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Huckabee fires back on commuting cop killer's sentence

Credit: File photo

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

by Associated Press

Posted on December 1, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Updated Tuesday, Dec 1 at 3:31 PM

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says that some of the criticism he's received for commuting the sentence of a man later suspected of gunning down four police officers is "disgusting."

The former presidential candidate said Tuesday that opponents are trying to use his commutation of Maurice Clemmons in 2000 as a political weapon against him. Clemmons was shot and killed by a policeman in Seattle early Tuesday morning.

In an interview on Joe Scarborough's radio show on WABC-AM in New York, Huckabee said that the focus should be on the families of the four Lakewood, Wash., officers Clemmons was suspected of killing Sunday.

As governor, Huckabee commuted Clemmons' 108-year sentence for robbery and several other crimes and made him eligible for parole. The state parole board released Clemmons later that year.

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lagrimas said on December 1, 2009 at 1:06 PM

Huckabee is responsible for allowing this man to roam about. He may try to blame others but he signed the release.

mom2three said on December 1, 2009 at 2:23 PM

If it wasn't for Huckabee, these officers would still be alive and we wouldn't be focused on the grief. He commuted a lot of sentences that he should not have. There are a lot of people on the streets that shouldn't be because of Mr. Huckabee.

cwillis said on December 1, 2009 at 3:07 PM

We can't put the actions of Clemmons on Mike Huckabee's shoulders. He didn't pull the trigger. Clemmons is the sole person responsible for killing those four officers. But I do think we need to ask why our law makers and governors are commuting sentences like this. One hundred and eight years wiped clean? What was the reason for this? Huckabee does need to reach out to the families and community affected, especially if he wants to maintain a positive political career!