Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
4520818
label
President - Personal Family - Steven Ford
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
4520818
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
President - Personal Family - Steven Ford
citationUrl
collections
Philip W. Buchen Files
Philip Buchen's General Subject Files
subjects
Presidential family
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
4520818
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1976-05-01
month
5
year
1976
coverageStartDate
logicalDate
1975-04-01
month
4
year
1975
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
68c4c21c0cd8727e
ocrText
The original documents are located in Box 49, folder "President - Personal Family - Steven
Ford" of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 49 of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Pres-
gard
steven
April 23, 1975
Dear Colonel Gemmels
On behalf of the President, I would like to acknowledge
your letter of April 21 concerning the case of Congressman
George Hanson.
While I appreciate what appears to be a similarity between
the offense committed by Congressman Hansen, and the
circumstances surrounding Steven Ford's failure to register
on time under the Selective Service Act, such is not the case.
Each year many young Americans fall to register under the
Selective Service Act. As a result the Selective Service has
a longstanding policy to prosecute only in the case of a flagrant
violation. In the prosecution of violations of the Federal
election laws there was no similar existing prosecutorial policy.
Therefore, Congressman Handen's case was brought to trial.
Also, the courts generally require proof of willful intent in the
case of a violation of the Selective Service Act. There was
no proof that Steven Ford intentionally falled to register.
However, proof of intent is not required to convict one who
falled to file a required financial report under the Federal
election campaign law.
In response to your request that the President extend Executive
elemency to Congressman Hansen, I must inform you that
clemency is only considered after the U.S. Pardon Attorney
receives an application from one who has committed a Federal
offense. The application is processed in accordance with existing
guidelines which have been promulgated by the Attorney General
with the approval of the President. If Congressman Hansen submits
an application, it would be handled according to these guidelines.
Presently, no application has been filed on his behalf.
LIBRARY GERALD : FORD
2
Thank you for taking time to inform me of your concerns.
Sincerely,
Philip W. Buchen
Counsel to the President
Colonel Bruce H. Gemmel
USAF (Retired)
2786 North Quebec Street
Arlington, Virginia 22207
PWB:JTF:fep
FORD is GERALD LIBRARY
2786 North Quebec St.,
Arlington, Va., 22207
21 April 1975
The President of the United States,
The White House,
IF'
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr President:
Yesterday my wife and I sent your offices a telegram asking for a pardon
for Congressman George V. Hansen, who has been sentenced to two months in
prison for a technical violation of Federal laws governing campaign financing;
although the prosecutors noted at the time he pleaded guilty that he had
filed reports in September that were in substantial compliance with the law.
However, he has still been sentenced to two months imprisonment for these
technical violations, without intent to falsify his reports.
Just today we read in the Washington Post about another incident involving
technical violation of Federal laws, this one involving your son Steve.
We can agree with the applicable selective service board that there had been
no deliberate attempt to violate these laws, on your son's part. And we are
pleased that this matter has been resolved in your son's favor.
However, here we have two cases involving technical violations of the law,
one earning a two month prison sentence and the other without penalty, and we
can agree only with the latter case.
Again urge a Presidential pardon for Congressman Hansen; if this is not
possible, then perhaps, if legally permissable, the Prosecutors could recommend
a suspension of the imprisonment to the Judge.
My wife and I have known George and Connie Hansen, and their fine family, for
several years now; he was once our next door neighbor. We simply cannot believe
that he could be guilty of a wilful violation of the Federal laws.
Very truly yours
BRUCE H. GEMMEL
LCOL, USAF (Retired)
FORD & GERALD LIBRARY
Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted
materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to
these materials.
June 1975
Steve To Utah U.
WASHINGTON -(AP) -
Steve Ford, the President's
19-year-old son, will go to
Utah State University next
Ford To Visit
Stable Boy 5/20/76
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. - (AP)-A
local stable boy wants a visit from the
President of the United States for his
20th birthday, and it looks like he's going
to get it