U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media before participating in a briefing on the ongoing wildfire season response and federal wildfire risk reduction efforts in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, September 17, 2024.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images
President Joe Biden He said Friday he was commuting the sentences of more than 2,000 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, cementing his status as the president who has issued the most individual pardons and commutations in U.S. history.
In his statement, Biden said commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people would help “even out” sentencing disparities.
“Today’s clemency action provides relief to individuals who have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms based on the implausible distinction between crack and powder cocaine and outdated drug offense sentencing enhancements,” he said.
“This action is an important step toward righting historical wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after serving excessive time in prison,” he added.
“With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in American history,” Biden said.
Nearly two dozen congressional Democrats last month urges biden Commuting sentences for those affected by sentencing disparities, arguing that harsher penalties for crack “disproportionally harm communities of color.”
Over the past 15 years, two laws have significantly changed sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine crimes.
Fair Sentencing ActSigned into law in 2010, it lowered statutory penalties for crack cocaine and eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for cocaine possession. The First Step Act, which became law in 2018, made Mitigating penalties apply Sentences for serious crimes before the 2010 law.
Biden last month Nearly 1,500 sentences reduced and pardoned 39 people in another sweeping clemency action. subsequent commute 37 people sentenced to death Only a few remain on federal death row.
according to Department of Justice Leniency StatisticsPresident-elect Donald Trump issued 144 pardons and 94 commutations during his first term. President Barack Obama issued 212 pardons and 1,715 commutations during his two terms.
Perhaps Biden’s most controversial use of clemency powers occurred when he pardoned his son Hunter Biden last month. The move was severely criticized by Republicans and even some Democrats.
Biden said in a statement on Friday that he could take more clemency action before leaving on Monday.
“I am proud of my clemency record and will continue to review additional commutations and pardons,” he said.
