Quiz Time, Pardon Edition By: Mark W Adams

1.) Name the last Republican President who did NOT pardon (or commute the sentence) of someone who worked in a Republican Administration.

2.) Name the last Democratic President who pardoned someone who worked in any administration, regardless of party.

3.) Name the last Democratic President who pardoned or granted clemency to someone who worked in a Democratic administration.

4.) Which was worse, pardoning Tokyo Rose or Richard Nixon, and which presidents were responsible for those pardons?

5.) How on earth did the GOP claim the idea that they were the Law and Order party?

Answers below the fold...


Answers:
1.) Ironically: Nixon. I thought it was Reagan until I saw he pardoned former Dept.Director of the FBI, Mark Feldt -- later revealed to be "Deep Throat" of Watergate fame. Ford, of course pardoned Nixon. Bush the Elder pardoned Caspar Weinberger.

2.) Carter pardoned G. Gordon Liddy -- putz. Carter also pardoned Patty Hearst and all the Vietnam Draft Dodgers. But that pales in comparison to Reagan pardoning George Steinbrenner -- cuz I hate the Yankees.

3.) Clinton's pardon of Dan Rostenkowski is close, but no cigar, since Rosty was not part of the administration, but a congressman. He should have done more time nonetheless. If you can find a Democratic President who blatantly used the pardon power to help out his or his predecessor's staff the way the GOP has, let me know. I got nothing.

4.) Trick question, Ford pardoned both, and while Tokyo Rose was undoubtedly a traitor of the worst kind (unforgivable really), the Nixon pardon has continuing historical repercussions that live on even today. So it depends on what you mean by "worse."

5.) See above answer regarding the pardon of Richard M. Nixon. They fail to pay the consequences dolled out to others because as the self-professed arbiters of justice and liberty, theirs is the only opinion that matters. Those that are fellow travelers are to be forgiven their sins since they've seen the light of their superiority. They understand IOKIYAR.