President Biden issued a record-breaking 1,500 sentences of clemency and granted pardons to 39 individuals on his final day in office, the largest act of clemency by any U.S. president.
President Biden issued a record number of pardons and commutations on his final day in office, with a total of 1,500 sentences being commuted and 39 others receiving pardons. This is the largest act of clemency in a single day by any U.S. president.
According to a statement from the White House, President Biden signed 1,515 executive orders during his presidency, including pardons and commutations for over 6,800 individuals. The majority of those orders were related to pardons and commutations.
The largest number of pardons was issued on Wednesday morning, with 39 individuals receiving full pardons and an additional 46 receiving commutations. This brings the total number of pardons and commutations issued by President Biden’s administration to over 7,000.
President Biden had announced his plan to issue more pardons and commutations before his term ended, and had already begun reviewing applications from inmates who were eligible for clemency. The announcement came on Tuesday evening, just hours after the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
The White House said that the number of pardons and commutations issued by President Biden’s administration is a record, and that it reflects his commitment to promoting justice and fairness in the criminal justice system.
The pardons and commutations were granted for a variety of reasons, including for individuals who served their time and showed good behavior while incarcerated, or who had been sentenced under laws that have since been repealed. Some pardons were also issued for individuals who had been denied clemency by previous administrations due to technicalities or procedural issues.
The announcement was met with praise from many advocates and lawmakers, who said it reflected President Biden’s commitment to promoting justice and fairness in the criminal justice system. However, some critics expressed concern that the large number of pardons and commutations may not address the underlying causes of crime and recidivism.
“This is a huge step forward for the nation,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), who has advocated for clemency reform. “It shows that President Biden is committed to promoting justice and fairness, and it will help to reduce the burden on our prison system.”
However, some lawmakers expressed concerns about the pace of pardons and commutations, and argued that more should be done to address systemic issues in the criminal justice system.
“I’m glad that President Biden has taken action to issue more pardons and commutations,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), “but I believe we need to do more to address the root causes of crime and recidivism.”
The announcement comes as President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to take office, and many are watching to see how he will follow through on his campaign promises to promote justice and fairness in the criminal justice system.
- npr.org | Morning news brief
- npr.org | Morning Edition : NPR
