Pardon Me

George W. Bush started issuing his exit pardons yesterday... so far he's issued 14 pardons and commuted two prison sentences. I don't recognize any of the names on the list so far, but usually the big controversial ones don't come until the last few days of the Presidency.

No murderers on the list yet, but quite a few drug dealers and environmental offences. There's one that I don't understand at all:

Brenda Jean Dolenz-Helmer of Fort Worth, Texas, for reporting or helping cover up a crime.

Well, which is it? Reporting a crime, or helping cover up a crime? They seem pretty opposite to me.

There's been speculation that Bush will preemptively pardon some of the Gitmo torturers to prevent possible prosecution by the Obama administration... we'll have to wait and see how it turns out.