The United States, usually so punctilious about the division of powers, still allows departing Presidents to issue pardons to convicted felons. (Even to unconvicted ones -- President Ford used his powers to ensure that Richard Nixon never saw the inside of Sing Sing). Reportedly there are about 700 people hoping to catch a break when Dubya heads off to Texas.
Among them is dear old Conrad (Lord) Black, the disgraced newspaper baron, currently doing time in Florida. His lawyers are busily preparing a submission to the President in hopes of securing an outright pardon, or at least a reduction in sentence.
How odd, then, that Conrad has seen fit to publish this extraordinary attack on the entire US justice system. It first appeared in something obscure called Spear's Wealth Management Survey magazine. The Sunday Times (R. Murdoch, prop.) helpfully reprinted it on the weekend, just to make sure the US Justice Department didn't miss it.
Conrad is well known for his forcefully expressed opinions, but even by his standards this is an exceptionally pungent piece of writing. For example: "The system is based on the plea bargain: the barefaced exchange of incriminating testimony for immunity or a reduced sentence. It is intimidation and suborned or extorted perjury, an outright rape of any plausible definition of justice." He calls the US a "carceral state" (i.e. the country is one big prison) and rails at "US federal prosecutors, almost all of whom would be disbarred for their antics if they were in Britain or Canada".
How is President Bush likely to feel about pardoning a man who remains entirely unrepentant and thinks he was stitched up by a corrupt justice system? Conrad, old pal, I realise it must be hard not seeing your name in print all the time, but don't you think it might have been a teeny bit smarter to hold off on your rantings for just a little longer?
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