The West Virginia Democratic Party condemned President Biden’s last-minute selection of people to receive presidential pardons and said they expected similar action from his rival, President-elect Trump.
In a statement released late Monday, local party leaders praised Biden for guiding the United States “through significant economic challenges,” while also praising those convicted of public corruption. denounced the fact that a reduced sentence would be given.
“Public corruption is a betrayal of trust. When officials abuse their power for personal gain, it not only harms the communities they serve, but also undermines trust in government institutions.”Mike Pushkin the chairman wrote. A state representative from Kanawha County.
“More troubling, this type of pardon is exactly what we would expect from President-elect Donald Trump, not President Biden.”
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A welcoming sign greets travelers departing from the East River Mountain Tunnel on Interstate 77 near Princeton, West Virginia. (FOX News/Charles Crates)
Pushkin, a Kanawha County state representative, said in a statement from the state party that President Trump’s attacks on former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, General Michael Flynn, political strategist Stephen K. Bannon and former U.S. Rep. He criticized the first term’s pardon. Rick Renzi, Republican, Arizona.
“By following this same path, President Biden has legitimized the idea that public officials who violate their oath of office are above the law,” Pushkin said.
“Even worse, if Trump returns to the White House, he will be emboldened to issue even more pardons for political corruption.”
Mr. Pushkin and other Democrats were particularly critical of Mr. Biden’s decision to pardon Michael Conahan, the disgraced Pennsylvania judge at the center of the “kids for cash” scandal.
Mr. Conahan was convicted of accepting kickbacks for incarcerating young people in commercial prisons.
Representative Hollis Lewis, D-Charleston, told Fox News Digital that he too disagrees with Biden’s decision to pardon Conahan.
“What pissed me off was the judge involved in the child cash award case,” he said.
“When you have someone who preys on the most vulnerable people, like children and the elderly, that’s very problematic.”
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Former Luzerne County Court Judges Michael Conahan (front row, left) and Mark Ciavarella (front row, right) leave the U.S. District Court in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on September 15, 2009. (AP photo)
Presidents of both parties have made questionable choices regarding clemency, Lewis said, adding that pardons are an important tool and deserve it.
“Depending on the specific crime you committed, I don’t think you should carry around a felony scarlet letter forever if you can move on with your life with that part,” he said.
“However, we may want to think twice before exonerating these people, especially in crimes involving the elderly or children, or crimes in which the evidence is clear and there is a pattern of violence beyond a reasonable doubt.”
In a statement, WVDP also criticized Mr. Biden’s lenient treatment of Rita Crundwell, a former city auditor in Dixon, Illinois, who was sentenced for embezzling $54 million in the nation’s largest municipal fraud case.
The third case mentioned involved former Cleveland County Commissioner Jimmy DiMora, who was involved in a pay-to-play scheme.
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Fox News Digital reached out to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who is currently an independent but still caucuses with Democrats.
West Virginia previously made headlines during presidential pardon season, when former President Bill Clinton granted a widely criticized pardon to then-fugitive investor Marc Rich.
Mr. Rich was accused of tax evasion and evading sanctions against Iran and apartheid South Africa.
But Rich was accused of locking out 1,500 workers and hiring scabs amid allegations that the lockouts were illegal because the aluminum manufacturing company along the Ohio River allegedly enforced them. He also held stock at the time.
Union members from West Virginia reportedly picketed in front of Rich’s office in Switzerland.
Mr. Clinton’s pardon of Mr. Rich and his business partner, Pincus Greene, led to a federal investigation initially led by New York state prosecutor Mary Jo White.
When White’s term ended in 2002, she was replaced by a young federal prosecutor. That name was James Comey, who would resurface years later in another controversy over Clinton.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduate of Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
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