President Biden made history last week by commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 prisoners and pardoning 39 more. This prompted mixed reactions from lawmakers, including Democrats, who noted that President Biden's actions far exceeded the clemency actions of other U.S. presidents serving their first terms. office.
In a statement announcing the new amnesty package last week, Biden said the United States was “built on possibility and the promise of second chances.”
“As President, I will grant mercy to those who have shown remorse and rehabilitation, restore opportunities for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and sentence nonviolent offenders, especially those who have been convicted. “We have the great privilege of being able to take steps to close the disparities in drug crimes,” Biden said.
Biden's long list prompted mixed reactions from some lawmakers and criminal justice reform advocates, who questioned the administration's decision-making in determining which prisoners are eligible for pardons.
Biden pardon announcement mixed on Capitol Hill: 'Where is the bar?'
Biden administration told CNN The decision on who to include was not made individually, but rather was a “uniform” decision given to those with a record of good behavior while under house arrest.
Among them are former Illinois City Auditor Rita Crundwell, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to a nearly $55 million embezzlement scheme, and former Illinois City Auditor Rita Crundwell, who was convicted in 2011 for her role in a “kids for cash” scheme. This includes former Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan. There, children were sent to for-profit detention centers in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks from private prisons.
The complete list of individuals included in Biden's latest pardon package is available at Department of Justice website. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment on the presidential pardon decision.
Biden's decision to include Conahan on the list of pardoned prisoners was announced Friday by Pennsylvania Democrat Josh Shapiro, who was mentioned earlier this year as a possible running mate to Vice President Kamala Harris. It was harshly criticized by the governor.
Mr. Shapiro said Friday that he thought Mr. Biden was “completely wrong” to pardon Mr. Conahan, saying the decision “has caused a tremendous amount of pain here in northeastern Pennsylvania.”
“Some children have died because of this. Families have been torn apart,” Shapiro said of the for-profit detention center scandal.
Biden sparks outrage in Scranton by defying judge's 'cash for kids' ruling
Joe and his son Hunter Biden take a walk. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Before leaving office in 2017, President Barack Obama granted pardons to 1,927 people during his two terms as president. This is also the highest of any modern president, dating back to former Democratic President Harry Truman. According to Pew Research Center Department of Justice data analysis.
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected president four times, granted a total of 3,687 pardons, commutations, and other pardons during his time in the White House. After Roosevelt died during his fourth term, the U.S. Constitution was ratified, limiting all future presidents to two terms.
Some pointed to the difference between the people on Biden's pardon list and those who received commutations or pardons under the Obama administration.
The bulk of President Obama's clemency efforts focused on commuting the sentences of federal prisoners who met certain criteria outlined below. his administration's generosity initiative; The program ended in 2017 when President Trump took office.
But critics have noted stark differences between the number of people selected for pardon under each president and their relationship with the incumbent commander-in-chief.
Barack Obama granted pardons to 1,927 people during his presidency. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
For example, the Obama administration focused primarily on sentence reductions and reductions for nonviolent drug offenders, including those convicted under minimum sentencing laws passed by Congress in the late 1980s. It was
These amnesty grants came under sharp criticism from some Republicans, who accused Obama of imposing political will to eliminate certain mandatory minimum sentences, and many at the time criticized Congress' “legislation.” He claimed that he was disrespecting his authority.
But Biden's amnesty grants also far exceed those of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who is in his first term in office.
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According to available Justice Department data, between 2017 and 2021, President Trump granted just 143 pardons and 93 commutations, representing just 2% of clemency applications received by the Trump administration. do.
Others have noted that those chosen for pardons during President Trump's first term also appear to have a very different list of criteria than the former president.
Ann Analysis by Lawfare It turns out that 29 of the 34 pardons granted by President Trump were not based on recommendations from the Department of Justice's Office of Pardon Counsel.
Although such recommendations are not required for pardons, recent presidents have relied on the Justice Department for opinions on suitable recipients of pardons and commutations.
