December 12, 2024
It’s not just his son Hunter — President Biden just granted pardons and clemency to 1500 Americans. The most ever in one single day in US history.
So who are these people?
Well – we don’t have a list of names yet – but the president said generally why he was commuting the sentences of those 1500 people. The announcement says they are people who have been serving their sentences at home for at least one-year and have shown “successful rehabilitation and a strong commitment to making their communities safer.” The president’s announcement says the reason why he chose these people is because they are serving long prison sentences – and if they were tried today, they would likely receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices. The president said these 1500 folks were placed on home confinement during the covid pandemic. Today’s clemency order – lifts that confinement.
President Biden is also pardoning 39 people who were convicted of non-violent crimes including drug offenses. The president’s announcement says these folks have “turned their lives around.” The announcement says “these individuals are parents, veterans, health care professionals, teachers, advocates, and engaged members of their communities.”
This move to grant mass clemency comes after a ton of back lash over the pardoning of Biden’s son hunter just a few weeks ago. And the backlash wasn’t just coming from republicans. Lots of criminal justice advocates and many democrats had also been voicing their frustration that in pardoning hunter it was appearing like Biden only cared his own family and not using his presidential pardoning power for those who are less privileged.
President Biden said he’s not done yet – he says he will “take more steps” in the weeks ahead. As I have reported before — yes—Biden can absolutely do this. But that doesn’t mean it’s not controversial. Every time a president exercises his constitutional power to pardon people – it upsets some folks. But the bottom line is — the constitution says he can do it and it’s a vast power that cannot be checked by any other branch of government. No one can do anything about it.
Read more about the clemency here.
Read more from the President here.
