House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has called on President Joe Biden to use his remaining weeks in office to grant case-by-case pardons for nonviolent federal offenders. The appeal follows Biden’s controversial decision to issue a sweeping pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.
A Call for Broader Clemency
In a statement, Jeffries highlighted Biden’s legacy of compassion, urging him to consider pardons for working-class Americans imprisoned for nonviolent offenses.
“During his final weeks in office, President Biden should exercise the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life, including toward his son, and pardon on a case-by-case basis the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses,” Jeffries said.
A Contrast to Hunter Biden’s Pardon
Biden’s “full and unconditional” pardon for Hunter Biden, absolving him of all federal crimes over an 11-year period, has drawn sharp criticism for its unprecedented scope. Jeffries’ remarks, however, suggest a path forward that could help mitigate criticism by addressing broader systemic inequities in federal prosecutions.
Jeffries’ statement aligns with longstanding Democratic efforts to reform the criminal justice system, focusing on the disproportionate impact of harsh federal sentencing on marginalized communities.
Biden’s Clemency Legacy
President Biden has granted clemency to 31 individuals during his term, primarily those convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. However, advocates have pushed for more aggressive action to address systemic injustices.
Jeffries’ plea underscores the potential for Biden to leave a legacy of compassion by extending clemency to those often overlooked in the criminal justice system.
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