Bush's Pardons Favor Gun Lovers

President restores right to bear arms to convicted felons
Posted Nov 29, 2008 8:22 AM CST
Bush's Pardons Favor Gun Lovers
Case Vermillion answers a customer's question at a gun shop in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008. Felons lose the right to keep and bear arms but it can be restored by presidential order.   (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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.
(More presidential pardon stories.)

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