President Biden has commuted the sentences of 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, aiming to address sentencing disparities.
Washington: So, President Biden just made a big move by commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 folks who were locked up for nonviolent drug offenses. This is part of his effort to fix what he sees as unfairly harsh sentences.
He’s really trying to change the game here, especially for those who got hit hard by outdated laws that treated crack and powder cocaine differently. Biden said this is a step toward correcting past mistakes and giving people a chance to reunite with their families after spending way too long in prison.
While the White House hasn’t shared the names of those getting their sentences commuted yet, Biden hinted that there might be more actions coming before he hands over the reins to President-elect Trump.
This isn’t the first time Biden has taken such steps. Just last month, he commuted the sentences of about 1,500 people who were released during the pandemic. That was a huge deal, marking the largest single-day clemency act in modern history.
He’s also been thinking about pardoning some of his allies, worried they might face unfair treatment from the incoming administration. It’s a tricky move, but it shows how serious he is about using his presidential powers.
In another recent action, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 people on federal death row, changing their sentences to life imprisonment. This was just weeks before Trump, who supports capital punishment, takes office.
And let’s not forget about Hunter Biden. The president pardoned his son for various offenses, fearing that Trump’s team might go after him for other things.
As we’ve seen in the past, outgoing presidents often make a flurry of pardons and commutations before leaving office. Trump did just that at the end of his first term, signing pardons for over 140 people, including some high-profile names.
