President Joe Biden made a historic move by issuing the single largest act of clemency on December 12, 2024, commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 people and granting 39 presidential pardons. This decision aims to provide meaningful second chances and advance equal justice for those who have shown remorse and rehabilitation.
President Joe Biden made a historic move in modern history by issuing the single largest act of clemency on December 12, 2024. This included commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 people and granting 39 presidential pardons.
The decision was made with just 40 days left in the White House, as the president announced his intention to lessen the sentences of thousands of prisoners who were released and placed on home confinement for at least a year during the Covid-19 pandemic. The move aims to provide meaningful second chances and advance equal justice.
The pardons issued include those for US citizens convicted of non-violent crimes, such as drug offenses, who have shown successful rehabilitation. The president stated that these individuals had demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities.
According to the White House, Thursday’s pardons include a nurse who led emergency response teams during natural disasters; a pilot who helps fellow church members who are in poor health; and an addiction counsellor who helps young people and dissuades them from joining gangs. These individuals have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer.
The incumbent president’s historic issuing of commutations and pardons dwarfs those granted on a single day by former President Barack Obama, with a combined total of 330, shortly before leaving office in 2017. This marks the second-largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
The move has proven controversial, as the outgoing president previously ruled out doing it. However, Biden claimed that his hand was forced as Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” by the Department of Justice. The president promised “more steps in the weeks ahead.”
Biden’s decision has raised questions about the precedent it sets for future presidents. There have been reports that the Biden administration is mulling pre-emptive presidential pardons for Trump critics who may face retribution, particularly those who investigated the president-elect’s effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Biden previously had a record of pardoning fewer people than most presidents in modern US history. However, he has issued categorical pardons in the past, including full pardon for those convicted of simple possession of marijuana and later expanded that to include other marijuana-related offenses.
