Bush Commutes Rapper John Forte’s Sentence

Sandra Rose November 25, 2008

Rapper John Forte is one of 16 people to receive a pardon or reduced sentence from George Bush before he leaves office January 20, 2009.

Forte, 33, a first-time offender, was convicted of possessing the 31 pounds of cocaine with intent to distribute and was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years at Fort Dix, N.J. (Forte’s Web site)

With the commutation, Forte will be released Dec. 22, after serving just over seven years. He still faces five years of supervised probation.

Among vocal advocates on Forte’s behalf have been singer Carly Simon, along with her son James, and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

“Now is the perfect opportunity for John to be given the chance to provide positive benefits to society through his considerable musical talents,” Hatch wrote to Bush in a January 2007 letter. Source

Thanks to loyal readers LAA’IQA and Sybil!

http://myspace.com/iyonah iyonah

31 lbs louds of COCAINE … DAMN … and Bush pardons him? I want to know the reasons why some of you may think he did this … I can’t come up w/ one without a hidden agenda.
shunda

Hey I remember him. Wasn’t he on a song with the Fugees? Ok some of my people please advise of the street value of 31 pounds of cocaine. This just sounds shady. I thought a president starts pardoning people on their last day in office.
ReadTheBlog

31 pounds seized and I bet it still ended up on the streets. Dude was trafficking, was he not? Wow. I’m glad he’s out. Now he can give us a follow-up to that song of his, what was it called, again? *tee-hee*
Kymystry

WOWWWWWW… Cocaine carry’s a lesser charge than Crack .. even tho that same 31 lbs could have paid for a bail out or two in crack prices….
PAGESINADIARY

PEOPLE THAT MURDER GET LESS TIME THAN PEOPLE WHO SELL DRUGS.
shunda

Hey Kym
What is the difference between cocaine and crack. I am really not trying to be funny I just don’t know.
Ielon

31 lbs. and the President say let him go. The only time I’ve heard of this is when a Drug Kingpin by the name of Oscar Danilo Blandón was let go by the US Gov. given a green card and placed on their pay roll to set up Freeway Ricky Ross…this is really weird
Kymystry

They make Crack FROM Cocaine …. rent New Jack City .. lol .. lol
bloggergirlz

damn he lucked up…

i just looked up a case in reading, pa where the police/dea seized 14 kilograms — nearly 31 pounds — of cocaine valued at $1.4 million…a kilogram of cocaine has a street value of $100,000, city police said.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=63403
bloggergirlz

damn he lucked up…

i just looked up a case in reading, pa where the police/dea seized 14 kilograms — nearly 31 pounds — of cocaine valued at $1.4 million…a kilogram of cocaine has a street value of $100,000, city police said.

the link to the article is awaiting moderation…
shunda

@Kym
I saw it a lot and still didn’t understand lol.
Kymystry

LOL @ Shunda … gurl .. u too much .. lol

anywhooo .. there Is a outcry about the injusticies for sentencing Coacine and Crack drug charges .. while .. Cocaine dealers tended to be White middle clas dude sellin to support thier wall street habits.. crack dealers tended to be hood nicca’s .. a 1lb of cocaine would get about a year or two sentence that would be reduce to time served and probation… and 3 vials lil measly vials of crack would get Pookie 3-5 mandatory .. even tho Crack is MADE from Cocaine …
bloggergirlz

@shunda:

Crack cocaine, a form of cocaine base, is derived from powder cocaine. Unlike the processing of freebase cocaine, converting powder cocaine into crack cocaine does not involve any flammable solvents. The powder cocaine is simply dissolved in a solution of sodium bicarbonate and water. The solution is boiled and a solid substance separates from the boiling mixture. This solid substance, crack, is removed and allowed to dry. The crack cocaine is then broken or cut into “rocks,” each typically weighing from one-tenth to one-half of a gram. One gram of pure powder cocaine will convert to approximately 0.89 grams of crack cocaine. The DEA estimates that crack rocks are between 75% and 90% pure cocaine.

Because crack is smoked, the user experiences a high in less than 10 seconds. This rather immediate and euphoric effect is one of the reasons that crack became enormously popular in the mid 1980s. Another reason is that crack is inexpensive both to produce and to buy.
Source: NIDA Research Report, “Cocaine Abuse and Addiction,” May 1999

The crack epidemic dramatically increased the numbers of Americans addicted to cocaine. In 1985, the number of people who admitted using cocaine on a routine basis increased from 4.2 million to 5.8 million, according to the Department of Health and Human Service’s National Household Survey. Likewise, cocaine-related hospital emergencies continued to increase nationwide during 1985 and 1986. According to DAWN statistics, in 1985, cocaine-related hospital emergencies rose by 12 percent, from 23,500 to 26,300; and in 1986, they increased 110 percent, from 26,300 to 55,200. Between 1984 and 1987, cocaine incidents increased fourfold.
Source: DEA Museum, “DEA History: 1985-1990: The Crack Epidemic”

The effects of Crack are similar to those of Cocaine, although since Crack is smoked, additional risks exist. General effects include constricted blood vessels and increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, and with long term use, violence and paranoia are noted. Additional risks of smoking crack include respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, chest pains, lung trauma and bleeding. As with cocaine, crack is highly addictive. Evidence shows that when cocaine and crack are smoked (as opposed to other methods), there is increased risk of compulsive cocaine-seeking behavior
Ielon

@ shunda- Cocaine is a powder substance and Crack is made with Cocaine, baking soda, water boiling in a pot with a little in a preferred glass jar with you swirling it in a circular motion until it hardens and form what they call a rock…I don’t really know the instructions but I’m just saying_____________________________________________________
I agree Kym-New Jack City is the best movie to watch and if you don’t understand after watching it just let it go
bloggergirlz

@ielon: well tell us how it’s really made lol!
iscream

Crack is sold and used more by minorites (blacks) while cocaine is sold and used by Whites.

The (first black) Gov of New York did something similar for Slick Rick.

This is GWB way of showing his “black side”.
KaraZ

The street value was well over a million dollars back then. He accepted a package with the liquid cocaine a few minutes before he got arrested, I also wonder who he took the fall for. He went to Exeter with tons of rich YT folks, maybe its one of them. His sentence was the mandatory minimum, which seemed like a slap on the rest given the amount he was caught with, regardless of the fact that he was a first time offender.
Charles

Who is he? Im confused………….
prynsexxx

LOL SHUNDA said:

What is the difference between cocaine and crack. I just don’t know.
____________________________________________________

All I know about crack and cocaine is that:

Crack is hard
Coke is soft
Crack is smoked
Coke is snorted

Both are NOT to be messed with.

In the words of Whitney Houston:

“Crack is wack. Crack is cheap.” LOL

KNOW THAT! LOL
Ielon

Jeezy said it best “it’s really unheard of when you get more time for selling dope then murder” I have 1 friend doing life, 5 doing 15 years for selling drugs. But in California know 2 people that just got out of Prison for attempted murder after 3 years and 1 out after 10 for murder…Now all of it is bad but who would you rather have walking the streets?
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

Coke is what rich people buy.
Crack is what poor people buy.
prynsexxx

#15 said:

cocaine is sold and used by Whites.
________________________________________________

Girl boo, don’t believe THAT……. I know waaay more (blk) COKE heads than I do YT, who sell AND use.
candycane

I remember when Clinton pardoned Kemba Moore, for some reason her story stayed with me. I appreciated that as if she was my relative or something.
iscream

& people smoke cocain. They roll it cig paper… I think they are called wooley’s
mizzdallas

I remember John Forte, he had that song out called “Ninety Nine” the message. He co-wrote and produced Fugees album “The Score” one of the greatest hip-hop albums. George Bush pardon John Forte best to believe it was some money involve.
PAHairston

Hello everyone, what wonderful news. 7 yrs is enough punishment for any drug offense, period, especially if you ain’t killed nobody. (I’m just saying…) My uncle, God rest his soul, killed another black man in cold blood and he only served 7 yrs. I know a man that I grew up with who’s still serving a 40 year plus sentence for drug trafficking and guns. 40 years this man has served and he ain’t killed or raped anyone! (What an unjust system we survive in.) A lot of these black men in prison, serving time for drugs only, should be pardoned and given another chance to take care of all the babies they left behind. Again, I’m just saying…..

When I get to heaven, I want to be surrounded by babies, puppies and flowers–no more drama…I’m just saying. (I love this saying, so apropo.)
prynsexxx

IMO

Anybody who sells or does drugs is a murderer or is committing suicide. PERIOD! Jail or the grave is where they belong. IMO!
shunda

Thank ya’ll so much! You guys will laugh at me even more when you find out I took a class all about drugs in college lol. I didn’t pay much attention. I tend to be dense when it comes to street life but I knew my fam would have my back. Thanks for not making fun of me.
Ielon

@iyonah-Here’s what I found….As of November 24, 2008,[1] President George W. Bush had issued 171 presidential pardons to people who have served their entire sentence, and has commuted in addition the sentences of eight people—17 of them was convicted of disturbing cocaine and/or Marijuana
http://www.myspace.com/lorettadivine DivineBrown

Cocaine is HUUUUUUUUGE IN OHIO!

I ain’t talking about just rich folks!
Kymystry

CRACKIN UP !@ Ielon … lol .. lol
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

@prynsexxx .. I agree with you 1000% because how many people have lost family members from drug overdoses???
And we always sell to our own… destroying our own communities…
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

HEy KYM (waves hands)
prynsexxx

Divine said:

Cocaine is HUUUUUUUUGE IN OHIO!

I ain’t talking about just rich folks!
_________________________________________________
It sure is……I’m in OHIO

*and that’s all imma say*
kwallace577

john forte? i had forgot about him.

crack is whack….i know plenty of coke heads too. plenty. i’ve had close friends who used to dabble, co-workers, fam…at one time not even that long ago seemed errybody was doing it but me and a few others.

i’ll keep my wine thank you very much…..and now that i am up to two glasses even THAT is getting expensive….
prynsexxx

Snooty said:

prynsexxx .. I agree with you 1000% because how many people have lost family members from drug overdoses???
And we always sell to our own… destroying our own communities…
________________________________________________________

Snooty? Is that really you? LOL

*touching screen*

Not only that, what is YOUR purpose in life? Why use only to kill yourself and destroy your family, physically, mentally and emotionally. What purpose do drugs serve?
kwallace577

i heart snooty. where you been?

yes i cosign @ mizzdallas. that was my FIRST thought… how the hell john forte got pardoned? musta been a pay off or who the hell HE know?
shunda

I am in Ohio also but up my way Meth is starting to be the Huge in thing.
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

@prynsexxx …. Its me “me and you will neva part”
*touch screen back and wipes tear*

When people use drugs I agree they are selfish because they are not thinking about the consequences of their actions…
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

@kwallace577.. I heart you tooooooooooo ahhhhhhhhh!!!
with you crazy butt…. LOL (cyber hug)
KaraZ

Thanks pryn… Drug pushers are mass murderers if you ask me.
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

pardon my typo “your”
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

I have been buried in work up to my nose with clients!!!!!
Counting down the days until I am on vacation… YEah for me
http://www.myspace.com/lorettadivine DivineBrown

When I was in high school back in the day….

I knew black dudes pushing kilos of cocaine…and my YT friends did it on the sneak. Lots of them!

It takes a serious addict to do meth.
Kymystry

Snoooooootyyyyyy (waves) and said it all loud and stuff !!!!!
shunda

@DB
Girl they are making meth in Amish Country. The one girl that works at the pharmacy near me said she had a whole van of them come in for cold meds. I am so tired of having to show my ID just to get cold medicine.
Kymystry

Amish country … wowwwww .. what a cover tho …

Amish ? ? ? ? WTF … AMISH ? ? ? ?
http://www.myspace.com/lorettadivine DivineBrown

I personally don’t know any meth users. I know plenty of folks that used or are using cocaine.

I don’t live there so ya’ll have a better feel for the climate!
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

Kymyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
screaming loud….. LOL
katgirl33

ITA w/Pages,

It sounds like to me he got too much time, being a first time offender and all….people who have committed murder to get less time that what he got……I just seen it on “Snapped” this morning, LOL…Sista girl got sentenced to 8 years for killing her husband, I think in 05….they took two years off her sentence, for time served…she is about to get out, in 09.

Whatever happened to boot camp??? LOL
Kymystry

ok … I see yall keep talkin about “Snapped” .. what the hell is that ? ? ?
ELove

Crack, Meth and H & X are far more harmful than snorting cocaine… And when I was in college alot of cats used to lace their joints (weed) with Cocaine! They said it countered the effects of weed (Eating-n-Sleeping) by making you more aware with a Touch-of-Horny-ness

And Rich people do Crack also… Especially the ONES who can’t afford the amount-n-quality of cocaine they’re use to buying. Tom Sizemore went from Coke to Crack with the quickness (HIS money ran too low)
katgirl33

typo,

I meant to say, “people who have committed murder do get less time than what he got”

my bad
katgirl33

Kym,

“Snapped” is a program that comes on the Oxygen channel….I’mma see if I can get link for you….LOL
ELove

@Kym… Stay AWAY from “Snapped” STAY AWAY !!!
katgirl33

http://www.oxygen.com/TvShows/Detail.aspx?code=SNP&view=about
kwallace577

@shunda meth is bad here. we just started making folks show id tho. so recent i didn’t even know about it. about a month ago my oldest had a bad cold so i run to the 24 hr. CVS. go in with just my debit card and they DEMAND to see id….i am like for WHAT? and they were DEAD serious about not letting me even pick out meds without doing so. i was HEATED to go back unlock my purse outta the car to show id. went home and called hubby and he lauffn talking bout…i know they didn’t think you were cooking meth…you just learned to cook PERIOD 3 years ago. LMAO.
katgirl33

LOL

I stumbled across it myself…LOL LOL
kwallace577

i already told yall i am a “snapped” addict. much to elove’s dismay! LMAO. they had another marathon on last weekend e…..
Kymystry

ok ELove(her) … lol …lol .. staying away .. cause I don’t have “legal” cable and don’t get that channel … lol
http://www.myspace.com/lorettadivine DivineBrown

LMAO @ BOOTLEG CABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!

You gon come home one day and yo’ show is about to come on….*click on the TV* Straight static and fuzz!
prynsexxx

DB said:

I personally don’t know any meth users. I know plenty of folks that used or are using cocaine.
__________________________________________________________

Co-sign.

Lauryn Hill said it best:

“you never suspect the one’s that are closest to you. A friend once said, and I found to be true, that everyday ppl they lie to GOD too, so what makes you think that they won’t lie to youuuuuuuuuuu”.

– Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do……..shiiiiidddddd!
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

@kwallace577…For at least 1yr or more here in Dallas you have to show your ID to get Advil cold and sinus its behind the counter at the pharmacy…. I hate it….
shunda

@Kwall yeah CVS is serious they pull out that little book for you to sign and everything.

I love snapped. When I tell my friend I am watching it he is like I will call you back lol.
Kymystry

@ Divine .. when I moved into my spot ova 2 yrs ago .. I saw the cable wires .. i said .. hmmm .. let me see .. so i attached the wires to my tv’s and .. Well-Ahh .. basic cable without a box … Comcast has been out to my neighbors who are attached … 4-5 times .. and I STILL have cable … I guess I’ll have to actually get it before Feb huh … lol .. lol
iscream

As Wendy Willams said… drugs destroy just as many families as affairs…

I just want to know how its possible for ppl to function (day to day life) on Cocaine but you mix that same drug with baking soda… Well we’ve yet to see a functioning crackhead. Even Whit couldn’t hide that addiction.
kwallace577

i had bootleg cable for YEARS. i don’t mean 2 or 3 neither. more like 6 to 7. about 4 months ago the baby came in EARLY one sunday morning…crying talking about her tv was broke, that cartoons went off….i snatched back the curtains in her room….and yt was in my yard disconnecting my shyt, i am CONVINCED if we woulda never moved and got a house i would STILL have my cable.

my cable bill now is a bytch too. i think it is payback for all of the free years i got?
lisa

Uh, leave the cocaine at home next time.

On the realz, I am happy for this brother for I see the Blessing. He has a second shot at life and I pray he doesn’t screw it up. And right before Christmas too; he needs to go straight from the prison to the nearest church.
shunda

@kwall
You are the person they are talking about on the commercial when they give that 1-800 number to report cable theft lmao. That commercial makes me feel guilty and my cable has always been legal and I know some folks at the cable company that will hook it up just because they hate their job.
prynsexxx

Kwall said:

yt was in my yard disconnecting my shyt
___________________________________________

And the local “resident crackhead” would have hooked it back up for $20, all channels. Babygirl would have been watching cartoons live from Antartica and Bangledesh.

I guess some drugs do serve a purpose.
kwallace577

@shunda….i went to court one time a few years back for a traffic tix and they had all kinds of cases in there since it was the overflow court room….and skrait got SHOOK. they had about FIVE folks in there…for cable theft!!! i was like what in da HELL?

i went home and disconnected my cable IMMEDIATELY and let it stay like that for about two weeks. LMAO.
kwallace577

the criminal minded and the straight and narrow folks do NOT need to get married. the ONLY reason i went legal with the cable was my husband.

he was like i TOLD you not to take that illegal cable mess to the new house. we had legal cable the next day. i will steal small stuff in a minute. i stashed a stalk of celery in my greens yesterday. i don’t NEED an entire thing of celery for my stuffing. just one little stalk. my husband talking about “what if you go to jail over celery? what am i gonna tell your momma?”

told him not much b/c SHE the one who taught me the celery trick.
Kymystry

imma have to remember the celery trick .. cause who actually NEEDS a whole entire stalk of that nastiness … lol
goat76

Weed is a wonderful plant…………………Hey everybody…..
ELove

KDUB (YOU are very Foolish Yopung Lady!!!)
@pryn
I KNOW some crackheads that WILL & HAVE:
Went up a light-poles and turn on lights/power
Turned the GAS on from the street
Hook-up Satellite dishes and Premium cable channels

Crackheads ARE some of the most resourceful people in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD LOL LOL
ELove

I MEANT “Young Lady”
And @goat speaks the WHOLE TRUTH and NOTHING BUT the TRUTH
goat76

What E-love……….I see you know some Crackheads like that too……….Do they meet at some kind of Convention for Crackheads…..
ELove

@goat
LIKE I’ve said in the past YOU can’t help who your relatives are… I HAVE plenty of crackheads throughout my family
Brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, childhood friends etc
But US Plant-Lovers don’t have to worry about that MESS
HouStar

I havent made it thru the comments but I need to say my part. IMO Drug dealers are opportunists. It is not an easy job by far (the successful ones work VERY hard and take risks). People CHOOSE to do drugs, where as they do not choose to be killed it is like comparing apples to oranges. In no way do I condone participating in an illegal activity, but I call it like I see it. If there was no demand… The dealers would go away. But that is not the case. We have no one but weak minded people to blame.
HouStar

And drug pushers as Mass Murderers? ARE YOU SERIOUS??? Every day I wake up and I CHOOSE what to do with my body. IMO it is survival of the fittest. Weak minded people who choose to do drugs are themselves commiting suicide. But you know what I dont feel bad because that was their CHOICE.
kwallace577

the illegal hookup who hooked me up and the entire fam too in the first place….is a skrait crackhead. he is a functional one and indeed works for the cable co.( last i heard..) like shunda said. my sister ever the polite one, had the nerve to ask him once when he came to hook her back up after she got caught what his NAME was….this fool replied….”cable man” LMAO.

i hear he is still in biz. i bet he making a killing these days too. i think about calling “cable man” up every month. i ain’t had no cable bill in years…how they expect me to adapt?
HouStar

LOL… I had free cable at my apartment for 2 years.. NOt because someone hooked me up, but because they had a free preview weekend and forgot to turn mine off. I was soooo upset the day I came home and it was off. I had to wait thru the whole weekend before they could hook it up again. Longest weekend of my life.
Anna

Kymystry Says:

imma have to remember the celery trick .. cause who actually NEEDS a whole entire stalk of that nastiness … lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You guys are nuts. My sister called me here at work today asking if I went grocery shopping yet. I told her I picked up a few things last nigh. She lives 20 miles away. Why is she coming over my house to get a stalk of celery? I did tell her to pass the word around. Unless the neighborhood kids are my guiena pigs and I put peanut butter on it for them it always just “wilts away”.

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