Miss. Governor Pardons Nearly 200

Maybe we should take this as a sign that he won’t change his mind about one day running for the Republican nomination.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who at one point last year was being pushed to challenge Mitt Romney for the GOP nomination, had a busy final few days in office, handing out nearly 200 full and unconditional pardons to a group that included 14 convicted murderers. That figure, the New York Times explains, is "an unusually high number for the state, and one that is likely to inflame controversy about Mr. Barbour’s pardon practices."

The outgoing governor announced last week that he had granted pardons to five convicted murderers who had worked odd jobs at the governor’s mansion while in custody, and Tuesday's trove of an additional 193 bring the total number of full pardons Barbour granted during his two terms to 203, including 17 to convicted murders. The Associated Press has a good run down on many of those pardoned here, a list that in addition to those convicted of murder and manslaughter also includes people found guilty of drug crimes, burglary and kidnapping.

Here’s one from Tuesday's list that will jump out at NFL fans: the brother of former NFL star and Mississippi native Brett Favre. The AP:

Earnest Scott Favre had his record cleared in the 1996 death of his best friend, Mark Haverty. Favre had driven in front of a train in Pass Christian while drunk, pleaded guilty in 1997, and was sentenced to a year of house arrest followed by two years' probation.

As the Times notes, Barbour’s predecessors also issued pardons, often on their own way out the door, but never to the same degree: Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, who Barbour succeeded as governor, issued only one pardon, for a man convicted of marijuana possession; Gov. Kirk Fordice, who proceeded Musgrove, issued two full pardons for convicted murderers.

Barbour has sent somewhat mixed messages on crime and punishment. He has previously taken a tough public stance on crime, but he also signed legislation while in office that made thousands of nonviolent inmates eligible for parole. He has been much more consistent when it comes to the death penalty, however: The AP reports that nine men were executed during Barbour’s time in office and that he did not grant a reprieve to anyone on death row during his eight years in office.