Pardoned gambling executive contributed to Bush’s re-election campaign.
Pardoned gambling executive contributed to Bush’s re-election campaign.
USA Today reports that Alan Maisse, a former gambling executive who was pardoned this week by President Bush, had made two contributions to Bush’s re-election campaign in 2003 and 2004 totaling $1,500. White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto declined to comment on the case but said “[w]e do not look into political contributions” in reviewing pardon requests. “We think it would be inappropriate to do that. They should have no influence over our decision-making,” Fratto added. Bush revoked a pardon of a Brooklyn developer earlier this week after reports surfaced that the man’s father gave nearly $30,000 to the Republican Party. White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush “decided not to go through with the pardon” because the contributions raise “the appearance of impropriety.”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
We don’t look into contributions …..because we already know about the contributions before even starting the process ????
Does that fix it for ya ?
December 26th, 2008 at 12:17 pmI wish today was Jan.20 2009……Blessings
December 26th, 2008 at 12:21 pmthe appearance of impropriety
There is much more than the appearance of impropriety where the bush admin is concerned…
December 26th, 2008 at 12:21 pmPlease! Say its not so. The Chimp Abomination lied? Impossible. He’s a good “christian” boy. Chimpy would never lie would he?
December 26th, 2008 at 12:24 pmThese penny-ante contributions to the Bush war chest are of little consequence. Can’t USA Today and TP report on the bigger crooks or bigger issues?
December 26th, 2008 at 12:26 pmWhy is the media ragging on Bush’s decisions NOW?
December 26th, 2008 at 12:43 pmThese are raging scandals the conservative MSM is ignoring. Instead they’re focused on the Blago garbage, while the current lame duck denigrates the office one more time…
http://www.sunstateactivist.org/ssablog/
December 26th, 2008 at 12:45 pmAccording to the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Barack Obama is the most admired man in America. But you’ll never guess who finished #2 and who wound up behind him.
The womens’ results weren’t much more encouraging.
December 26th, 2008 at 12:49 pmIt’s a gift that keeps on giving as we’ve seen for 8 years.
December 26th, 2008 at 12:52 pmThis is an example of what Obama was talking about. Pay for a Pardon or if you choose rob the US Treasury it’s you choice
if you donate enough. It’s old school politics yet the Media focuses on G-Rod’s other game pay for a Senate seat.
You know, I’m as anxious as anyone for my Bush Countdown Clock to get to 0:00:00 but does anyone seriously think a measly $1,500 made any difference in th epardon decision?
Is anyon looking at how much these felons have contributed to the Bush “Library”? (Talk about your oxymorons!)
December 26th, 2008 at 12:58 pmAnyone who would think Bush would grant a pardon to someone who wasn’t connected must have been born yesterday.
Insofar as the media reporting negatively on Bush — where the hell have they been for 8 or 9 years?
Would we be in this mess today if the msm had actually challenged Bush even before he was (s)elected? Or in 2004, if they had reported on the fraud, the duplicity, the lies of war, and the total corruption of the Bushies? Could we possibly be in worse shape than we are now?
Of course, I blame Bush and the RNC, but the public needs the media to inform them and the media failed horribly.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:01 pmHow much do you want to bet that the immediate family of all 19 pardoned contributed to Bush or the RNC.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:03 pm#10, DHM,
December 26th, 2008 at 1:03 pmI should not be surprised at that, but I am — the level to which the scumbags will stoop to fill time and keep their viewers/listeners revved up never ceases to amaze me.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come paid george & dick a visit last night and it wasn’t pretty.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:13 pmWhy worry about the appearance of impropriety when the real thing is staring them in the face?
December 26th, 2008 at 1:16 pmI’m puzzled by why Bush is suddenly trying to give the impression that he cares. When I think back, it seems to me the Bush Administration has always been notable for not even pretending to give a fig about the voters, the country, the Constitution, the Geneva Convention, world opinion, the environment–anything. Now Dana is talking about “giving the appearance of impropriety.” This is quite a change in behavior, at this final hour, in a President not known for flexibility.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:26 pm“the appearance of impropriety.”
Appearance? Appearance?
How ’bout one criminal pardoning another criminal for “appearance” of impropriety?
What’s next? Charles Manson pardoning Dick Cheney?
December 26th, 2008 at 1:27 pmHonestly, this is making a mountain out of a molehill. A total of $1500 over a two year period (2003 and 2004)? Big difference between a $30,000 donation to the RNC shortly before a pardon is issued, which truly does look like a bribe, especially since that guy’s pardon only went through the White House Counsel, not the DOJ Pardon Attorney. “Special case.” Would we honestly want political donations to be used, ordinarily, as some a guideline for pardons or commutations? So that a Republican administration would never pardon someone who themselves, family or associates had contributed to Democrats? Or vice versa? When what looks like an obvious “favor” occurs, and the usual process was ignored, that’s something to get irate about. This? Please. Much more important issues on the table here.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:30 pmPerry @ #17:
I’d say perhaps Bush is feeling guilty for the last 8 years, but then again, we’re talking about Bush.
Plus, I’m sober right now.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:32 pmThis off thread sort of but a CNN opinion poll has 23% are going to miss Bush . Who the hell are these people? I mean these pardons one had to be rescinded this one given because of contributions, all have contributed one way or another. This has done nothing but screw up this country from one end to the other and these same buffoons keep pull that lever for the guy I echo witch 1 Jan 20th can’t get here soon enough
December 26th, 2008 at 1:39 pmI love the concept–that his intense guilt has driven George W. Bush to new levels of hypocrisy.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:42 pmlokidog Says:
Plus, I’m sober right now.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
You need to remedy that situation — you just ain’t thinkin’ right.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:48 pmYou need to remedy that situation..
The day is young, Zooey.
All in good time:)
December 26th, 2008 at 1:54 pmSo, they don’t take contributions into account except for when they do?
Meh, this isn’t very important. Unless some President does an extremely egregious pardon and the SCOTUS gets to rule on what limits the pardon power does or does not have, it’s pretty much unlimited.
There are however, a great number of decisions that Bush has made in his capacity as President which are illegal. We should be talking about those.
December 26th, 2008 at 2:30 pmWhy worry about the appearance of impropriety when the real thing is staring them in the face?
Until we – as a society – prosecute, jail and execute this gang of ” destroyers” ( life, limb, happiness, wealth, trees, air, water………EVERYTHING !!! ) we will continue to allow them to destroy, kill and obliterate whatever they want .
HOW SAD !
December 26th, 2008 at 2:33 pmCORRUPT IMMORAL CRIMINALS!!!!! Arrest Bush/Chenney administration!
December 26th, 2008 at 2:51 pmIf they were serious wrried about the “appearance of impropriety” they should try to delete the last 8 years…
December 26th, 2008 at 2:57 pmPerino Bimbo, thry change your lying face if you worry so much about the “appearence of impropriety”, go to a plastic surgery and try to change your face!
What about Scoter Libby?????!!! That was blunt impropiety!!!!
When chimpy pardon criminals how much you wanna bet that campaign contributions is a factor they take into consideration.
Gambling is a write off on tax forms. This is a nice present from the government to gaming. WTF
December 26th, 2008 at 3:01 pmAnd I am sure that you comb through Bush’s list of people that he had pardoned n some capacity contributed to either his campaign, RNC, or one of Bush’s buddies campaign. For Bush, it’s all about the benjamins.
Bush’s pardons =Quid pro quo
December 26th, 2008 at 3:25 pmsacopenapa, they are trying to delete the last eight years through public relations rewrites that describe Bush as a marvelous humanitarian that kept U.S. safe (after 9/11). It was hard work. But the working man—that’s W.—rolled up his sleeves and worked hard at being presidential.
Being presidential is a special state of being. Mystical. Paradoxical. Especially when it is manifest in a regular guy who cuts brush.
Surely he was just his usual being presidential self when he issued the pardons. Regular people can simply not comprehend the regular guy being presidential, and all the innocence that entails. They harp on appearances, forcing the mere earthling in the role of spokesman for the presidential being to feign concern about appearances for the sake of appearances.
December 26th, 2008 at 3:53 pmJust an amazing coincidence folks, move on, no corruption here, whistling and strolling along, ready to vacate the White House in exchange for the Big House….
December 26th, 2008 at 5:18 pmAnd Republicans, being amazingly consistent, said the exact same things about contributions and pardons during the Clinton administration. Right? RIGHT?
December 26th, 2008 at 5:41 pmAt this point there must be more than enough ammunition against the RePugniScums to tell them to STFU at the Eric Holder hearings!
December 26th, 2008 at 5:46 pmkrystalviews Says:
Why worry about the appearance of impropriety when the real thing is staring them in the face?
Until we – as a society – prosecute, jail and execute this gang of ” destroyers” ( life, limb, happiness, wealth, trees, air, water………EVERYTHING !!! ) we will continue to allow them to destroy, kill and obliterate whatever they want .
HOW SAD !
You are so right! Criminals pardon criminals. Sick.
BTW — Paying for pardons isn’t so far fetch when one considers that chimpy put his slacker cronies in serious positions.
December 26th, 2008 at 6:21 pmMore on Maisse’s rap:
The charges stemmed from Bally Gaming’s involvement in the 1990s with two video poker distributors, Worldwide Gaming of Louisiana and Louisiana Route Operators. Federal prosecutors claimed the companies were fronts for mob figures seeking to gain a foothold in Louisiana’s video poker industry.
Maiss’ pleas surrounded his alleged knowledge that Worldwide Gaming was being operated illegally by Christopher Tanfield, who did not have a Louisiana gambling license.
In all, 25 people were convicted in the case, including Tanfield.
Prosecutors never charged Maiss with knowingly dealing with or causing Bally to deal with organized crime. Bally was later acquired by another company.
At Maiss’ sentencing, court documents show the judge noted “the government has recognized the defendant’s substantial assistance in the prosecution of other defendants.”
Maiss appealed his case five years later and sought to withdraw his guilty pleas, saying the convictions “severely restricted” his ability to work as an investment broker or adviser.
A three-judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied his appeal in 2002.
December 26th, 2008 at 7:56 pmFor Bush, genuine impropriety is no problem, but he finds the appearance troubling. Good-bye you sick phuck!
December 26th, 2008 at 8:21 pmour old troll friend john kerry
is just giving up?
*
there is no god.
^
December 26th, 2008 at 8:30 pmAnother reason why the repugs are a goner.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:05 pmWith respect to pardons, this is just Bu$h’s warm-up act. The outrage is yet to come. Verb sap!
December 27th, 2008 at 8:42 amThis has nothing to do with George Bush realizing that this guy gave money to him or the RNC. It has to do with pardoning a guy who is most likely one of many poster boys for the shadow economy we’ve lived through over the past 8 years! Bush realized he was giving the okay to this man, when really, this guy should be dragged down the street for Americans to throw potatoes at.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:22 amKayInMaine Says:
Bush realized he was giving the okay to this man, when really, this guy should be dragged down the street for Americans to throw potatoes at.
An antiquated concept. In this economy, who can afford to waste food?
Throw now-worthless 401k statements, wrapped in bricks.
December 27th, 2008 at 9:54 amMake that “wrapping bricks.”
December 27th, 2008 at 9:55 amThat was $1,500.00 over a 8 year
December 27th, 2008 at 11:41 amperiod! How much will he give now
or later?