BARNSTABLE – A Barnstable County Commissioner who has made several controversial comments and tweets since taking office in 2017 may seek a presidential pardon for federal crimes committed nearly three decades ago.
Ron Beaty was convicted and served time in a Texas prison in the early 90s after threatening President George H.W. Bush, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and State Senator Lois Pines.
Beaty said he committed those acts during a dark time in his life.
“I was going through a bad divorce, the after effects of a divorce. I was basically a drunk,” he said. “It was just bad all the way around.”
Beaty said he has since picked himself up, dusted himself off and moved on with his life.
The decision to seek a pardon is a personal decision as the conviction is something that has been hanging over him.
“I think it might be worth trying especially since President Trump is probably my best shot at it up to this point in time and probably anytime into the future,” Beaty said.
Beaty, who is a Republican, is a strong supporter of the president.
“We have a lot in common,” he said.
Beaty has begun preliminary research on the presidential pardon process.
“I understand that President Trump pardoned Sheriff Joe Arpaio several months ago and I have been kind of tossing it around on the back of my mind,” he said.
The former Arizona Sheriff was convicted last year of a misdemeanor contempt charge for disobeying the courts in carrying out his signature immigration patrols.
Trump’s pardon spared Arpaio from a possible jail sentence. The 85-year-old longtime lawman has since announced a run for Senate.
Beaty said the conviction has not cost him many of his civil rights other than that granted in the 2nd Amendment.
“Even if you get a presidential pardon it does not expunge the record,” Beaty said. “But it is official forgiveness by the federal government for your transgressions.”
Beaty is considering consulting attorney Jay McMahon to help him through the process. McMahon is a republican candidate for Massachusetts Attorney General.
The often embroiled Beaty has been the subject of many complaints from county residents for a number of controversial tweets and comments.
Since his election last year to the county’s executive board, Beaty has earned admirers and enemies for his relentless pursuit of open meeting law violations, even against his own commission.
He picked a very public fight with fellow Republican and 5th Barnstable District State Representative Randy Hunt over a parking space.
Beaty took some public heat for a proposal to bait and kill great white sharks off the Cape’s shores.
He also criticized the #MeToo movement on social media which has been used to raise awareness about sexual assault and abuse.
Most recently, he attacked a survivor of the Florida school shooting on Twitter.
Beaty’s actions since becoming a county commissioner have even led to efforts to change the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter to allow the public to recall elected county officials.
By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
Material from the Associated Press was used in this article.
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