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Former Fugees producer pardoned by George W. Bush

12:33 p.m. · November 25, 2008 · by Andrew Winistorfer

As everyone keeps their hope up waiting for Obama to take office, George W. Bush (remember him? He starred in that movie Fahrenheit 9/11) has been busy pardoning criminals, and doing other presumably presidential duties. Among those Bush has recently pardoned is John Edward Forte, a Grammy Award winning rapper and producer for the Fugees, who was serving a 14-year sentence on a first time drug offense.

Bush pardoned Forte half way through his prison sentence for being caught with two suitcases full of 31 pounds of liquid cocaine ($1.4 million worth) at Newark International Airport in 2000. Forte’s release was lobbied to Bush by Carly Simon and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who wrote Bush a letter in 2007 "Now is the perfect opportunity for John to be given the chance to provide positive benefits to society through his considerable musical talents."