Just days before President Biden is set to leave office, he has commuted nearly 2,500 more prison sentences.
On January 17, President Biden commuted thousands of additional sentences for individuals convicted of non-violent drug offenses who he said in a statement “are serving disproportionately long sentences” when compared to what they would obtain if sentenced today. The news comes leading into the weekend before President-elect Trump is set to take the reigns on Monday.
Last month, The Dallas Express reported that Biden made another major clemency announcement near the end of his presidency when he pardoned nearly every federal inmate currently on death row. That move itself came just days after Biden commuted the sentence of almost 1,500 people and granted pardons to another 39.
Before the latest announcement, this had been the largest single day of clemency witnessed in modern American history.
Bident’s latest move, however, has set yet another new record.
“With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history,” Biden stated on January 17.
“Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes. As Congress recognized through the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act, it is time that we equalize these sentencing disparities. This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars,” the outgoing president stated.
Although granting clemency is not unique to this presidency, some of Biden’s choices have raised concerns. Despite insisting he would not, the president broke his promise and ended up pardoning his son after he was found guilty on all federal gun charges. Hunter was ultimately given a full and unconditional pardon “For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024,” the President said in December 1 statement.