December 19, 2008
Gov Blagojevich is still at work and 22 folks got a special Christmas gift: clemency. He has been criticized for his slowness in granting pardons, but he pardoned 19 in July and 26 in October. And in September, Illinois passed a law to allows exonerees to bypass the governor and apply directly to the court in which they were convicted. Gov Ryan put a moratorium on the death penalty and commuted the sentences of all 167 men on death row to life right before he left office. He was hoping for a Bush pardon. Who knows, of blago plays his cards right, barry just might extend him one. Maybe that’s part of the negotiations.
AP: BLAGOJEVICH: I am pleased to restore the rights of citizenship to these individuals. After looking at each one of these cases, it was clear that this was the right thing to do.
