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President Biden announced Friday morning that he is commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates as he nears the end of his presidency.
The commutations are for people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses “who are serving disproportionately long sentences” compared to what they would receive if convicted under current law.
“Today’s clemency action provides relief to people who received long sentences based on discredited distinctions between powder and crack cocaine, as well as enhancements to outdated sentences. for drug crimes,” Biden said in a statement.
The president said now is the time to “even out these sentencing disparities,” as recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and the First Step Act of 2018.
BIDEN COMMUTES THE SENTENCES OF 37 FEDERAL PRISONERS RUN TO DEATH IN THE LAST MONTH IN PRESIDENCY
President Biden has issued another act of clemency, commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates convicted of nonviolent drug offenses in the final days of his presidency. (AP/Ben Curtis)
“This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and giving deserving people a chance to return to their families and communities after spending too much time behind bars,” he continued.
The decision puts Biden thousands of cases ahead of all other presidents who have issued acts of clemency during their terms.
“With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in the history of the United States,” Biden said.
Biden has issued more individual pardons and commutations than any other US president since Friday’s clemency decision. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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While granting clemency is not uncommon for a president, Biden has come under bipartisan fire for who he has decided to pardon or commute sentences.
In late December, he chose to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 men on federal death row, helping them escape execution and sending them to life in prison without parole.
He was also criticized forgiving his son, Hunter, of all crimes he “committed or may have committed” against US law from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024. Hunter was convicted last year of crimes with guns and taxes in two separate federal cases.
President Biden was criticized by both political parties for his decision to pardon his son, Hunter, for all crimes he committed or could have committed over a 10-year period. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Biden also bragged about completing the “One Day’s Largest Mercy Grant” on December 12 when he commuted sentences for 1,500 people and pardoned 39 others, most of whom were already serving home confinement due to decisions made during the COVID-19 era.
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The president added that he is “proud of (his) record of clemency” and said he will “continue to review additional commutations and pardons” before his last full day in office on January 19.
There are 1,947 people waiting to be pardoned after serving their sentences and about 6,625 cases waiting for commutation after Friday’s decision, he said. Statistics for January 13 of the Department of Justice.
