The period between the end of an election and the beginning of the term for which the election applies is beginning to look like the mythical nights of the full moon. Last year, when Tony Evers (D-WI) won the Wisconsin governorship, the Republican-dominated state legislature swiftly stripped the governor of certain key powers before he took office. This also happened to North Carolina governor-elect Roy Cooper (D-NC) in 2016.
But now at least one governor is having his revenge. Outgoing Governor Matt Bevins (R-KY) has, as one of his last acts of single-term governorship, decided to issue some pardons:
The family of a man pardoned by Gov. Matt Bevin for a homicide and other crimes in a fatal 2014 Knox County home invasion raised $21,500 at a political fundraiser last year to retire debt from Bevin’s 2015 gubernatorial campaign.
The brother and sister-in-law of offender Patrick Brian Baker also gave $4,000 to Bevin’s campaign on the day of the fundraiser, according to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance database.
A photo of Bevin attending the July 26, 2018, fundraiser at the home of Eric and Kathryn Baker in Corbin was published six days later in a local paper, the News Journal.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele, who prosecuted Patrick Baker and other defendants for the 2014 death of Donald Mills, told The Courier Journal on Wednesday it would be an “understatement to say I am aggrieved” by Bevin’s pardon.
Steele identified Patrick Baker as the brother of Eric Baker, who hosted the Bevin fundraiser at his Corbin home.
The Friday order was one of 428 pardons and commutations Bevin issued since his narrow loss in November to Democrat Andy Beshear, who was sworn into office Tuesday.
The beneficiaries include one offender convicted of raping a child, another who hired a hit man to kill his business partner and a third who killed his parents. [Courier-Journal]
It’s quite the impressive list. Bevin, of course, gave reasons for these pardons, but the Journal interviews relevant judges and prosecutors, and, well, damn it looks like at least the Bakers bribed their family member to freedom.
Bevin, it must be remembered, hasn’t exactly been an outstanding governor since winning in a minor upset back in 2015, and in fact has been the subject of a cartoon series on that theme by Aaron Smith; the most salient that I’ve noticed is his refusal to responsible use the Medicaid expansion. He’s managed to say a number of loopy things, but, of course – or at President Trump, Bevin’s buddy, has taught us – actions speak louder than words. So these pardons must tell us something about Bevin’s mind, and Republican minds.
Perhaps it’s money talks.
