US President Joe Biden speaks to the press earlier than collaborating in a briefing relating to the continued wildfire season response and Federal efforts to scale back wildfire threat, within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, DC, on September 17, 2024.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Pictures
President Joe Biden stated Friday he’s commuting the sentences of greater than 2,000 folks convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, cementing his legacy because the president who has issued essentially the most particular person pardons and commutations in U.S. historical past.
Biden stated in an announcement that commuting the practically 2,500 sentences would assist “equalize” sentencing disparities.
“Immediately’s clemency motion gives aid for people who obtained prolonged sentences primarily based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, in addition to outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” he stated.
“This motion is a vital step towards righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and offering deserving people the chance to return to their households and communities after spending far an excessive amount of time behind bars,” he added.
“With this motion, I’ve now issued extra particular person pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. historical past,” Biden stated.
Virtually two dozen congressional Democrats final month urged Biden to commute the sentences of individuals affected by the sentencing disparities, arguing that harsher penalties for crack “precipitated disproportionate hurt to communities of coloration.”
Two legal guidelines dramatically shifted sentencing tips for crack cocaine offenses over the previous 15 years.
The Fair Sentencing Act, which was signed into legislation in 2010, lowered the statutory penalties for crack cocaine and tossed out the obligatory minimal sentence for possessing it. The First Step Act, which turned legislation in 2018, made it attainable to apply the reduced penalties to sentences for crack offenses that predated the 2010 legislation.
Biden final month commuted nearly 1,500 sentences and issued pardons for 39 folks in one other sweeping clemency motion. A subsequent transfer to commute 37 death sentences left solely a handful of individuals on federal loss of life row.
In line with the Justice Department’s clemency statistics, President-elect Donald Trump issued 144 pardons and 94 commutations throughout his first time period. President Barack Obama issued 212 pardons and 1,715 commutations over two phrases.
Maybe essentially the most controversial use of Biden’s clemency energy got here when he pardoned his son Hunter Biden final month. The transfer was sharply criticized by Republicans and even some Democrats.
In his assertion Friday, Biden indicated that he may take extra clemency motion earlier than he leaves workplace Monday.
“I’m happy with my document on clemency and can proceed to evaluation extra commutations and pardons,” he stated.
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