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[JustenP88]

The real question is, what's in it for Pence? Nothing? Checkmate.

Maybe a photo-op with a grateful minority family and some good press for doing what is, obviously, the right thing. I mean... The Trump/Pence ticket could use any kind of positive press they can get. The only picture that comes to mind when I think of either of these guys with a POC is Trump wrangling that obviously uncomfortable little girl.

It's almost refreshing, when most politicians throw aside their convictions and say whatever they need to be elected, to have a politician that sticks to what he believes. Pence doesn't give a shit about you and he's gonna stick to that.

 

[Piggus]

Fucking WHY?!

Though Cooper is now out of jail, his felony conviction remains on his record — limiting his job opportunities and stripping some rights, like the ability to vote.

Republicans. That's why.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Pence seems to be an upstanding politician, no wonder he was picked by Trump.

Seriously, the Republican party needs to burn to the ground. Hopefully, Trump will see to that in spite of himself. But that should have happened in 2008 and 2012 already and for some reason the GOP kept on trucking on...

 

[Captin Quacker]

 

[Puppet Shadow]

Can Obama pardon him, or does it have to be done at a state level?

 

[rjinaz]

Maybe a photo-op with a grateful minority family and some good press for doing what is, obviously, the right thing. I mean... The Trump/Pence ticket could use any kind of positive press they can get. The only picture that comes to mind when I think of either of these guys with a POC is Trump wrangling that obviously uncomfortable little girl.

It's almost refreshing, when most politicians throw aside their convictions and say whatever they need to be elected, to have a politician that sticks to what he believes. Pence doesn't give a shit about you and he's gonna stick to that.

Yup. there is no gain here. If this was a White Christian, the pardon would have been given yesterday. Who can honestly think otherwise. Nothing to gain so no point. Politics are disgusting. I hope he loses the little Black votes he and Trump was going to get this election, over this.

 

[Piggus]

Pence seems to be an upstanding politician, no wonder he was picked by Trump.

Seriously, the Republican party needs to burn to the ground. Hopefully, Trump will see to that in spite of himself. But that should have happened in 2008 and 2012 already and for some reason the GOP kept on trucking on...

The GOP keeps trucking on because our dumbshit generation won't vote in the midterm elections. We'd make a lot of progress against these assholes if young people weren't so stupid and lazy when it actually matters.

 

[Paz]

Both sides are the same tho.

 

[BinaryPork2737]

Republicans. That's why.

Yep. Removing Mr. Cooper's conviction from his records would enable him to freely vote again, so of course Pence is opposed to it, especially in a presidential election year. And thanks to the interpretation found in Richardson v. Ramirez, it's completely constitutional for a person with a felony conviction on their records to be legally disenfranchised.

 

[GoutPatrol]

The bigger reminder here is that in America, those who commit crimes can't vote. That is injustice.

That depends on the state.

 

[harSon]

I can't remember the last time I've clicked on a wrongful conviction article and the person in question wasn't black

 

[whitehawk]

That depends on the state.

That's still terrible. People should still be able to vote while still IN prison.

 

[Snaku]

Instantly reminded of

 

[Ordinaryundone]

That's still terrible. People should still be able to vote while still IN prison.

Nah, generally speaking, if you've broken the law some rights should be forfeit and voting is as good as any. You should totally get them back when you get out of prison though, or at least after the parole period. I know there are a lot of people in prison who aren't a danger to society and probably don't belong there, but there are a lot of people in prison who absolutely shouldn't have a say in the policy making of the country.

 

[Firebrand]

He spent ten years in prison? Christ. I hope he sued the shit out of the state.

 

[Darryl M R]

Can this be brought up during the VP debates? Please. .

 

[whitehawk]

Nah, generally speaking, if you've broken the law some rights should be forfeit and voting is as good as any. You should totally get them back when you get out of prison though, or at least after the parole period. I know there are a lot of people in prison who aren't a danger to society and probably don't belong there, but there are a lot of people in prison who absolutely shouldn't have a say in the policy making of the country.

That's an argument against democracy, which while valid, is a completely different argument.

Everyone should have the right to vote.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

That's an argument against democracy, which while valid, is a completely different argument.

Everyone should have the right to vote.

Everyone does have the right, it just gets rescinded in the event of breaking the societal contract of not commiting crimes. It's a harsh punishment but thems the breaks. I agree however that it is too harsh as it is now. You do the time, then you should be reformed and get your rights back is how the system SHOULD work. Not having it follow you forever.

 

[LiK]

However, the Pence administration does not see this as proof that Cooper’s only option to have his conviction thrown out is the governor’s pardon.

What else do they need? The victim to rise from the grave and tell them what happened? What a POS human being. I hope Pence is destroyed in the VP debate.

 

[.JayZii]

Wonder if Tim Kaine will have something to say about this.

I'm sure we'll hear about it at the debate if race issues are brought up.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Pardoning a black man isn't a good look for his base, nothing else matters. What a scumbag.

Scumbag doesn't even begin to cover it. This is subhuman behavior. Absolutely fucking reprehensible.

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

Pence, like Trump, is an awful human being and we will be better off when they both pass away. Until then I wish nothing but the worst for him in his life.

 

[Natiko]

This guy is a clown.

 

[Reverend Funk]

Hes not going to do it because it would set a precedent of freeing innocent people

 

[Debirudog]

Kaine got another weapon.

 

[n00bsauce87]

One less Democratic vote. Tim Kaine taking notes for their debate.

 

[HvySky]

He's not keeping him imprisoned, Cooper has been released. What he has been petitioning for is removing the conviction off his record. So long as it stays there he faces a lot of penalties for being a felon, which isn't fair because he provedly didn't do what he was convicted of. Regardless it's still a very shitty move.

Whoops, I must have misread the article. My terrible reading comprehension aside, it's still a ridiculous situation and Pence has no (good) reason to do it.

 

[EdibleKnife]

Can this be brought up during the VP debates? Please. .

I wouldn't be surprised if Hil's camp scoped it out for Kaine. Hopefully the moderator for the debate hears about it too

 

[teiresias]

I'm not sure I quite get why the judicial system itself can't get his conviction expunged. If it really can't that's as horrible a situation as Pence's decision quite frankly.

 

[FStubbs]

That's still terrible. People should still be able to vote while still IN prison.

I agree. They can be elected to office in prison, and in the case of

can serve in office during the day on work-release and serve time after work.

 

[The Lamonster]

Lock Pence up.

 

[Condom]

If this isn't a perfect example of how the system is fucked than I don't know what would be

 

[VariantX]

Please, let this shit come up in the debate.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

If this isn't a perfect example of how the system is fucked than I don't know what would be

Here's a good one for you!

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1286573

The American "Justice" system has been and continues to be nothing more than a joke.

 

[Skiptastic]

The IndyStar has been hammering Pence on this for weeks if not months. It's totally ridiculous and he should be ashamed of himself.

 

[WhiteRabbitEXE]

limiting his job opportunities and stripping some rights, like the ability to vote

I wonder if

oh HMM

Spoiler

I know it's more (and worse) than that, but still

 

[NeonBlack]

What can you say? He knows his demographic.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Mike Pence is a piece of shit.

I'm not sure this is actually proof of that. Sounds like the guy is supposed to go to court to have the conviction overturned, rather than seek a pardon.

The courts don't own your personal records. All your documents- address, legal name, licenses, birth records, criminal proceedings, etc, are handled by executive departments. The only person with the authority to remove any records from most of these documents is typically the chief executive.

 

[Shaanyboi]

What else would you expect from Trump's running mate?

 

[Rembrandt]

Will be voting for John Gregg who will hopefully take care of this fucking bullshit

Urge anyone in Indiana who is outraged at this to register and vote the same.

I'll look into him and vote.

 

[Montresor]

Someone who has any felony (even if they're out of jail) can't vote?

I find that shocking. But at the same time I should've already known this...

What is the rationale behind limiting a felon's ability to vote?

Why is their ability to vote taken away? What about their right to exercise freedom of speech? Own a firearm? Pursuit of happiness? Kind of ridiculous.

 

[Rembrandt]

Someone who has any felony (even if they're out of jail) can't vote?

I find that shocking. But at the same time I should've already known this...

What is the rationale behind limiting a felon's ability to vote?

Why is their ability to vote taken away? What about their right to exercise freedom of speech? Own a firearm? Pursuit of happiness?

You can in a lot of states but they do a really great job at not telling people that.

And it takes out a decent amount of minority votes.

 

[commedieu]

Who knows? When or what? I don't..

And we're done here.

 

[Measley]

Cookie-cutter villains.

 

[Mr. X]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

The white vote.

 

[Saganator]

Would be great if he's asked about this in his debate.

 

[egruntz]

Someone who has any felony (even if they're out of jail) can't vote?

I find that shocking. But at the same time I should've already known this...

What is the rationale behind limiting a felon's ability to vote?

Why is their ability to vote taken away? What about their right to exercise freedom of speech? Own a firearm? Pursuit of happiness? Kind of ridiculous.

IMO it's not that difficult to understand the line of thinking.

Serious criminals that are a detriment to society should not have any say in what direction society goes.

There should obviously be exceptions and restrictions in place, but I don't see how it's that shocking that a state strips a criminal's voting privileges for X amount of time.

 

[Malyse]

That's a new voter suppression tactic

 

[Version 3.0]

Fucking WHY?!

The man would probably vote Democrat.

See, kids? Every (blocked) vote matters.

 

[hey_monkey]

Indiana politics are a shitpile.