sexist.

  22. I agree that most of the people on this list should be freed, whether commuted or paroled. I would also add Julian Assange to that list. He is only guilty of being an heroic journalist, speaking to those things that shall not be named for fear of Federal reprisal. As for Edward Snowden and Chelsea (Bradley) Manning, they are only guilty of reporting on the evil and treasonous acts of our Deep State (The Swamp).

    As to the Democrats and the Republicans, I’d love to see an extensive background check, from their date of birth to the present. Let’s truly see what skeletons they all have in their closets. Let’s be thorough, let’s be really detailed. Let’s see what each and every one of the members of both houses of congress have to hide. Let’s see how many of them could withstand the scrutiny that Judge Kavanaugh is being put through. Then let’s drum them all out of congress for being the evil scumbags they truly are. Talk about a Constitutional crisis. It would be a beautiful thing to behold.

    As an aside, lets have a thorough investigation of the monetary benefit that the families of representatives and senators receive from the their associations with the political class. That would be an investigation worth publishing. Let’s look at Diane Feinstein and her husband and family all the financial largess grated to them because she is a US Senator. While we’re at it, let’s also look at Nazi Pelosi and her husband and family, let’s see how they financially benefit from her position in the House. Every Senator, every Representative, of both political parties. Let’s burn that trash to cinders.

    1. I’d suggest that the best way to clean up Congress (and the Federal Government) is to only allow elected officials to hold Federal office for a maximum of eight years. Serve six years as a Senator, then you can run for one US Representative term of two years. This includes President. Served one term as US Representative? You get one term as President. Served three terms as Representative (6 years) then you aren’t eligible to run for President. Serve your term, do your duty and then go home to real life. Isn’t that what the Founders intended?
      Also, no government employee, including elected ones, may work for any business or entity that does business with the U.S. Government for a period of twenty years after separation of service.

  23. I did not see Spec. 4 Michael New on this list. Does anyone even remember how this courageous, Christian patriot stood up to the Clinton-Gore NWO army and refused to wear the UN beret? His life was destroyed. When Pat Buchanan ran against that doddering old mummy, Bob Dole, in the primary, he promised to pardon Specialist New if he won the nomination from the Dead Elephant Party and was elected. Very unfortunate that did not happen.

  24. You say “Many of these individuals have been in prison for more than 20 years and one for 71 years” could you please tell me (Us?) which one has been in prison for 71 years. I know it can not be William Heirens as he’s been in a coffin for well over six years.

  25. I would add that all non-violent drug sentences should be pardoned. the war on drugs(Americans) for what is basically a health problem is not working. Doing the same thing that doesn’t work over and over again is not a wise thing. Didn’t anyone learn anything when they studied prohibition in school?

  26. Anyone that was around when the Black Panthers were causing so much trouble knows that they were hard core bad guys – terrorists by today’s standards. No way should they receive any leniency. They were cold blooded killers who didn’t care what they did to advance their cause

  27. I find the inclusion of Snowden and Manning in particular curious given your experience protecting National security information and knowing the proper mechanisms for reporting actual or perceived violations of Federal Law or Presidential directives regarding intelligence activities.

    Their ‘leaks’ caused exceptionally grave damage to our National Security.

  28. I am a convicted felon from 40 years ago, I admitted my guilt when I was caught I admitted my guilt at court I served my sentence and paid my debt to society. I worked for the rest of my life to be a honest and truthful man. People who know me say that I’m honest to a fault, but I believe you ether tell the truth or you are a liar there is no grey area, don’t ask me if those pants make your ass look fat. I committed my crime in my younger twenties I am now 62. I have never been allowed to vote, you know what gets me? I can be a mayor, I can be a congressman but for some reason it would be abhorrently dangerous for me to be allowed to vote for one. Now I have only one question? If I paid my debt in full and proved that I have change just when can I Stop paying my debt?
    How many people can say that the only reason that they don’t have a record is because they never got caught, yet they are allowed to vote and arm themselves and are considered good citizens the only difference between them and me is not that I got caught the only difference is that I paid my debt to society and they have not. Maybe it’s time to stop acting like Christians and start being Christians. I agree that punishment is not only needed but it is correct. However in my personal experience I have found that the reformed criminal is by-far more honest and law abiding than those of you who never committed a crime or just never got caught. Are we really considering pardons for special crimes or are we going to recognize that a person has truly changed their ways. I would like to suggest something along the line of all rights restored after twice the maximum sentence. However there is one thing that we must for our countries sake demand and that is mandatory sentence’s for crimes, no longer can we tolerate for example bank robbery: black man 7 years, white man 5 years, black woman 2 years, white woman 18 months community service, rob a bank 7 years white black male female, this is the only constant racism that I see and it is our government committing this crime yet it is the rest of us who are accused of racism. What say you?

    1. I agree. Once your debt is paid; incarceration, parole, etc. you should have full rights restored. I would even include the 2nd amendment unless it could be proved that you are a real threat. I would apply this to registered sex offenders too. I have a friend whose son was accused by his girlfriends father of statutory rape and convicted. She was 17 he was 18. They married and now almost 30 years later he still must register as a sex offender. Incredibly stupid. By the way they are still happily married and grandpa is and always has been out of their life. Too bad there isn’t some way that grandpa could take back his mistake and son in law could get out of registering as a sex offender.

    2. Sir you should have had your rights restored a long, long time ago. What is the point in being good if you can never regain your fundamental human rights? You chose to be good anyway, you are an honorable man and should be treated with the honor you rightfully deserve.

      I agree that sentencing should be equal, across the board. It should be just, let the punishment fit the crime, and nothing more. No one should be punished forever, no one. Upon successful completion of such sentencing, your rights should be fully restored. That goes for everyone, especially people such as yourself.

      We have a grossly unjust legal system. Unfortunately I don’t see that changing any time soon. Too bad.

  29. You want to pardon someone if there is any doubt of judicial bias. “Any Doubt”

    Really? How do we figure that out?

    You can find doubters of every conviction .

    Or we could use judges and juries..

Comments are closed.