JURIST - Paper Chase: Bush grants 29 year-end pardons

[JURIST] US President George W. Bush granted pardons to 29 people on Tuesday, including some convicted for drug crimes, fraud, or kickback schemes. In addition, Bush reduced the sentence of another man who had been convicted for dealing crack cocaine. He did not pardon former vice-presidential aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby [defense website; JURIST news archive], despite having previously said that the possibility was open [JURIST report] that he would do so. Bush commuted Libby's sentence [JURIST report] in July.

Bush has issued a total of 142 pardons in his seven years as president, among the fewest of any president [US DOJ clemency statistics] since World War II. Former Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Reagan issued 457, 77, and 406 respectively during their terms in office. Former President Truman granted the most pardons, at 2,031. AP has more.

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