President Biden made history on Thursday, granting clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals and pardoning 39 others in what the White House calls the largest single-day active clemency in modern history.
The commutations focused on those serving long sentences that would have been shorter under today’s laws, while the pardons were for individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes who have since rebuilt their lives.
Advocates applaud the move but say more needs to be done. Critics also point to Biden’s controversial pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, as a missed opportunity to spotlight broader, systemic injustices.
While this marks significant progress, as Malcolm X said, “progress is healing the wound that the blow made.” For many, the healing will require bolder actions to address racial disparities and overhaul the justice system.
The Biden administration says we should expect more clemencies and pardons before he leaves office.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
