Disgraced media baron Conrad Black has asked disgraced U.S. president George W. Bush for pardon of the six-and-a-half-year prison sentence he is currently serving for fraud and obstruction of justice.
Experts predict that Bush—who has only granted 142 pardons in eight years—might offer a commutation of Black’s sentence. After all, six and a half years is a long time to serve for stealing a few measly millions, and then using more stolen money to cover up the fact that you stole money to begin with. Is that such a crime?
An American jury thought that there was enough evidence against Black—commoner that I am, even I wouldn’t deign to call him “Lord” at this point—to convict him. Given the astronomical amount of money involved, his sentence seems to be pretty fair. Let’s not get distracted by fancy terminology: he stole millions from stockholders and then lied about it—a rather disgraceful crime, and certainly not one befitting his social position. The principles of retributive justice therefore dictate that he needs to be sufficiently punished for thievery and dishonesty.
In the U.S., the president has the authority to grant pardons as outlined in the Constitution and as interpreted by the courts, to anyone he or she feels deserving of pardon or to someone who has fulfilled his or her debt to society. Mercy is truly in the hands of the most powerful, and as mercy must be dispensed carefully and tempered by justice, the president must be careful not to make too many merciful displays. (Bill Clinton pardoned all sorts of people, including his rich friends, on his last day in office. This did not make him seem powerful—it tarnished his presidency.) Most presidential pardons show mercy to those who need it the least: the rich and the powerful disgraced by pettiness.
Of course, this is precisely what Conrad Black is—a disgraced old man, who has neither fulfilled his debt to society, nor been sufficiently punished for his crime. Given the trends, Black’s chances of getting a commutation of his sentence are pretty high. And though it’s a shame, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Conrad Black is an arsehole, but he’s rich. George W. Bush is also an arsehole, and he is also rich. The rich take care of their own. While he will very likely receive his commutation, and assert that he is a disabused “freedom fighter,” no one will be better for it—not the shareholders he shamelessly defrauded, nor the Canadian public he has insulted consistently, nor the fragile American justice system. Black committed a crime and deserves punishment, just like the rest of us. He ought to serve out the full term of his sentence.
But I won’t hold my breath.
