President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoning 39 others in an expansive act of clemency in the final weeks of his presidency.
In its announcement Thursday, the White House said those whose sentences are being commuted have served time at home for at least one year under the CARES Act, which was enacted during the pandemic. The 39 people receiving pardons were convicted of nonviolent crimes, including drug offenses.
It’s the largest act of clemency in a single day in modern history, the White House said. The pardon recipients include a nurse who led emergency response teams during hurricanes Katrina and Harvey and a military veteran who participates in community service with his local church and works with a youth group.
Biden’s sweeping action comes amid lingering unhappiness over his pardon of his son earlier this month.
Biden’s sweeping action comes amid lingering unhappiness over his pardon of his son earlier this month. The president’s decision to pardon Hunter Biden, who was convicted on federal gun charges and had pleaded guilty to tax evasion, sparked intense backlash from Republicans and Democrats alike.
Presidents have often granted clemency and issued pardons toward the end of their terms, including for family members and political allies. In a statement about the pardon, Biden suggested the criminal cases against his son were political, saying: “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong.” Previously, the president had repeatedly said he would not extend clemency to his son.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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