Need a pardon? Under President Bush, your chances look better in Texas and Florida

An interesting way to show your friends back home that you love 'em: pardon the criminals.

Our colleagues at the Swamp took a look at President Bush's sparing use of pardon power and found that more convicts in Texas and Florida, where his younger brother, Jeb, was governor, benefited from his pardoning and clemency largess than those in any other state.

A matter of size, you say? Bigger states, more criminals? Perhaps.

But consider this: Convicts in Texas and Florida, both states that helped put Bush in the White House, were given 31 acts of presidential clemency. In California, eight convicts received clemency, and in New York, just one. And to which candidate did their electoral votes go?

For the Swamp's full account and a list of state-by-state pardons, click here.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Jeb Bush, left, with President Bush. Credit: Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[P.S. Ruckman, Jr.]

See the original post cited by The Swamp at PardonPower.com here:

http://pardonpower.com/2008/10/president-geography-of-bushs-pardons.html

[Amanda Horn]

I am totally disappointed in Mr. Bush.. I have spent 8 years in defending him but with the rejection of Jose Compean and "Nacho" Ramos' Pardon petitition I feel like I have been used and thrown away like Kleenex...