The White House on Friday offered no information about why Obama selected these 17 individuals for pardons other than that he believes they will lead productive lives.
“As he has in past years, the president granted these individuals clemency because they have demonstrated genuine remorse and a strong commitment to being law-abiding, productive citizens and active members of their communities,” White House spokesman Matt Lehrich said.
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Among those pardoned was James A. Bordinaro, a former general manager of Empire Fish, who served 12 months in prison and paid a $55,000 fine for a scheme to illegally launder Canadian fish.
Bordinaro, of Gloucester, Mass., was among a half dozen New England fishing industry executives who pleaded guilty to such scams, according to a 1991 report by the Boston Globe. They were charged with falsifying documents in their contracts with the Department of Defense certifying that Canadian fish were caught by U.S. fishermen in U.S. waters, a requirement of government contracts, according to the Globe.
Last year, members of the Bordinaro family introduced Republican congressional candidate Richard Tisei at a fishing-themed campaign event at the docks in downtown Gloucester.
In Alexandria, meanwhile, Salleh’s federal conviction dates to 1989. Salleh was a career foreign service officer who was caught, and pleaded guilty to, submitting $7,650 in phony lodging vouchers to the State Department. She was given a three-year suspended sentence, placed on four years of probation, fined $5,000 and ordered to pay $5,900 restitution.
The State Department then tried to fire her. Salleh appealed to the Foreign Service Grievance Board, saying that her offense stemmed from her alcoholism, and she was reinstated, court records show. The State Department then turned to the federal courts to reverse the grievance board, but two courts upheld the board and Salleh continued to work for State for many years. Other people granted clemency faced similarly modest sentences. Alfor Sharkey, of Omaha, was sentenced for unauthorized acquisition of food stamps. Sharkey was given three years of probation with 100 hours of community service and $2,570 restitution.
Tom Jackman, Carol D. Leonnig and Alice R. Crites contributed to this report.
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