coincidence?

Pardoned gambling executive contributed to Bush’s re-election campaign.

USA Today reports that Alan Maisse, a former gambling executive who was pardoned this week by President Bush, had made two contributions to Bush’s re-election campaign in 2003 and 2004 totaling $1,500. White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto declined to comment on the case but said “[w]e do not look into political contributions” in reviewing pardon requests. “We think it would be inappropriate to do that. They should have no influence over our decision-making,” Fratto added. Bush revoked a pardon of a Brooklyn developer earlier this week after reports surfaced that the man’s father gave nearly $30,000 to the Republican Party. White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush “decided not to go through with the pardon” because the contributions raise “the appearance of impropriety.”

(Think Progress)