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This article from the Progressive Populist, published on June 15, 2024, provides an overview of the ongoing trial of former President Donald Trump. It focuses on the testimony of Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and fixer, who revealed details about Trump's alleged affairs and his treatment of his wife, Melania Trump. The article also highlights inappropriate comments made by Republican senators during the trial. Additionally, the article discusses the results of an NBC News poll that shows varying levels of support for Trump and Joe Biden among different groups of voters. It mentions the case of Garrett Foster, who was shot and killed during a protest in Austin, Texas, and the subsequent pardon of the shooter by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Lastly, the article includes a satirical piece by Alexandra Petri, humorously announcing her own candidacy for president as a brain worm. [Extracted from the article]

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently pardoned Daniel Perry for the 2020 murder of Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter rally, sparking controversy. Perry, a white Army sergeant, ran a red light and drove into a crowd of demonstrators after honking at them. Foster, a white Air Force veteran, approached Perry's car while legally open-carrying a rifle. Perry shot Foster five times, claiming self-defense but admitting that Foster had not raised his gun. Abbott justified the pardon by citing the state's "stand your ground" self-defense law. Critics argue that Abbott's decision to pardon a murderer and restore his firearm rights is disturbing and undermines his claims of being tough on crime. [Extracted from the article]

The convict was sentenced to 25 years in prison one year ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on memos written by Alberto R. Gonzales to apprise Texas Governor George W. Bush of death-penalty clemency appeals. The confidential memos were obtained under the Public Information Act. 152 felons were executed during Bush's governorship, and he intervened to prevent an execution only once. The author believes Gonzales should have raised mitigating issues such as mental illness, childhood abuse, racial discrimination, or disparities in sentencing, but failed to do so.

The author comments on the nomination of White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to Attorney General in the United States. A review of Alberto Gonzales' record suggests that he has not shown any particular fealty to the rule of law, and has, in fact, been at the forefront of Administration efforts to subvert it. Start with the internal Administration debates over how to try terrorists. According to a detailed behind-the-scenes account by Tim Golden for the New York Times, John Ashcroft advocated trying terrorists in the criminal justice system and warned that the procedures for military tribunals would be seen as "draconian". Gonzales urged military tribunals, disfavored any civilian participation and even opposed giving defendants a presumption of innocence. In January 2002 Gonzales wrote a memo to the President arguing that Geneva Convention protections should not extend to the prisoners at Guantánamo. The reasons to question Gonzales's commitment to the rule of law do not stop at his role in combating terror. Gonzales previously served as counsel to then-Governor Bush in Texas, and in that capacity had the unenviable task of advising the governor on whether to exercise his pardon power with respect to upcoming executions. Alan Berlow obtained and reviewed Gonzales's memos, which served as the basis for Bush's decisions, and wrote for The Atlantic Monthly that they "repeatedly failed to apprise the governor of crucial issues in the cases at hand: ineffective counsel, conflict of interest, mitigating evidence, even actual evidence of innocence." Much as he did during the formulation of the tribunal policy, Gonzales screened out dissenting views.

51-year-old Jenna Ryan called Jan. 6 "one of the best days of my life" in the days after the attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OTHERS, TOO Other agencies affected are: the Legislative Council, which helps draft and analyze potential legislation; the State Auditor's Office, which reviews the state's finances; and the Sunset Advisory Commission, which reviews state agencies. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott cut off funding for the legislature and turned to public online donations for a border wall between the state and Mexico. Abbott, a Republican endorsed by Trump, has also adopted the former president's signature campaign issue by vowing to build a wall on the Texas-Mexico border. [Extracted from the article]

Criticizes presidential candidate George W. Bush's stance on the pro-life issue in light of Texas' high execution rate under his governorship; Individual death row cases; Bush's interpretation of Biblical parables to illustrate certain points while dismissing others; Opinion that it was Bush's Christian duty to pardon Karla Faye Tucker, convicted of murder and executed; Author's interpretation of capital punishment and religious justification for forgiveness; Questions raised about execution of Larry Robinson, a schizophrenia patient.

The article reports that Miriam A. Ferguson has pardoned 353 convicts since she became the Governor of Texas in January 1925. Ferguson defended her actions by saying that many of the convicts she pardoned were about to die from incurable illnesses. She also announced that furloughs would be freely given because she believed no dying mother should plead in vain to see her son before dying. Census figures for July 1922 show that there are 3,626 federal and state prisoners in Texas.

The article reports on the move of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles for the elimination of the sex offender designations from 176 parolees in November 2011. It states that these parolees are those who were subjected to parole restrictions called Condition X, but are not convicted for any sex crime. It mentions that the suitability of the expense of monitoring parolees not convicted for sex crime has been questioned by the Texas legislators.

The article focuses on musician Huddie Ledbetter, also known as 'Led Belly.' Information is provided on a court record showing Ledbetter, using the name Walter Boyd, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to the Bowie County Penitentiary for a maximum of twenty years until he was pardoned by former Texas Governor Pat Neff.

Presents a photograph of Kevin James Byrd in Houston, Texas. Byrd spending years in prison for a rape that DNA testing would show he didn't commit; A pardon for the crime.

Reports that more whites convicted of crime in Texas are recommended for gubernatorial pardons. The number of white convicts pardoned by Texas Governor George W. Bush compared to the number of minorities; Review of Bush's pardon record by State Representative Ruth Jones McLendon; Highlights of Board of Pardons and Parole records.

Comments on the way the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles decides on the fate of prisoners. Practice by commissioners of contacting each other by telephone or fax; Role of the governor in stopping an execution; Proposal by Representative Elliott Naishtat of a bill requiring the pardons board to hold open hearings on clemency requests; Focus not on capital punishment but on government's role in conducting justice in the open.