The Daily Populous Saturday January 18th, 2025 night edition
Authored by abcnews.go.com and submitted by AudibleNod

He is now the president with the highest number of pardons in history.

President Joe Biden has now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in history, after announcing Friday that he was pardoning nearly 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders.

Biden said in the announcement -- which came just three days before his term ends -- that he is commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and "serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice."

He did not provide additional details as to the exact number of people who would be affected by the clemency action, timelines involved or any of the qualifying criteria used for assessing the pardons.

President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House, on Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Mandel Ngan - Pool via Getty Images

"Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes," Biden wrote.

In the 1980s, Biden supported several bills that increased penalties for drug users, including one that essentially lengthened sentences for crack cocaine users, predominantly African-Americans, as compared to those convicted of using powder cocaine, who were predominantly white.

Congress has since tried to address sentencing disparities through the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and the First Step Act of 2018.

"This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars," he said, with no direct mention of his prior record.

He also acknowledged that the decision would set a historic precedent.

"With this action, I have now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. history," Biden said in the statement.

Hinting he's not done yet with his pardon power, Biden also wrote that he will "continue to review additional commutations and pardons."

Man_in_the_uk on January 17th, 2025 at 18:06 UTC »

So why are they in prison in the first place? Serious question.

OrganicRedditor on January 17th, 2025 at 16:31 UTC »

Full list of Biden pardons: https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-joseph-biden-2021-present

Squeakyduckquack on January 17th, 2025 at 16:03 UTC »

Justice for FPS Russia