Biden Pardons 39 Criminals, Reduces Sentences for 1500 Inmates

US President Joe Biden has pardoned 39 Americans convicted of non-violent crimes and commuted the sentences of nearly 1500 others, writes Air forceThe White House called it the largest number of presidential pardons issued in a single day.

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The monumental act of clemency came shortly after Biden decided to grant a pardon to his convicted son Hunter Biden.

In announcing the new pardons, Biden said those pardoned "have demonstrated successful rehabilitation and a commitment to making their communities stronger and safer."

The U.S. Constitution states that the president has broad powers to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.

On the subject: Biden pardoned his son Hunter, despite promising not to interfere in the criminal case

The White House released a list of 39 people pardoned, saying they committed either “nonviolent crimes” or “nonviolent drug crimes.” It did not list the specific crimes they were convicted of.

Several of those pardoned were people who had already been released from prison. Many were veterans or had become community leaders.

The White House described one of the pardoned, a 49-year-old Virginia man who was convicted at age 21 of a drug-related crime. After serving his sentence, he earned a college education, had a successful career in the Army and Air Force, and volunteered for charities that support veterans.

He is known "as an exceptionally hard-working, dedicated and trustworthy individual by those who know him," the White House said in a statement, which included short biographies of all those pardoned.

The 1499 commutations include people who were placed under house arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as those whose sentences Biden deemed too long due to outdated laws.

They "have shown that they deserve a second chance," the White House chief said of those whose sentences he commuted.

Among them is Timothy McGinn, 76, a former stockbroker convicted in 2013 of fraud in which he defrauded hundreds of clients of millions of dollars and wiped out many of their life savings.

Another person to receive clemency was Jimmy Dimora, a former Ohio county commissioner convicted in 2012 of accepting $450 in bribes that included lavish trips to Las Vegas, prostitution services and a stone pizza oven.

The list included Paul Daugerdas, convicted in 2014 of running a tax fraud scheme, and Elaine Lovett, convicted in 2017 of participating in a $26 million Medicare fraud scheme.

The president will leave the White House on January 20, 2025, when his successor, Donald Trump, is inaugurated.

Biden has previously had a reputation for pardoning fewer people than most of his predecessors in modern U.S. history. But he has granted so-called categorical pardons — pardons that cover a wide range of people who fit into a certain category.

In October 2022, Biden granted full pardons to those convicted of simple marijuana possession, later expanding those pardons to other marijuana-related offenses. In early 2024, he pardoned service members and veterans convicted of crimes based on their sexual orientation. (“Sexual orientation crimes,” in this context, are cases in which service members or veterans were subject to criminal prosecution or other discipline for being homosexual.)

Such allegations may have been the result of policies that predate reforms aimed at protecting LGBT rights in the U.S. military. Until 2011, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) directive prohibited service members from openly declaring their homosexual orientation. Violating the policy or being accused of same-sex relations could result in discharge, loss of pension benefits, and, in some cases, criminal charges. – Approx. Ed.).

Biden's recent decision to pardon his son Hunter follows a trend of U.S. presidents on both sides of the aisle, including Trump, granting pardons to people in their inner circle. Hunter Biden was awaiting sentencing on tax fraud and gun violations.

The move has been controversial, as Biden himself has previously ruled out such a move, but has maintained that the charges against his son are politically motivated.

Biden has also considered issuing preemptive pardons to his critics to shield them from potential repercussions from the new president once he takes office. But such moves raise concerns about setting a precedent.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, December 12, a former FBI informant admitted to making false statements that led to investigations into the Biden family. Alexander Smirnov admitted to making up allegations that Biden and his son took bribes from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. These statements were used by Republicans as evidence of corruption.

By comparison, Donald Trump issued 237 pardons in his first term, 143 of which were full pardons and 94 were sentence reductions. He issued many of them in a rush before leaving office.

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Trump recently promised on his first day in office to pardon people convicted of participating in the Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021, when his supporters tried to block the certification of Biden's election victory.

This week, he said the pardons would apply to people who "did not commit violence."

"The vast majority should not be in prison, and these people have suffered greatly," he told Time magazine on Thursday, December 12.

Biden promised to "take more steps" on pardons in the coming weeks.

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