PARDON ME, BUT...

Is this the Party of Law and Order?

PARDON ME, BUT…

I have two cousins, whom I love, who are policemen.

I have two nephews, whom I love, who are policemen.

I had an Uncle, whom I loved, who was a decorated NYPD Gold Shield Detective.

I have a dear friend from college who rose through the ranks from being a State Trooper to the head of the Governor’s Security Team.

And I grew up in a town where about 33% of the men and women were NYC Cops or Firemen. My neighbors. My friend’s parents. These people, along with a dozen others in Law Enforcement I have known as friends in my life, are to be lauded for their commitment and sacrifice. So, it is with this in mind (and only this) I have to wonder how they might feel about the Trump Administration’s recent pardons and acts of clemency. The list below pertains to those who have been investigated by Law Enforcement, arrested by Law Enforcement, given due process of law, were prosecuted by the District Attorneys in their jurisdictions, and either were convicted by a jury of their peers or pled guilty, and were then sentenced accordingly. These include, and I am not making this up-- ‘cause no sane person could:

1. A reality TV couple, Todd and Julie Chisley. Swindling banks out of 36 Million dollars and evading taxes for a decade.

2. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Wire Fraud. Extortion. Soliciting Bribes and lying to the F.B.I.

3. Larry Hoover. Multiple life sentences for crimes committed during his leadership of the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples.

4. Ross Ulbricht. Aiding and abetting distribution of drugs over the internet. Continuing criminal enterprise. Computer hacking conspiracy. Fraud with identification documents. Money laundering conspiracy.

5. County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, let off the hook before the start of his 10-year federal prison sentence for bribery and corruption. A jury found him guilty of receiving envelopes stuffed with cash and checks totaling more than $100,000 from wealthy citizens in return for deputy badges, ostensibly enabling them to purchase and carry firearms where they were otherwise disallowed.

And that’s been since January 21^st 2025. And that is just FIVE out of 69 pardons since then. Oh, did I mention granting clemency to more than 1,500 people convicted of offenses related to the January 6 United States Capitol attack, resulting in the deaths of FIVE police officers?

Pardon me, but—is this the Party of Law and Order?

And if my relatives and friends in Law Enforcement are not outraged by this, they damn well should be. Because it is THEIR badges that are sullied and demeaned every time one of these pardons is bought and paid for by the newly opened for business “BUY YOUR GUILTY ASS OUT OF JAIL” Lobby.

And even if they are not outraged—we need to be outraged for them all.