President Biden's final list of commutations was released Friday afternoon, revealing that nearly 2,500 inmates had their sentences reduced. This move solidifies Biden's position as the president with the highest number of pardons and commutations granted to individuals. The individuals on the list were identified as having received excessively harsh sentences for drug crimes, particularly in comparison to the sentences they would receive today.
In a statement released on Friday, President Biden highlighted that the clemency action aimed to provide relief to those who had been subject to outdated sentencing practices, such as disparities between crack and powder cocaine sentencing. Biden emphasized the need to address these sentencing inequities, pointing to legislative efforts like the Fair Sentencing Act and the First Step Act as steps towards achieving more equitable sentencing practices.
This recent round of commutations follows Biden's record-breaking single-day act of presidential clemency last month, where he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the pandemic and primarily faced non-violent drug offense charges.
Following the previous commutations, several Democrats, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley, urged Biden to continue issuing pardons and commutations for individuals serving lengthy sentences. Rep. Pressley commended President Biden for his latest action, describing it as a historic and compassionate step towards rectifying the injustices perpetuated by the War on Drugs.
Rep. Pressley emphasized the significance of using clemency to address systemic injustices within the criminal legal system and praised Biden for his bold leadership in utilizing this power to change lives. She expressed gratitude for Biden's commitment to addressing these issues and highlighted the importance of this action in shaping his presidential legacy.
