The Bush Presidency is almost over. In November the President announced the pardons of several people that included embezzlers, drug dealers, liars and the like.
There is an injustice that President Bush still has a few days to correct. Read my lips: Pardon Pat Nolan.
Most people know Pat Nolan now as the president of Justice Fellowship and his work for prison reform.
I met him over two decades ago as he served as State GOP Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan. Pat Nolan was an Assemblyman from the Glendale area.
But he was more than that. Nolan was the conservative movement in California. He was the one that helped organize conservatives in attempt to capture Democratic seats and preserve Republican ones. He found and developed leaders. He led fights in internal battles with GOP “old guard” types that stood in the way. Nolan also took care of his constituents.
That came to a screeching halt when he plead guilty in a FBI sting, one year before the Republicans took control of the State Assembly. One can only imagine some of the differences had he still been in power during that period.
His view of the criminal justice system changed s a result and there is no doubt that he has been a great servant in that capacity.
But let’s take a closer look at his “crime”
Democratic Assemblywomen Gwen Moore was convinced by FBI agents posing as a business that wanted tax breaks for setting up businesses in low income areas with high unemployment. It was similar to a bill that Nolan voted for two years earlier.
In fact the idea of these types of “Free Enterprise Zones” were an important part of Republicans addressing the needs of urban communities. The bill passed easily. In the Assembly it was 62-5.
One month after the vote, the agents meet with Nolan and gave $10,000. The $10,000 he reported to the FPPC and he put in the campaign accounts.
That was it. In fact this happens in Sacramento everyday. The FBI claimed they bribed him. Yet he had already voted for the bill and it fit his ideology.
How is that possible?
Unfortunately, this was the era of Willie Brown, term limits and lots of scandals. He was going to have a rough time at trial. Nolan got lumped in with these characters and chose to make a deal instead of risk lots of time away from his young family.
President Bush can make this right, by pardoning Pat Nolan. The facts don’t warrant him having these offenses on this record.
Cross posted on Red County
[Publisher’s Note: I would like to echo the sentiments of Mr. Spence. Pat Nolan absolutely deserves a pardon from this President – Jon Fleischman]