Bush's Pardons Favor Gun Lovers

Second Amendment enthusiasts seem to have a better-than-average chance of winning a presidential pardon as the Bush presidency nears its end, the Wall Street Journal reports. Of the 14 felons pardoned in the last week, seven are fans of hunting or shooting and five say they specifically mentioned their desire to have their right to bear arms restored when they wrote in for a pardon.

One Missouri farmer convicted of poisoning bald eagles won a pardon after explaining that he wanted to go hunting with his kids. Another felon was pardoned after enclosing photos of his hunting dog with his letter. Bush has so far pardoned 171 felons, far fewer than most of his predecessors, but there is a backlog of thousands and December is said to be his favorite month for granting clemency.