Obama Pardons 17, Including Man With Firearms Charges

photo credit: A.A.President Obama on Friday pardoned 17 people around the country, including a Georgia man whose offense was possession of an unregistered firearm.

Larry Wayne Thornton of Forsyth, Georgia, faced four years of probation until Obama’s pardon.

The pardon has the potential to come under scrutiny, as Democrats and Obama himself have called for stricter gun-control laws in the wake of last year’s elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. In response to that shooting, Democrats have called for a range of options, including reinstating an assault weapons ban, and forcing all firearms purchasers to undergo background checks.

Obama also pardoned Lynn Marie Stanek of Oregon, who was charged with using a communications facility to distribute cocaine. She faced six months in jail and five years of probation.

Michael John Petri of South Dakota was also pardoned; he was convicted of possession of cocaine with an intent to distribute it.

Read more from this story HERE.