Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is a different kind of Christian conservative. Instead of coming across as just another right wing spear carrier for the Republican party, he brought to the table something that Christians in politics seemed to have been strangely lacking; namely, a sense of compassion. Also wit. As he told Leno, he reminded people of someone they worked with, rather than the guy who laid them off (an allusion to rival Mitt Romney). Huckabee is not above using government to help the little guy.
As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee’s compassion led him to grant clemency to quite a few prisoners. Now one of them, Maurice Clemmons, has killed four police officers. (To be fair, his granting the parole didn’t lead directly to the new crimes. The parolee got thrown in jail again in another state, whereupon he was again set free.)
The pioneering Christian blogger Joe Carter, who now blogs for First Things, served on Huckabee’s staff during his presidential campaign. He thinks highly of Governor Huckabee but reports that he applied his Christian faith in such a way that he did show mercy to criminals, especially if they reported a conversion, were recommended by a pastor, or made up for their crime through “restorative justice.” But Joe thinks he was sometimes naive in doing so.
Loyal reader of this blog Eric Richey proposed that we discuss this in light of the doctrine of vocation, that Huckabee–who is also an ordained Baptist minister–might have been confusing his calling as a minister of the gospel with his calling as the governor of the state. Put another way, is this a violation of the doctrine of the Two Kingdoms, confusing the Christian’s individual spiritual mandate to forgive, with the magistrate’s Romans 13 duty to punish evildoers?
And yet, earthly rulers are to temper justice with mercy sometimes, aren’t they? His powers as governor gave him the power to pardon and to commute sentences. Is it fair to hold him responsible for this tragic outcome, which he certainly didn’t intend? Should this disqualify him for the office of president, should he decide to run again?
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In an interview yesterday, I heard Huckabee explaining the process used in considering clemency. As he spoke, the first thing that popped into my mind was that he is confusing his role. I don’t have a problem with the pardon, per se. What I have a problem with is how often it is used just because someone has a jailhouse conversion.
“Should this disqualify him for the office of president?” It doesn’t matter if it should or not. The fact of the matter is that it will.
Point of clarity: Gov. Huckabee did not pardon Maurice Clemmons, and he did not parole him. He commuted his sentence down to one where he could some day obtain parole, which happened later. (from 108 down to 40, or something like that.) (btw, why do we even go through the pretense of sentencing for “40 years” if it really means something like “five years, or three with good behavior?”)
Regarding the two kingdoms, I don’t see a particular problem. The Governor’s role is not punishing evildoers–that is for law enforcement and the courts. He is the executive administrator, and as such has the power of pardon and commutation. Whether he used it wisely is another question, but it was well within his purview and doesn’t seem to have been abused.
Maybe he should invoke president Lincoln, who was known (and attacked) for excessive pardoning. There are some who think he was a good president.
Clemmons is only one of Huckabee’s horrible “Willie Hortons”; Dumond was another; though, as with Clemmons, Huckabee tries to shift the blame to someone else, but the Arkansas prosecuting attorney warned Huckabee back then. Huckabee is unelectable as dogcatcher, much less any other public office.
Of course there is also bad judgment by on the Arkansas parole board members, and the Washington judge who set a ridiculously low bail for Clemmons.
Every night for the rest of their lives.
they and Huckabee should all think about the needless murders of four police officers, not to mention other murders and rapes, and the contribution of their own failures.
There is no comparison between Huckabee’s enormous amount of commutations and paroles to Lincoln’s clemency and pardons, which were mostly related to the war and Indian conflicts, though some were civil cases.
Carl,
Just for fun, why would you say that there is no comparison? They seem remarkably similar to me. The fact that Lincoln has been sainted by history does not mean he was a perfect president. Why not condemn Lincoln along with Huckabee?
I don’t fault Huckabee here. The crimes for which Clemmons was sentenced to up to 108 years in prison were more or less aggravated assault and burglary, for which a more typical sentence is 10-20 years. All he did was get Clemmons’ sentence down to a reasonable one for the crime.
Now the guys who let him out when he promptly demonstrated that it wasn’t just a youthful indiscretion….and didn’t revoke his parole (he still had 36 years left even after Huckabee’s action) for more felonies….now THOSE guys I fault here. Not Huckabee.
The Dumond case? He served 15 years, which is, again, typical for forcible rape. Now as much as I think the penalty for forcible rape ought to be death, he’d served a typical sentence and had been castrated–by whom it’s not certain. So there is an argument that he, of all people, might be less likely to offend again.
(on the other hand, it was his third sexual crime–so a life sentence might not be out of the question)
So I’ve got some question of his judgment from the Dumond case, not much at all from Clemmons.
“Just for fun, why would you say that there is no comparison?”
I explained in my last sentence, Dan. For more details check “Inside Lincoln’s Clemency Decision Making” by P.S. Ruckman, Jr. and David Kincaid.
So, if you would like to condemn Lincoln for his clemency, find a couple of civil cases where, like Huckabee’s prosecuting atorney, the Attorney General had strongly warned Lincoln not to pardon or commute the sentence of violent criminals, who later went on to rape and murdered people.
And if you find such cases, Dan, I’ll publicly state that Lincoln will never be elected to another public office again.
Carl, #8,
I am not interested in condemning Lincoln, nor, for that matter, in vindicating Huckabee. I really don’t have a dog in the fight, so to speak. My initial remark about Lincoln was largely tongue-in-cheek.
I do find it interesting, though, that you draw such a sharp line of distinction between them. It is true that Lincoln’s pardons were largely military and Huckabees civil, but that doesn’t change the basic fact that they were guilty, convicted criminals. Lincoln also faced a lot of political heat for his clemency, and some of his pardons almost certainly re-offended, though I don’t recall reading that any information was ever recorded about that.
Hmm. That raises an interesting point. Criticism of Lincoln was–you will correct me if my knowledge is incomplete–largely based on the circumvention of justice. The criticism of Huckabee, and Michael Dukakis before him, seems to be based on the danger to society of a criminal re-offending.
Which, I wonder, is the better way of viewing it?
I liked Huckabee. Overall I think it was a good thing he at least pardoned a couple people unlike Romney whose self righteousness could not lead him to pardon anyone for anything.
However, I think Huckabee might have been a little naive in some of it. Baptists tend to be.
And Government isn’t about Gospel, the church isn’t about law. But you would never know it looking at society today. I don’t think you have to be Christian to see that there are legitimate reasons to grant a pardon. A jail house conversion is not one. But Pilate knew the reasons, one wonders how many murders Barrabas had under his belt after Christ took his place. So granting a pardon isn’t exactly about the gospel. It becomes a problem when it is confused as such.
“My initial remark about Lincoln was largely tongue-in-cheek.”
Good, since this thread is about Huckabee’s failures, not Lincoln’s. And in that regard, a June 23, 2004, Arkansas Leader article reported:
Several prosecutors around the state are upset with Gov. Huckabee for granting clemency to violent criminals, but he is blaming the prosecutors for often not seeking the maximum penalty and keeping felons locked up longer.
Until now, Huckabee has refused to comment on his controversial policy of making violent prisoners eligible for parole– they include murderers, armed robbers and rapists, who often return to a life of crime after they’re freed – but in a statement to The Leader this week, he lashed out at prosecutors for not doing more to keep prisoners behind bars – to which Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley had this response: “That’s a load of baloney.”
“I’m offended as a prosecutor and as a citizen. He can blame the prosecutors, but ultimately he’s the man responsible,” Jegley says. “He’s the only one who can sign on the dotted line.
“All he has to do is look in the mirror and say, ‘I let (convicted rapist) Wayne DuMond go free who then killed at least once and probably twice.’”
Instead, Huckabee’s excuse is that prosecutors don’t seek long enough sentences. But when they do, as in Clemmon’s case, Huckabee cuts it down so that the violent criminal was able to get paroled. That’s no excuse; it’s just trying to shift the blame. That kind of character we don’t need in public office.
The Leader article also noted that the Arkansas Constitution requires the governor to give reasons why he grants clemency to criminals, which Huckabee failed to do on several occasions.
A recent Herald Tribune article, “Old Clemency May Be Issue for Huckabee”, notes:
Robert Herzfeld, then the prosecuting attorney of Saline County, wrote a letter to Governor Huckabee in January 2004, saying his policy on clemency was “fatally flawed” and suggesting that he should announce specific reasons for granting clemency. Mr. Huckabee’s chief aide on clemency wrote back: “The governor read your letter and laughed out loud. He wanted me to respond to you. I wish you success as you cut down on your caffeine consumption.”
“It was all a very personal issue for him,” said Mr. Herzfeld, who later sued successfully to overturn one of Mr. Huckabee’s clemency decisions, which would have set free a man convicted in a bludgeoning death. “It was always about how I was trying to get him or another prosecutor was trying to get him, not about how to do it right. He’s brilliant politically and very likable, but it seems like there’s a blind spot on this issue.”
From an August 4, 2004, Arkansas Leader article:
After he [Huckabee] was forced to withdraw his offer of clemency to Glen Green – the former Air Force sergeant who beat his own pregnant wife, then brutally murdered a teenager and dumped her body into the Twin Prairie Bayou – Huckabee pretty much admitted he knew nothing about the case. As is his custom, he had listened to a fellow preacher who pushed for Green’s release knowing about as much about the killing as the governor did.
This episode is unfortunate for Huckabee, in that it will certainly damage his chance for the presidency, should he decide to pursue a campaign again in the future. As I understand it, Clemmons was 15 when he committed his original crimes, and Huckabee thought his 108 year sentence was too extreme for a young offender and commuted it down to 47 years. That seems reasonable, but somehow he ended up on the streets in just a few years, thanks to crazy parole and early release decisions. Of course, the real heartache is for the families of the four officers who were killed.
I remember during the campaign that this issue was raised of Huckabee commuting or pardoning prisoners in part because of jailhouse conversions. I am very happy when a prisoner is saved in jail. But we, as humans, cannot conclusively evaluate the sincerity of such a prisoner, or the genuineness of the conversion. We who are saved still have to face the consequences of our actions here on earth. The right response to such a prisoner is not to release them, but to encourage and exhort them to be a testimony to Christ in the mission field in which they have been placed, for the full term of their sentence.
As to the question about what place mercy has in the duty of the sword-bearer, there are two factors that we should consider I think:
1. Will the mercy help to bring about a more peaceful state? If the lawbreaker truly repents and receives mercy, will that encourage other lawbreakers to do the same?
2. Will the refusal of mercy harm his neighbors that depend on him? Are we making a widow of his wife or orphans of his children?
In the Huckabee clemency case Herzfeld got overturned, Don Jeffers had bludgeoned William Hash to death in 1980 with Hash’s own prosthetic leg. Eggers had been sentenced to life after plea bargaining down from a capital murder.
As for Glen Green, Prosecuting Attorney Lona McCastlain, a Republican, was able to get Huckabee to back down from commuting Green’s life sentence when Green had confessed that in 1974 he had kidnapped and beat 18-year-old Helen Lynette Spencer as he tried to rape her in a secluded area. He beat her again with nunchucks after he caught her when she broke loose. Green then stuffed Helen into the trunk of his car and left her there while he cleaned up.
Green then drove out to a country bridge where, according to Green, he put her body in the front seat and raped her because her body was still warm. Green then dragged her out in front of the car and ran over her several times, then threw Helen’s body in Twin Praire Bayou.
According to a July 21, 2004, Leader article: “The Jacksonville police, who arrested Green in 1974 after a witness linked him to the crime, think the minister and Huckabee are both delusional, which is the mildest epitaph we can print.” Another Republican lawyer is quoted as agreeing that Huckabee was the worst Arkansas governor in recent memory and should be impeached.
Frank @ #14 – thanks for those questions related to the original topic. You have gotten us back on track with regards to the issue of vocation and how mercy might be used by a Sword-Bearer / Elected official to love and serve his neighbors.
Are there any others we might think of.
Out here in the Pacific Northwest we are still in shock, which is giving way to anger. There is plenty of blame to go around, though: First, Governor Huckabee’s commutation of what should have been a life sentence, considering the crimes committed, simply because of Clemmons’ age at the time. Second, whatever was going on in the judicial system in Arkansas when the shorter commuted sentence resulted in Clemmons’ being set free. Third, the refusal of Arkansas to ask Washington to hold Clemmons for possible extradition after Clemmons was arrested in Washington for serious crimes (including child rape) which constituted automatic violations of his Arkansas parole. If they had, Clemmons would have been denied bail after being arrested in Washington. Fourth, the judges in Washington who let Clemmons out on bail. First, Clemmons was accused of a crime (child rape) which should have resulted in denied bail (I have no idea why it didn’t–possibly just slack laws, of which Washington has plenty). Second, he was accused of a “third strike” under Washington’s “three strikes” law which would result in an automatic life sentence if convicted. This made him a flight risk and also should have resulted in denial of bail. There is probably more but this is what I’ve gleaned from a lot of news articles at this point.
In the meantime, a lot of states and localities (including my own county) are turning criminals loose right and left as a budget cutting measure.
I liked Huckabee’s support of the fair tax but never liked his views on just about anything else. His commutations always bothered me during the campaign, but what is most bothersome is his refusal to take responsibility for them. During the campaign he kept blaming the Dumond deal on the parole board but the parole board that let Dumond out was made up of people appointed by Huckabee.
On the whole, I think jail house conversions are wonderful, they guarantee that the criminal will gain eternal life right after the state executes him – it’s a win – win. Criminal behavior is punished by the state and the individual soul is saved.
Apart from the right or wrong of it, one shouls remember that most politics is perception. I asked a seasoned politician of my acquaintance what he thinks of it. He said basically that Huckabee’s political career is over.
Coincidentally, from Christianity Today‘s mid-November interview, “Q & A: Mike Huckabee”, by Sarah Pulliam Bailey:
Bailey: A lot of people compare you and Sarah Palin as conservative Christian candidates. What separates you two? What makes you different?
Huckabee: Well, it’s hard for me to say what’s different because I don’t know. I don’t know how people make the comparison. We were both governors, we certainly are both pretty clear in our expression of faith, so yeah, we share those things. But other than those things, I’m not sure where the comparisons are. We’re both Republican, we’re both pro-life—there are a lot of similarities that way—but she has a very different political direction than I do. I’m not sure of her future politically, and I’m really not sure of mine either.
Today Mike Huckabee can be more sure that his political future and direction is down.
Parenthetically mentioning the shootings in Washington State does not make the comment or the link @21 relevant to this thread’s discussion. It is false advertising.
Carl (@22), perhaps you should take your issue up with WordPress and its trackback functionality.
According to a Des Moines Examiner article, “Huckabee is lying about cop killer’s criminal record in Arkansas”:
Huckabee’s efforts to shift blame away from himself includes a total fabrication of Maurice Clemmons’ extensive criminal history, and his age.
“Here was a kid at age 16 had committed a burglary and a robbery and got a 108 year sentence,” Huckabee said Tuesday. The facts tell a completely different story from the fable that Huckabee is propagating. Clemmons committed much more than one burglary and one robbery.
There were five separate incidents, and eight felony convictions for Maurice Clemmons prior to Huckabee’s clemency.
Details are in the article.
As for WordPress’s traceback functionality, it appears to need functional improvement.
I’m conspiracy minded, with the high level crimes that have happened in Arkansas over the years, it got me thinking. The only other place I’ve ever heard of anyone who commited a crime like Clemmont get a govenors pardon was in ‘The Godfather.’ That was because he was recruited to be a hitman. Maybe one of those four cops saw something they weren’t supposed to see, because the murders sound more like an assasination that deranged act. The other pardons should be reviewed with that in mind.