xpost: Bush Pardons Man Who Killed Three Bald Eagles

[phantom power]

OP:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4532234&mesg_id=4532234

The symbolism is perfectly exquisite. President George Bush, who has given out fewer pardons than any modern president, felt that he could not leave office without releasing Leslie Owen Collier of Charleston, Mo., who pleaded guilty in 1995 to unlawfully killing three bald eagles in southeast Missouri. Bush is generally viewed as the most hostile president to environmental protections in modern times. His pardons seemed to reflect that profile with a number of environmental felons rescued in the fourteen pardons issued this week.

Collier is a real charmer. He explained that he was only trying to kill coyotes by lacing hamburger meat with pesticides — a trap that is widely denounced by environmentalists around the world and well-known to be a danger to bald eagles and other animals. Collier was appropriately convicted for unauthorized use of a pesticide and violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

What is particularly galling is that Collier received a light sentence: two years probation, $10,000 in restitution. Yet Bush believed that even that was too harsh for an environmental crime.


more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/washington/25pardons.html?_r=1
http://jonathanturley.org/2008/11/25/bush-pardons-man-who-killed-three-bald-eagles/#more-5815

[Ian David]

1. The pardon was probably pushed by the pesticide industry. n/t

[Ian David]

2. "On the third day of christmas, my true love killed for me... Three bald eagles...

... two feral dogs... and a Condor in an oak tree!"

[onehandle]

3. Calling Steven Colbert...

This will conflict that right-wing nut to no end.

[snappyturtle]

4. This pardon story goes right along with what Robert Redford said

on Rachel Maddow's show last night. Bush working HARD (hard work) to grant land leases for mining around National Parks. He started this on the day of the election, while our focus was elsewhere(!), and bi-passed the NPS and used BLM instead. The period for open discussion, public input, is about up. I'm glad, phantom power, that you reminded me! I will look for how those of us interested in saving the natural beauty of our land can make our voices known.

[XemaSab]

5. My mom said the same thing

Clinton put pro-environment stuff through AT THE END, so it was still in public comment and could be easily repealed. W learned that you have to do stuff so the comment period can lapse before the end of your term. :eyes:

[snappyturtle]

8. I know...sad, isn't it? Well, I went to all kinds of websites this morning

and found nothing for petitions. I guess we can write 'Dirk', Secretary of the Interior. Even the BLM site didn't show any way to voice an opinion. Ol' georgie boy is making this very difficult. We have until December 4th for public comment. I will be out of town a couple of days and when I get back I'll find addresses we can e-mail. GWB can't leave office soon enough for me. He, with this last maneuver, is finishing the rape of our country. imho

[Dead_Parrot]

6. Sigh

The days until fucknuts is gone are going to drag.

[Gregorian]

7. And to think he could demand a new trial for Troy Davis.

Bush is hell.