Posted on 12/01/2009 10:49:21 AM PST by Mount Athos
Under fire for commuting the sentence of suspected cop-killer Maurice Clemmons, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on Tuesday called some of the criticisms “disgusting” and suggested they were attempts to score political points.
“It really does show how sick our society has become that people are more concerned about a campaign three years from now than those grieving families in Washington,” Huckabee said during an interview on Joe Scarborough’s radio show. “It is disgusting, but people use anything as a political weapon.”
Huckabee granted Clemmons, a suspect in the killings of four police officers in Washington state over the weekend, clemency in 2001. He had served 11 years in prison after being sentenced at the age of 18 to 60 years in prison for burglary and theft and was set to serve the 60 years, in addition to the 48 years he was already serving on five felony counts.
After his sentence was commuted, Clemmons was paroled by an Arkansas board and moved to Washington in 2004, where he was charged with eight felonies prior to gunning down the police officers in a coffee shop.
Clemmons was shot and killed Tuesday morning by an officer investigating a stolen car.
Huckabee has been thrashed in the right-wing blogosphere by leading online conservative voices who have criticized his commutation of Clemmons’ sentence.
In addition, Minnesota GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty – one of Huckabee’s potential challengers for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012– said Tuesday that he would not have granted Clemmons clemency if he had been in Huckabee’s position.
“I don't think I've ever voted for clemency,” Pawlenty told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham. “We’ve given out pardons for things after everybody has served out their term, but again, usually for more minor offenses. But clemency? Certainly not. Commutation of sentence? Certainly not.
Huckabee defended his choice to grant the Arkansas felon clemency by insisting that Clemmons original sentence went too far.
“If he were a white kid from an upper middle class family he would have gotten a lawyer and some counseling,” Huckabee said. “But because he was a young black kid he got 108 years.”
Huckabee said the sentence was “far disproportionate from any other punishment in Arkansas at the time for a similar crime.”
“It’s a lot easier to be a pundit or a commentator or a blogger than to govern the state and have to make tough decisions,” he said. “People are talking about this from a political standpoint, but what they need to be asking is how did the system break down?”
“I love Huckabee, but he’s too much of a softy to serve as president. Soft on criminals, soft on illegals, soft on holding the line against tax and spend liberals. No thanks. Hope he succeeds beyond his wildest dreams in the entertainment field.”
Jim you are being obtuse and “soft” in the head. I don’t want, or expect, you to endorse Huckabee, I want you to stop folks from using your forum to wrongly trash Huckabee out of political opportunism and Baptist bashing, etc. This is NO better than the behavior of liberals in the Dem party.
I guess you are part of the problem not part of the solution. Until you, and others, wake up and realize this....the GOP and conservatism is fried. There is NO perfect candidate...never will be.
I’m not saying that failure to support Huckabee is wrong. I’m saying ridiculous, over the top, attacks on him are. I’m trully disappointed you don’t have the class to stop it on your forum.
So long Huckleberry!...We hardly knew ye!
Having to bury four young law enforcement officers because Huckabee couldn't keep his nose out of the justice system in Arkansas is disgusting.
“FACT: Huckabee was and seems to remain TOO SOFT ON CRIME.
So you need to add a category.”
Be honest and tell me who you support in the primary????
My sincere sympathies to you all. Politicians like Mike Huckabee don’t deserve one once of sympathy when they turn someone loose like this....
No Huck, you are disgusting. People, lots of people, lots of conservative people, told you to stop with your insane pardons. As usual, you listened to the bleeding heart commies instead.
Mike Huckabee: a Republican Bill Clinton.
Huck is toast. Don’t waste your breath supporting him now.
Mike left the ministry for the "higher calling" of politics, and I guess he brought too much of his ministry along with him because during his terms as governor he commuted the sentences of 1,100 prisoners, one of which was Clemmons.
Now, he goes onto Joe Scarborough's radio show of all places to complain that his decision to commute Clemmons' sentence is being politicized in a disgusting manner!
Well, what did he expect after Clemmons executed 4 police officers in Washington state? Politics ain't bean bag and he's the guy who chose politics.
Clemmons would be sitting in an Arkansas prison cell, but for Governor Huckabee commuting his 95 year sentence, which made him eligible for parole. He was paroled and he violated that parole and that should have ended his venture back into compassionate society.
But no, he was given a second chance. I think Mike Huckabee is looking for a same second chance. Good luck with that.
But heavy on smoke nazi rules, heavy on food nazi rules, heavy on gov’t healthcare, heavy on “compassion”
I agree with you. I still think Clemmons shot those officers,Not Huckabee.
Well, if you truly feel that way perhaps you should vote with your feet.
Free Republic is a conservative site! RINOs are the enemy within!
Huckabee made a mistake. He knows it, and is sick about its result; the death of police.
I don’t see any indication of this. On O’Reilly last night, he said he “wasn’t happy about it”. Maybe I didn’t hear his apology. It’s sickening what the cops and prosecutors and judges have to go through to get someone like Clemmons off the streets only to have politicians let them out. Yes, I know there were other breakdowns in the system, but if Huckabee had not acted, the perp would have died in prison.
That title certainly does not match his lame attempt at blaming everyone else.
Hey you! Good to see you here!!
Thanks pissant! Good to see you too!
I forgot that wonderful spoof song! LOL!
I agree. And it’s a day late and a dollar short.
Are you dining and dashing, or you gonna stick around for the 2010 elections?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.