Jeffries Urges Biden to Pardon More Nonviolent Offenders Before Leaving Office

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has called on President Joe Biden to issue additional pardons for nonviolent offenders before the end of his presidency, emphasizing compassion and justice as guiding principles.

“During his final weeks in office, President Biden should exercise the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life, including toward his son, and pardon on a case-by-case basis the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses,” Jeffries said in a statement.

Jeffries underscored the importance of using the remaining time in Biden’s term to address systemic inequities. “This moment calls for liberty and justice for all,” he added.

The call for clemency comes on the heels of Biden’s controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, on Sunday. Hunter Biden faced federal charges related to firearm possession while using drugs and multiple tax offenses.

His pardon wiped away convictions stemming from a June jury verdict that found him guilty of three felony counts and his September guilty plea to nine federal tax violations.

The president defended his decision to pardon his son, asserting that the charges were politically motivated.

“The charges in my son’s cases only came about after political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said in a statement. He described the situation as a miscarriage of justice driven by partisan interests.

“For my entire career, I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded.

Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” Biden said.

The pardon has sparked mixed reactions, including criticism from some Democrats who viewed it as a reversal of Biden’s previous stance on the justice system.

Nonetheless, Jeffries defended the president’s broader record, pointing out his efforts to improve the lives of working-class Americans.

“Many of these people have been aggressively prosecuted and harshly sentenced for nonviolent offenses, often without the benefit of adequate legal representation,” Jeffries said.

“Countless lives, families, and communities have been adversely impacted, particularly in parts of Appalachia, Urban America, and the Heartland.”

Jeffries’ comments align with calls from other progressive leaders urging Biden to act decisively before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.

While Jeffries did not name specific individuals he believes should receive clemency, his focus on nonviolent offenders reflects a broader push for criminal justice reform.

The Hill reached out to Jeffries’ office for clarification on potential candidates for clemency but has not received a response.

Meanwhile, the debate over Biden’s final actions in office continues to unfold, spotlighting the intersection of justice, politics, and legacy.