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pardons
He left with an unforgettable legacy
Robert M. Gill, 68, was serving a life sentence for cocaine and heroin distribution conspiracy. He had been in jail since 1990 and was released in 2015.
It is still unclear what Gill did to deserve to have his sentence commuted, perhaps nothing. His name made it onto the list though and he was granted early release by Obama in his end of term release party.
When the dust settled, Obama had pardoned or commuted the sentences of 1,715 individuals. That number included 568 people, such as Robert Gill, who had been sentenced to life in prison.
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Obama made multiple claims that he was ensuring that justice was served. He stated that the government had been too zealous in many drug cases and that these criminals did not deserve the length of the sentence they were given.
It is highly unlikely that Obama went over each and every case, all 1,715 of them, and decided this. It is not unreasonable to think that he randomly picked criminals, had them suggested to him by people close to the cases, or some other pointless method.
In the end, he tried to say that he was only commuting non-violent, low level drug offenders. That was a bold faced lie. A brief sampling of some of his commutations reveals these gems;
  • Michael Anthony Tedesco – Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute in excess of 5 kilograms of cocaine and quantities of marijuana
  • Tavia Dion Blume – Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense
  • George Bernard Moran – Conspiracy to import a substantial amount of marijuana into the United States; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute an amount of marijuana over 1,000 pounds
  • Mary Ann Krauser, fka Mary Ann Iron Shield – Involuntary manslaughter
  • James Willie McGrady, Jr. – Distribution of cocaine and aiding and abetting; distribution of cocaine in excess of 500 grams and aiding and abetting; possession of a firearm in the commission of a drug trafficking crime
  • Claire Holbrook Mulford – Using a residence to distribute methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime
Large amounts of drugs, firearms, manslaughter; these are not exactly teenagers selling marijuana.
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He turned his back on American safety
Yet somehow Obama saw his way clear to pardon all of them. Some of them had only served a small portion of a significant sentence. That makes it even more likely that the only one committing injustice was Obama himself.
Facing hurdles such as mainstream media bias and lack of tracking methods, it is doubtful we will know what happens with many of those he let go free.
However, Robert Gill has made his way back into the headlines. Apparently his 25 years in prison did nothing to deter him from returning to a life of crime.
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Gill, having educated himself while serving his sentence, was working as a paralegal for San Antonio criminal defense law firm LaHood & Calfas.
Paralegals must not make enough money or maybe he was just bored, but Gill returned to a life of crime in a spectacular fashion.
In a drug bust gone wrong, Gill allegedly crashed his vehicle into another motorist while fleeing from a drug deal last week. He also struck cars of undercover police officers.
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An example of Obama’s ignorance
He is currently being held without bail until a hearing on February 16. Gill is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. That is an approximate street value of at least $7,000. Is this what Obama considered a low level distributor?
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Given the sheer number of pardons issued, it is probable that more of Obama’s legacies have returned to their previous enterprises. Since we are already dealing with a rise in crime due to his immigration and refugee policies, this was the last thing America needed.
Obama commuted more sentences than the last 11 Presidents combined. His concern was not about the justice or injustice done, this was simply and easy way to pour poison back onto American streets.
This is his legacy, one of crime, corruption, and complete lack of concern for citizens. He will not be affected by these criminals, nor will his liberal friends. It is the people who elected him, twice, and those of us that didn’t who are feeling that backlash.
After he was released Gill did an interview during which he said, “I believed there were people in government with rational minds who sooner or later would realize that the sentence wasn’t fair. Yes, you have the thought that you’re going to die in prison — that’s a human reaction. But there’s always the possibility that they’ll acknowledge the injustice.”
What he actually meant was he got lucky and found a President who didn’t care. Or as Obama put it in a signed notification when he granted Gill’s application “because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around. … Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity.”
Well, Gill certainly went out and made the most of his release. We can only imagine what the other 1,714 people are doing with their new lives.