(o Q S ^ WALLY HERGER 2D DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA PLEASE REPLY TO: COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEES: o WASHINGTON OFFICE: CHAIRMAN 2 2 6 8 R A Y B U R N HOUSE OFRCE BUILDING (202}225-3076 DISTRICT OFFICES: H U M A N RESOURCES TRADE o 5 5 INDEPENDENCE CIRCLE, SUITE 1 0 4 CHICO, C A 9 5 9 7 3 (530) 8 9 3 - 8 3 6 3 C o n g r e ^ o f tfje (R) n t t e b S>tate3 2 | o u s ( e of ^ e p r e s f e n t a t i b e s f VBatffitogtan, 5BC 2 0 5 1 5 - 0 5 0 2 o 4 1 0 HEMSTED DRIVE, SUITE 1 1 5 REDDING, C A 9 6 0 0 2 (530)223-5898 June 9, 2004 The Honorable John Ashcroft Attorney General Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20530 Dear Attorney General Ashcroft: I recently received the attached correspondence from a constituent of mine, Terry Gaston, regarding his request for a presidential pardon of a felony conviction. I would appreciate your review and consideration of Mr. Gaston's correspondence and a thorough response at your earliest possible convenience. Thank you for your consideration of this request. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, WALLY Member of Congress WH:em Enclosure q a~> m rn jet ~c m m c\. CZ X ro > o rsj "rz. o o '(-n B6 Congressman Waliy Herger PO box 1500 Chico CA 95927 Dear Wally; I'm writing you on a personal matter, I hope it doesn't effect the friendship\gVe established**-^ through our correspondence. My^^jand I are good republicans, we believe in Amencaand the goals of our party. We are raising o r a H ^ ^ H j ^ ^ H f e w i t h those ideals. I have always had a reputation as a honest hard worker. N o ^ m ^ i s a b l e d ^ o t from any one injury but a culmination of forty two years as a carpenter/ builder. I have justwonyn^xxiy out for that sort of work. I am 59 years old, I started paying taxes in 1961. My H | ^ ^ ^ H i n d I operate a little dog grooming shop out of our home in Redding and we survive. I would like to get back to work in afieldI could handle. With not even a high school education and my age, the social security people don't even consider any retraining. I would just like to provide more for my wife and son. I could do it without social secim^^nvfiyniliar with real estate, being a licensed California building contractor since 1 9 7 1 , | ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ | with not one complaint of any sort against my licence. I would qualify for the real estate test except for one very large problem. In the early eighties I stupidly got involved in a conspiracy with others to smuggle cocaine into the country. People were caught with three kilos and implicated me and I ended up getting a three year sentence in federal court in SanDiego. I know what you are thinking, what an idiot, and you are right I paid that time, it cost me everything and then some. I have that stigma of an "ex-con" hanging over my head for therestof my life. That is the rub, norealestate license for ex felons. I straightened my life up after I was released in 1983. My ^ H a n d I lived in SanDiego until about seven years ago when we moved back to Redding. My record in Lompoc prison was exemplary. In my case I wasrehabilitated.I went back to work. And never so much as spit on the sidewalk again. I've devoted myself to my family and that is how it is to this day. I obtained the federal forms for application for a pardon and filled them out I have notarized statementsfromfriendsin defense of a pardon for me. I just could not send them in. I couldn't take being turned down. As much as I would wish different I'm sure president Bush would not give me a pardon, maybe if he knew me, but of course there is no hope of that Don't get me wrong we love president Bush. He is a bright light for our country. We voted for him and will again. It just doesn't seem fair to have to pay to the government all your life for one mistake. After ten years of good behavior there should be provisions torestoreall our constitutional rights as a matter of law. I'm sure there are many others like me who would have a terrible burden lifted off their back if that was so. I hope you can be open minded about this and consider my situation. I'm hoping there is something that can be done for me. I know it probably isn't a good time for you, and I will understand the politics of it if you don't talk to me anymore. Please check me out, you have the power to help me improve my families life, that's all I want Thanks sincerely Terry Gaston ? l ( o GO U. S. Department of Justice Pardon Attorney Washington, D.C. 20530 JUN 2 9 2004 The Honorable Wally Herger U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Herger: This is in response to your letter of June 9, 2004 to the Attorney General enclosing correspondence from your constituent, Terry Gaston. Records of my office confirm Mr. Gaston's statement in his letter to you that we provided him with an application for a Presidential pardon in October 2002. Mr. Gaston states that he completed the petition but decided not to submit it because he was afraid he would be turned down. In all candor, there is very little that I can do to help in this situation. The Office of the Pardon Attorney receives pardon petitions, conducts an appropriate investigation into each one, and prepares a recommendation for the Department of Justice in every case. However, the ultimate decision in a clemency matter is always with the President, and there is no way I could predict what the President would do in Mr. Gaston's case, and it would not be appropriate for me to do so in any event. You might wish to inform Mr. Gaston that while the Department always makes available to the news media the names of persons who receive clemency, we do not routinely make available the names of persons whose clemency requests have been denied or are currently under consideration. Usually, denials of clemency receive no publicity, although the Department will, if asked whether a specifically named person has applied for clemency, provide this information and indicate whether the case is still pending or has been concluded. While I cannot advise Mr. Gaston how to proceed, I hope the above will be of some assistance in describing the degree of information that is made public in the course of a clemency case. Sincerely, Roger C. Adams Pardon Attorney U L Y HERGER 0 DS RC" C LON f T I I, AI R I F A Pd S RPY T : LAE EL O o W A S H I N G T O N OFFICE! 2 2 S S R^SYOURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING (202)2Z5-3076 o I S T R I C T OFFICES: o 5 6 INOERCNACNCE CIRCLE, SUITE 1 0 4 \N? \ ft OMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS OUETCOMMITTEESJ R N I G MME A K E BR N TRADE HUMAN RESOURCES C t oC 95973 Hc . A (530) 693-0363 (530) 2 2 3 - 5 0 9 8 C o n g r e * * o f tt)t (R)tute& States; o 4 1 0 HEMSTEO DRIVE, SUITS: N S REDOING, O A 8 5 0 0 2 3 | o u S e of HRepretfentatftie# lastfn'ngton, 3 B C 2 0 5 X 5 - 0 5 0 2 January 13, 2009 rn X rn o c: p't r-o '3 WVvw.hc5usQ.gov/hQrgor , *5 -- J= Jfo v/i "-4 -73 ri". on :o Attorney General Michael Mukasey U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave, N W Washington, DC 20530-0009 Dear Attorney General Mukasey, m O m c* Ho y, I recently received the attached correspondence from a constituent of mine, Mr. Mel Amarel, regarding a request for a presidential pardon. Due to ethical considerations, it is my policy not to weigh in on the merits of an individual pardon request. However, I would appreciate your review of Mr. Amarel's letter and a response at your convenience detailing the pardon process and the status of the subject pardon request, if appropriate. Thank you in advance for providing this background information and status update. I look forward to hearing from you so I can communicate this information to my constituent. WALLY MERGE Member of Con; WH: jr U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney Eastern District ofCalifornia McGregor W. Scott United States Attorney Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) 5011Street, Suite 10-100 Sacramento, California 95314 916/554-2726 Fax 91^/554-2852 TTT 916/554-2855 B6 November 21, 2008 Yuba City, CA Re: 95393 . ir.S. v. Melviti A. Amarel, CR S 92-192-EJG (E.D. Calif.) satisfaction of Judgment Debts (and removal of liens) Dear Mr. Amarel: x am writing to advise you and certify that the judgment debts imposed against you under the case identified above ha.ve now been satisfied. I have begun preparing the (numerous) necessary "Release(s) of Lien" and ^Satisfactions) of Judgment" for filing with the court, and, as I obtain them, I will forward you the certified copies. Thank you for your courtesies and cooperation in these proceedings. If you have any questions, I can be reached at (916) 554-2788. Cordially, MCGREGOR W. SCOTT United States Attorney By: iCY i ) * NANCY AJ R&JRR- LESKTN Financial Litigation Unit U. S. Department of Justice Pardon Attorney Washington, D.C. 20530 FEB 2 6 2009 The Honorable Wally Herger U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D C. 20515 Dear Congressman Herger: Your letter of January 13, 2009 to former Attorney General Mukasey regarding the application of your constituent, Mel Amarel, for executive clemency has been forwarded to me for a response. Mr. Amarel's application for presidential pardon has been received and is being processed. The processing and investigation of pardon applications can be a lengthy process, as it can involve a background investigation of the applicant by the FBI and comments on the application from the U.S. Attorney's Office which prosecuted the criminal case and the U.S. District Judge who presided. However, we will notify Mr. Amarel of the disposition of his application as soon as a decision is reached in his case Sincerely, Ronald L. Rodgers Pardon Attorney WALLY HERGER .VOISrRICI. CALIFORNIA fU ASS RfS." I'-' WASHINGTON OFFICE: .'^68 R.'. iDi 'W* HOi.'Sfc Qn>"if*F B i m r i w I202J 225 30.'<> DISTRICT OFFICES o 55 MITfllNDf ,Mt:H CiH.Mr.. Suil't. 104 C M I O J CA 95973 iSaOi (M3 .8353 410 H t . v j i i i] DKIV.-. S t a n 115 RrunNLi. C A yeoo2 K l f t i 223-5898 o COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS ;-.;.iSCOMMIT-Ef ^ CHAIRMAN HUMAN RESOURCES TRADE Congress of tfje Wnittb S>tate? I?ous.e of Ikpresfentattbcs mJSfjittBton, (C)C 20515-0502 June 16, 2004 gT Roger C. Adams Pardon Attorney U.S Department of Justice Washington, DC 20530 Dear Mr. Adams: I would appreciate your review of the attached request from my constituent, Walter F. Hawkins. Jf you have any questions, or information to relay, please do not hesitate to contact Dave Meurer in my Redding office. He can be reached at (530) 2235898. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Sincerely WALLY HERO; Member of Congress WH:hh ^'*^7fpl FROM :Pfitt/UJPLTER FAX NO. :530 247-693S May. 31 2E04 10:86flM PI May 31,2004 To: David Meurer, Field Representative From: Walter F. Hawkins Re: Pardon Dear Sir. Per our conversation on May 14,2004,1 am enclosing the following information regarding my conviction of drug possession in 1972, and subsequent paperwork regarding this incident As I related to you on May 14,20041 requested a pardon regarding mis conviction in 2001. To mis date I have not received any information regarding this request I have spoken via thetelephoneseveral times with the U.S. oi<<* Department of Justice Pardon Attorney, Samuel T. Morrison who informed me that it may be several years before I hear anything regarding my request To this date it has been three years, and I still have not received any word regarding my pardon request I'm hoping mat you may be able to help expedite this matter as I *m hoping to obtain employment m the Criminal Justice Sector. I would like to also remind you that this 1972 incident continues to be my one and only major conviction. You have my permission to speak with anyone regarding this matter, and if I can be of further service please do not hesitate to contact me. I thank youforyour kind artentioo to mis matter. B6 Sincerely, Walter F.Hawkins Redding. Ca. 96001 J[V^3|, ^Sfar U. S. Department of Justice Pardon Attorney Washington. IXC. 20530 JUL 1 5 2004 The Honorable Wally Herger Member, U.S. House of Representatives 410 Hemsted Drive, Suite 115 Redding, CA 96002 Dear Congressman Herger: This responds to your letter of June 16, 2004, enclosing documents related to the pardon application filed by your constituent, Mr. Walter Frank Hawkins. My office has been in contact with Mr. Hawkins on several occasions, both by letter and telephone. As a matter of fact, we provided the documents to Mr. Hawkins that he has now sent to you. As we have explained to Mr. Hawkins, the processing time in a clemency case can be lengthy, and we can give no' assurance that the President will act in his case at any particular time. We will promptly infonn Mr. Hawkins when he does so. We have added your letter and its enclosures to Mr. Hawkins's file. I appreciate your interest in Mr. Hawkins's case. Sincerely, Roger C. Adams Pardon Attorney