President Biden announced Friday a record-setting commutation of sentences for nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, a final act of clemency aiming to overturn what he viewed as excessively harsh punishments.
This clemency initiative establishes a new presidential record for individual pardons and commutations. The President explained his aim to rectify sentences deemed disproportionately long compared to current legal standards and practices.
“This clemency action addresses lengthy sentences stemming from outdated distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, and outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden stated. “It’s a crucial step toward rectifying historical injustices, correcting sentencing disparities, and enabling deserving individuals to rejoin their families and communities after excessive incarceration.”
The White House didn’t immediately release the names of those granted commutations.
Further actions are anticipated before President-elect Trump’s inauguration, with Biden pledging to continue reviewing additional commutation and pardon requests.
Friday’s announcement follows last month’s commutations for roughly 1,500 individuals, transitioning them from prison to home confinement during the pandemic, along with the pardoning of 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses—the largest single-day clemency in recent history.
These actions occur as Biden considers broader pardons for officials and allies potentially facing unjust prosecution under the Trump administration. While presidential pardon power is absolute, such preemptive action would be unprecedented and carries significant risk.
Last month also saw Biden commute the sentences of 37 out of 40 individuals on federal death row, converting their sentences to life imprisonment shortly before Trump’s inauguration. Trump has indicated an intention to reverse this action.
Biden also recently pardoned his son Hunter, covering not only his federal gun and tax violations but also any potential federal offenses over an 11-year period, preemptively shielding him from potential prosecution by Trump’s allies.
Historically, presidents often grant more targeted pardons to allies in their final days, suggesting further actions from Biden are likely.
Near the end of his first term, President Trump issued a significant number of pardons and commutations, including for his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, and rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.
Trump’s final act in his first term was pardoning Al Pirro, the ex-husband of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, who had been convicted of conspiracy and tax evasion.