Why Steve Bannon May Still Go Down for a Pardoned Crime

[douglas9]

When President Donald Trump pardoned Steve Bannon in the closing hours of his presidency, it seemed like the right-wing media personality—and once chief strategist for Trump—had successfully evaded any repercussions for his involvement in a scheme that sent some of his partners to prison.

Double jeopardy laws, of course, prevent someone from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.

But there’s a curious reason why Bannon can’t raise the double jeopardy defense before his upcoming state court trial and make the case disappear: New Yorkers saw this coming.

“The law changed in New York, specifically because Trump started handing out pardons. New York State took the position that these people need to be answerable to crimes they committed in New York State,” explained Diane Peress, an adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

It all comes down to the way former federal prosecutor Todd Kaminsky, then a Long Island state senator, noticed how Trump was “corruptly using the pardon power” to shield himself by saving his powerful friends.



https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-steve-bannon-may-still-go-down-for-a-pardoned-crime

[SouthernDem4ever]

1. Dump's use of the presidential pardon was reprehensible

Our laws need to be changed and constitution amended so this no longer happens. How many presidential pardons have we seen go to deserving people? You can probably count them on one hand.

[Lochloosa]

2. I disagree. The orange Jesus did abuse his power but it's not always that way.

Elections have consequences.

Barack Obama has now commuted the sentences of more than 1,000 people in prison for drug crimes
https://qz.com/844035/barack-obama-has-now-commuted-the-sentences-of-more-than-1000-people-in-prison-for-drug-crimes

[SouthernDem4ever]

8. We shouldn't have to use presidential pardons for bad laws

We need a house and senate that will do it's job properly.

[dem4decades]

3. Bannon was found guilty of a crime and to this day is not in prison, without a pardon. If

anybody thinks he's going to jail for a pardoned crime they need their heads examined.

[FBaggins]

4. That's an entirely different situation

He was convicted of a misdemeanor that came with a 4-month sentence. He obviously wouldn't start serving that sentence if there's a year+ appeal going on.

That appeal just had a DOJ response a couple of days ago.

If the DC Circuit had rejected the appeal then he would have gone to prison last year and his sentence would already be over by now.

[dem4decades]

6. Why do minority defendants stay in prison before trial or go directly to jail upon being found guilt

You are correct, justice is different,. for the connected

[FBaggins]

7. They don't

A federal nonviolent misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of a year almost never gets pretrial confinement and is almost always allowed to stay out pending appeal to a circuit court.

[Elessar Zappa]

9. You doubt that minorities are treated differently in our justice system?

[FBaggins]

10. Did I say that?

Nope - it had nothing to do with whether justice is sometimes partial/impartial based on race. It was simply that Bannon is not an example of that in this regard - because nobody else would be held for a year awaiting an appeal of a four month sentence. Color has nothing to do with it.

[republianmushroom]

5. He should. IMO

One has to wonder, did he pay the 2 million, in cash or easy payments.