Biden Commutes Record 2,500 Drug Offenders' Sentences with Three Days Left in Term

Possibility of Additional Clemency Actions

U.S. President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of about 2,500 drug offenders on the 17th (local time), three days before leaving office. This is the largest single-day use of presidential clemency in U.S. history. Biden also became the U.S. president who granted clemency to the most people throughout his entire term.

According to AP, AFP, and others, President Biden announced that he would commute the sentences of about 2,500 simple drug offenders who did not commit violent crimes.

He explained that this measure was taken for fairness toward those who received relatively heavier sentences under past legal systems where drug classifications and sentencing guidelines were different from today.

In a statement, he said, "This is an important step to correct past wrongs, eliminate sentencing disparities, and give qualified individuals the opportunity to return to society before it is too late."

He also directly stated, "With this, I have granted more pardons and commutations than any other president in U.S. history."

President Biden exercised his clemency powers repeatedly in December last year. Some of these actions sparked controversy.

On December 1, he reversed a previous promise and pardoned his son Hunter, who had been convicted of gun possession and tax evasion, drawing strong criticism.

Then, on December 12, he pardoned 39 nonviolent offenders and commuted the sentences of 1,500 people. At the time, this was the largest scale of pardons and commutations in history.

On December 23, just before Christmas, he commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 death row inmates to life imprisonment without parole.

When announcing the commutation of 2,500 people on this day, President Biden also hinted that he might exercise additional clemency powers during the remainder of his term.

Some speculate that comprehensive pardons could be granted to government officials or political allies who might become targets of "retribution" by the next president-elect, Donald Trump.