Maurice Clemmons = Willie Horton. Now, it's going mainstream.

[stevedeshazer]

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/11/an-act-of-clemency-that-may-ha.html



An act of clemency that may haunt Mike Huckabee

Authorities in Washington state have been on a manhunt for Maurice Clemmons, an ex-con suspected of shooting four police officers at a coffee shop the other day. There's a $125,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

Why is this on a politics blog?

Because Clemmons received clemency in May 2000 from Mike Huckabee - the governor of Arkansas at the time, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination last year, and a favorite among many conservatives for the 2012 nomination.

Recall the damage inflicted on the presidential hopes of Michael Dukakis, a Massachusetts Democrat, when the Bush41 campaign whomped him with the misdeeds of Willie Horton, a murderer out on furlough. (Notably, it was Al Gore, a fellow Democrat, who had broached the issue of furloughs for killers, though he never mentioned Horton by name.)

----
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/us/politics/01huckabee.html

By KATE ZERNIKE

When Mike Huckabee, a former Southern Baptist minister then serving as governor of Arkansas, granted clemency to Maurice Clemmons nine years ago, he cited his age: Mr. Clemmons was 16 when he began the crime spree for which he was sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.

Now, Mr. Clemmons is being sought as the suspect in the killing of four uniformed police officers, execution-style, on Sunday as they sat in a coffee shop near Tacoma, Wash., writing reports.

Mr. Huckabee, now a Fox News talk-show host, has been leading the pack of possible Republican contenders for president in 2012. But the killings of the police officers is focusing renewed attention on his long-contentious record of pardoning convicts or commuting their sentences.

In a decade as governor beginning in 1996, Mr. Huckabee did so twice as many times as his three predecessors combined. He typically gave little explanation for individual pardons. But he spoke often of his belief in redemption, based on a strong religious belief that even criminals are capable of changing their lives and often deserve a second chance. He also raised concerns about the fairness of the Arkansas justice system.

[Cha]

1. I missed the part about why

they suspected clemmons of the heinous carnage? Do you know how they got him as a suspect from the description from the others in the coffee house? Thanks.

[stevedeshazer]

4. To my knowledge, there has been no public release of that information.

[Cha]

10. Thanks..That's why I

missed it..they're keeping it to themselves for now.

[Cha]

12. I found this.. Cross post from LBN.

"Police Say Tacoma Suspect Told Others He Would Shoot Officers"

Source: New York Times

SEATTLE — A man suspected of gunning down four uniformed officers in a suburb of Tacoma, Wash., early Sunday told people in advance of the shooting to “watch TV tomorrow, I’m going to shoot some cops,” according to the investigators.

“Unfortunately, nobody reported that,” said Hunter George, a spokesman for Pierce County, whose Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation. Mr. George said police have detained “a few people” who had been in contact with the suspect, Maurice Clemmons, 37, in the last two days, but it was not clear whether they would face charges.

The police said that Mr. Clemmons had recently been arrested in Pierce County and charged with assaulting a police officer and raping a child.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/us/01tacoma.html?_r=1...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4166114

[parasim]

2. So, the left is gonna pull the same shit as the right. Nice.

That's America!

[stevedeshazer]

6. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of turning the other cheek.

It's full on with Republicans, and I believe every opportunity to destroy them in the court of public opinion moves our country forward.

Your mileage may vary.

[MUAD_DIB]

8. No kidding, Use their shit against them. Sauce for the goose...

[DeSwiss]

14. Word.

From 1996 through July 2004, Arkansas had more clemencies
than all neighboring states combined. One-third of Texas
clemencies were for people convicted with planted evidence.] http://www.arkansasleader.com/frontstories/st_08_11_04/huckabee8.html">Link


- So much for Law & Order Repukes as well as their bible-thumper buddies who "save" lethal killers from The Devil™, and then recommend their early release.

[JoeyT]

16. I'm not fond of turning the other cheek either.

I do enjoy exposing Republican hypocrisy, but the long term implications of taking this route are a little scary.
Do we really want to be the party of "Tough on Crime" since what that's come to mean to most people seems to be locking up black men as fast as possible and adopting a zero tolerance attitude toward minor infractions?

[eridani]

22. If we'd just give up that stoopid policy--

--the jails would have plenty of room for someone like Clemmons.

[gopiscrap]

21. thank you!!

[truebrit71]

31. Agreed. Fuck nice. Nice got us 8 years of bush...

..hit back, twice as hard..the only way a bully learns is when you beat the ever-loving shit out of them...

[gopiscrap]

20. That's politics and that's sadly to say: how you win

we on the left need to pull our heads out of our asses and quit being nice..go for the throat...make the right wing feel like shit...stay on top..it's all about the win...with out the win, you don't get the bills passed that you want. Who cares how you win, just as long as you do!!!!

[redqueen]

30. Let me know when a politician uses it, k? Until then... bullcrap. (nt)

[NYC_SKP]

3. We need SwampRat. A picture of Hucklebee in a Tank should seal his fate. nt

[Ishka Kibble]

5. A Lee Atwater Special.

That dead fuck must be so pleased, just boogying in his grave, thrilled that his legacy survived a lot longer than he did, the miserable bastard.

Doesn't feel quite as good when it's happening to a Republican, though, does it? Not as much fun as Dead Lee (say it out loud, and it's correct that way, too) would have hoped for.

What's Karl Rove got to say about this, I wonder? The right-wing shills are curiously quiet on the subject - where's the outrage?

At least Huckabee is effectively removed as even the most remote possibility for any kind of Presidential big. Now, I just wish he'd go away.

[xultar]

7. Well we all know the rules are different for Rethugs. So Huck will be just fine. Think about it.

Bush ACTUALLY let Bin Laden get away and didn't give the commanders on the ground troop increases when they had him @ tora bora.

Obama is trying to make a decision on war strategy. Yet Obama is weak, wrong, unmurkin, dithering, failing, etc...

So, you see? Huck will be fine.

[Kahuna]

26. Exactly. It's always different when they do it. nt

[Bolo Boffin]

9. I thought attacking Dukakis for Horton was despicable.

I think attacking Huckabee for Clemmons is just as despicable. We pursue this line against Huckabee at our peril.

[Tumbulu]

11. Why shouldn't Huckabee be held responsible for this?

This guy was in prison and he let him out against the advice of the law enforcement. He absolutely should take the blame.

[Bolo Boffin]

13. He did not let him out of prison. He commuted part of his sentence.

That made him eligible for parole hearing, and he was then released on parole by the parole board.

And he didn't run right out and murder four police officers in cold blood, either.

[Tumbulu]

15. His actions led to his release which would not have happened otherwise-

if he was not out of prison how could he have killed these police officers?

[Bolo Boffin]

18. You cannot blame Huckabee for what happened, not if you're looking at the facts.

The facts are many people let this guy slide. People who call this "Huckabee's Willie Horton" are really making it worse. If it was a racist attack on Dukakis, it's a racist attack on Huckabee.

Regardless, anyone who seizes on this for political advantage after having decried the Willie Horton ads is not doing the Democratic party any favors. If it was an illegitimate argument then, it's illegitimate now.

Some people seemed to have argued against granting Clemmons clemency, but a lot of people recommended it and backed him up at the time. And then a parole board reviewed Clemmons' case and let him loose on parole. And then he spent several more years bouncing in and out of custody. Blaming Huckabee for what Clemmons did makes as much sense as blaming Abraham Lincoln for World War I.

[gopiscrap]

23. who cares if it's an illegitimate arguement

Stick it the fucking repukes when you can

[Bolo Boffin]

25. Michelle Malkin certainly doesn't care.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/29/violent-felon-granted-clemency-by-huckabee-now-sought-in-lakewood-wa-police-ambush/

[stevedeshazer]

17. You can't bring a knife and expect to win a gun fight.

The Willie Horton attack ad resulted in the election of Poppy Bush.

Enough with the pussyfooting. These guys won't compromise, I'd think you would know that after almost thirty years of Democrats getting sand kicked their faces.

If we don't stand up and fight fire with fire, we're screwed for good.

[Bolo Boffin]

19. Those who live by the Willie Horton ad die by the Willie Horton ad.

If it's wrong for Bush to have done, it's wrong for Democrats now to do.

Your logic is the logic of "24"-watching wingnuts ready to sacrifice the laws against torture just because of 9/11. I say this not to say you're a rightwing wingnut, but to perhaps shock you into realizing what your argument sounds like.

[gopiscrap]

24. If it takes using this arguement to win the next election

I don't give a fuck...I don't really care how we win, just as long as we win!!!

[Kahuna]

27. "At our peril?" What peril?

:shrug:

[Bolo Boffin]

28. Electoral peril. n/t

[Kahuna]

29. I doubt that. nt

[Bolo Boffin]

33. That's what makes this a great country.

Other than the part where Houston charities are checking immigration status before giving a kid a toy, that is.

But we can agree to disagree.

[Lance_Boyle]

32. Poor Dukakabee.

What come around go around, kid.