Another example of wasted government time and money though! He did not even ask!

 

LITTLE ROCK (AP) — As the bass guitarist for an obscure rock band, Mike Huckabee is unlikely ever to have the pleasure of giving the downbeat to world-famous Keith Richards, lead guitarist for the legendary Rolling Stones.

But, as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee can at least give Richards the satisfaction of knowing that the state of Arkansas no longer considers him a reckless driver.

A pardon from Huckabee will apparently soon be on its way to Richards.

Richards was arrested at Fordyce on July 5, 1975, as he and fellow Stones member Ron Wood traveled from Memphis, to Dallas. The group, which included a security guard and a fan of the band, stopped in the south Arkansas town for lunch, and then got back on the road with Richards at the wheel.

A Fordyce officer saw the car swerve — Richards said later he bent to adjust the radio — and stopped the vehicle. Police said they smelled the odor of marijuana, and took the foursome to City Hall.

Richards was charged with reckless driving and possession of a concealed knife, while the fan was charged with possession of a controlled substance. The knife charge was dropped, and Richards pleaded guilty to the reckless driving charge — a misdemeanor — and paid a $162.50 fine.

On July 3, the state Parole Board approved an application for clemency submitted on Richards' behalf. The application form said the request was prepared by "Governor Mike Huckabee — Chief Counsel Milton Fine."

The board's recommendation will now go to the office of the man who had it prepared, and he will have 30 days in which he may act on it. For an offender who has already discharged his obligations to a court, clemency takes the form of a pardon.

A New York publicist for the Stones, Fran Curtis, said she knew nothing about the application, the board's action, or what Huckabee might plan to do. Messages left at a telephone number listed on the application for Richards' manager, Jane Rose of New York City, weren't returned.

Huckabee plays in a band called Capitol Offense, which he formed soon after taking office as governor in 1996. During the Republican National Convention at New York City in September 2004, the band put on a two-hour show for the party faithful at an outdoor venue near the Brooklyn Bridge.

The governor is clear about his respect for Richards' skills.

"Every musician in the world recognizes his talent," Huckabee said through a spokesman.

Huckabee, who has said he is considering a run for president in 2008, said he got the idea for a pardon when he realized that Richards' impression of Arkansas "was marred by a misdemeanor traffic stop."

During a March 9 concert at Little Rock by the Stones, Richards made reference to the matter, asking if anyone in the audience was from Fordyce. "I used to know the chief of police there," he told the crowd.

Huckabee said pardoning Richards might leave a more favorable impression than the arrest.

"I wanted to clear his 'record' in Arkansas as a goodwill gesture," the governor said.