Does Mike Huckabee have a Problem seperating church and state?

RIGHT SPEAK ^ | 2/14/2011 | BOSMAN

[Right Wingnut 2]

I read this article in The Seattle Times awhile back that went into detail about Maurice Clemmons and what lead up to Mike Huckabee, then Governor of Arkansas, granting him a commutation.

What I found more interesting in the article, was the connection between Huckabee's religious belief system and the 1033 clemencies/pardons/commutations that he granted during his administration.

What I've done is selected highlights from the article that can be read in full HERE.

In 1999, the year before he received Clemmons' plea for mercy, Huckabee became the first Arkansas governor in nearly 30 years to stop an execution, sparing the life of a man who had murdered an 81-year-old farmer and stolen his truck. "I had rather face the anger of the people than the wrath of God," Huckabee said. Huckabee called himself a "grace" Christian, not a "law" Christian, and what was clemency but an act of grace? In his 10 ½ years as governor, starting in 1996, Mike Huckabee emerged as a political force, an ordained minister who could draw votes from across the political spectrum.

.....Clemency can be granted in two ways. A commutation reduces a sentence while preserving the conviction; a pardon strikes the conviction altogether.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette analyzed Huckabee's first 111 commutations and found that inmates stood a better chance if they fit one of four categories. The first upheld clemency's historic role: "The justice system has treated them more harshly than most." It was the other three that raised concerns:

"They know a person who has known the governor. They worked at the Governor's Mansion. A minister interceded for them."

During his tenure as Governor, Huckabee gave in to 1033 clemency requests. In 17 years his three predecessors approved only 507 clemency requests.

Here are a few of his less notable clemencies:

[muawiyah]

Well, well, my goodness ~ "a minister had interceded for them" ~ that sounds so much like an earlier governor or two in Arkansas (and elsewhere) who granted clemency because, lo and behold, a hooker interceded for them.

Look, you give a governor the power of pardon and you constitutionally restrict it ~ because if you don't that governor is just liable to do any old thing.

First time I've seen an analysis that argued the exhortations of a minister should be considered of less weight than the blandishments of whores ~ sounds like an Upside Down Islam

[PieterCasparzen]

Huckabee GO AWAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @#$%$@#%#% you let convicted criminals out of jail and they murder again you %&^%**%$@#$% moron !! Mike, it’s over, forget it.

[Cicero]

Well, according to articles I read earlier, during the 2008 primary season and at the time of those cop murders in the Pacific Northwest, it’s NOT really a problem of religious belief.

What the Huckster did was go around to a number of influential black pastors and ask them if there was anyone they wanted him to give clemency to. Then they made a series of deals, whether understood or explicit I don’t know.

The Huckster let their murderous parishioners loose. In return, the Pastors bussed in their congregations to vote for the Huckster.

The Democrats do that all the time—do favors for black pastors in return for bussing in the votes. But Huck did it in an especially corrupt and—for a professedly serious Christian—hypocritical way.

As we would expect of him.

[muawiyah]

Them black ministers, all a time “bussing” people ~http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/08/06/nyregion/06kiss.151.jpg

[T-Bird45]

I don’t know about his separation of church and state logic or reasoning. I do know he used to have trouble separating himself from the dinner table.

[zeohti]

As governor, he is charged with maintaining the civil order. If he wants to quit politics and take up the ministry, he can show as much mercy as he likes then.

[Hawthorn]

I don’t know about Huckabee, and I don’t care — because he’s certainly not going to give up his FNC gig and his new Florida mansion for a POTUS run.

Butt eye doo no the awthur of thiss blogg’s hedline haz a cirius spellin problum!