Most outgoing US Presidents grant numerous presidential pardons during their last months and/or days in office, but President Obama seems to have adopted that strategy for his entire time in office. This week, he’s decided to forgive 107 gun felons.
For a President so intent on tightening gun control – not to mention all the recent shootings – it seems odd that he would choose gun felons to forgive. The 107 criminals were either pardoned or had their sentences commuted. According to The Washington Times, their crimes included:
• Using a weapon while dealing drugs
• Carrying a weapon despite felony convictions
• Lying in the attempt purchase weapons
• Carrying weapons with registrations numbers removed
Let’s keep in mind this is the president who repeatedly asks for gun control reform.
“This is the most incredible hypocrisy,” complains Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. “The president has commuted the sentences of dangerous criminals who were convicted of gun-related charges. But then, he does everything in his power to block law-abiding gun owners from purchasing firearms.”
During his two terms in office, President Obama has forgiven more than 600 federal inmates – including hundreds of drug dealers and drug users. This is more than the nation’s past 9 presidents combined. Last week, he told us why: “Our focus really has been on people who we think were overcharged and people who we do not believe have a propensity towards violence.”
If selling drugs while carrying firearms isn’t considered “a propensity towards violence,” I can’t help but wonder what does.
“On one hand, the Obama administration is attempting to limit law-abiding Americans from exercising their Second Amendment right and protecting themselves from harm,” says Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL). “On the other hand, the president will let criminals with firearm-related offenses off easy.”