US President Joe Biden has issued presidential pardons to 39 Americans convicted of non-violent crimes, and commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 other people.
The White House described it as the most acts of presidential clemency issued in a single day.
The White House released a pardon list of 39 people that said the individuals had committed either either a “non-violent offense” or a “non-violent drug offense”.
The 1,499 commuted sentences includes individuals who were placed in home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as those whose sentences Biden deemed to be too long due to outdated laws.
Trump granted 237 acts of clemency during his first term in the White House, according to the Pew Research Center.
US President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of almost 1,500 individuals and granted presidential pardons to 39 Americans convicted of non-violent offenses.
It was referred to by the White House as the most presidential clemency acts granted in a single day. Following his decision to pardon his own son, Hunter Biden, Biden made this move.
The broad “power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment” is a constitutional mandate of the United States.
Biden said those who were pardoned had “shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer” when he announced the decision.
According to the White House, 39 people on the pardon list had either committed a “non-violent offense” or a “non-violent drug offense.”. It didn’t specify which particular offenses they were found guilty of.
A number of those who were pardoned were previously incarcerated individuals. Many had served in the military or had rose to positions of advocacy or leadership in their communities.
One pardonee was a 49-year-old Virginia resident who was found guilty of a drug offense at the age of 21, according to the White House. Following his release from prison, he went on to complete his education, work successfully in the US Army and Air Force, and volunteer for veteran-supporting organizations.
According to a White House statement that included brief biographies of each person who had been pardoned, he is “known as exceptionally hard working, dedicated, and trustworthy by those who know him.”.
People who were placed in home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic and those whose sentences Biden determined were excessively lengthy because of out-of-date legislation are among the 1,499 commuted sentences.
Biden said of those whose sentences he had commuted, “They have demonstrated that they deserve a second chance.”.
“More steps in the weeks ahead” was Biden’s pledge.
When Donald Trump takes office as president on January 20, 2025, the president will step down.
Prior to this, Biden’s pardoning record was lower than that of the majority of presidents in contemporary US history.
He had, however, previously granted a few categorical pardons. The president has granted pardons to a large number of individuals who fit into a specific category.
Biden issued a complete pardon for people convicted of simple possession of marijuana in October 2022, and he later extended it to other marijuana-related offenses.
Biden granted veterans and active military members who were found guilty of a crime because of their sexual orientation another full pardon earlier this year.
Biden’s earlier this month decision to pardon his son Hunter followed a pattern in which all US presidents, including Trump, have shown mercy to those close to them.
In two criminal cases involving tax fraud and gun crimes, the younger Biden was awaiting sentencing.
Since the outgoing president had previously denied taking the action, it has proven to be controversial. However, he asserted that his son was the target of politically motivated prosecutions.
In an attempt to protect his top Trump critics from reprisals once the president-elect assumes office, Biden has also considered granting preemptive pardons to them, but he has reportedly been worried about the precedent it would set.
Separately, on Thursday, an ex-FBI informant entered a guilty plea to lying to the FBI, which prompted the Biden family to be investigated.
Smirnov admitted that he made up “fabrications” about Biden and his son taking bribes from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Congress Republicans seized upon the claim as evidence of corruption.
The Pew Research Center estimates that during his first term in office, Trump issued 237 acts of clemency. Among them were 94 sentences that were commuted and 143 pardons.
A lot of people were busy before he left the office.
On his first day in office, Trump has promised to pardon those convicted of taking part in the Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021, where his supporters attempted to prevent Biden’s election victory from being certified.
This week, he declared that those who were “non-violent” would be eligible for pardons.
He stated in a Time magazine interview on Thursday that “the vast majority should not be in jail, and they’ve suffered gravely.”.
