Home » Biden Has Now Issued Far More Commutations Than Any of His Predecessors

Biden Has Now Issued Far More Commutations Than Any of His Predecessors

The president’s record-shattering clemency actions help ameliorate the damage caused by the draconian drug policies he supported for most of his political career.

PresidentJoeBidentodaybrokehisownrecordforthemostcommutationsissuedinasingleday,shorteningthesentencesofnearly2,500peoplewhoareservingtimeinfederalprisonsfornonviolentdrugoffenses.Thatbringshistotalcommutationstomorethan4,000,whichfarexceedsthepreviousrecordsetbyBarackObama,whoshortened1,715federalsentencesaspresident. Bidenhasgrantedaboutone-thirdofthecommutationssoughtbyfederalprisonerssincehetookoffice,averyhighratecomparedtothoseofhisrecentpredecessors.Obama,whoreceivednearlythreetimesasmanycommutationpetitions,grantedabout5percentofthem,whichwashighcomparedtotheratesforDonaldTrump(1percent),GeorgeW.Bush(0.1percent),BillClinton(1percent),GeorgeH.W.Bush(0.4percent),RonaldReagan(1percent),andJimmyCarter(3percent).GeraldFord’srate(4percent)wasclosetoObama’s,whileRichardNixon’srate(nearly7percent)washigher,butbothofth