Outgoing US President Joe Biden announced today that he will commute the sentences of nearly 2.500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses, using his final days in office to issue a series of pardons intended to lift prison sentences he deemed too harsh.
With the latest pardons, Biden set a presidential record for the most pardons and commutations. He said he was seeking to overturn "disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences that would be received today under today's law, policy and practice."
"Today's action provides relief to individuals who have received lengthy sentences based on the now-discredited distinction between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated harsher sentencing for drug-related crimes," Biden said in a statement.
"This action is an important step toward righting historical wrongs, correcting disparities in sentencing, and providing deserving individuals with a chance to return to their families and communities after spending too much time behind bars," Biden said.
The White House did not immediately release the names of the individuals who received commutations of sentence.
Biden said more such decisions could follow, promising to use the time before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Monday to continue reviewing additional commutations and pardons.
Today's actions follow Biden's commutation of sentences for about 1.500 people who were released from prison and placed under house arrest during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as his pardon of 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent offenses. It was the largest single day of pardons in modern history.
At the same time, Biden continues to weigh whether to issue blanket pardons for officials and allies the White House fears could be unfairly targeted by the Trump administration. While the president's pardon powers are absolute, such a precautionary move would be a new and risky use of that extraordinary constitutional power.
Last month, Biden also commuted the sentences of 37 of 40 people on death row to life in prison, just weeks before Trump, an outspoken advocate of expanding the death penalty, took office. Trump has vowed to reverse that order once he takes office.
Biden also recently pardoned his son Hunter not only for his convictions for violating federal firearms and tax laws but also for any potential federal offenses over an 11-year period, fearing that Trump allies would seek to try his son for other offenses.
Historically speaking, Biden is likely to issue more targeted pardons to help his allies before he leaves the White House, as presidents typically do in some of their final actions, the AP agency writes.
Before midnight on the last night of his first term, Trump, a Republican, signed a series of pardons and commutations of sentences for more than 140 people, including his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black and former members of Congress.
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