After the controversial pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden has now announced clemency for over 1,500 convicted criminals.
Biden made the announcement Thursday morning, commuting the sentences of about 1,500 people on house arrest and pardoning 39 who had been convicted of nonviolent offenses.
The 1,500 figure is the most ever for a U.S. president in one day in modern history.
“Together, these actions build on the President’s record of criminal justice reform to help reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals back into society,” the White House said in a statement. “The President has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms.”
Biden’s recent pardon for his son, a broad, sweeping pardon spanning more than a decade and covering any potential offenses, was unusually and highly criticized, especially after Democrats built much of their recent messaging on the idea that “no one is above the law,” referring to the charges against now President-elect Donald Trump.
The White House said more pardons and commutations would likely be on the way.
“He is also the first President ever to issue categorical pardons to individuals convicted of simple use and possession of marijuana, and to former LGBTQI+ service members convicted of private conduct because of their sexual orientation,” the White House said in a statement.
