House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries Calls on President Biden to Issue Pardons for Working-Class Americans
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has issued a statement suggesting that President Joe Biden should issue pardons for individuals who faced “aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses.” Jeffries noted that throughout his life, President Biden has fought to improve the plight of hardworking Americans struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, many of whom have been aggressively prosecuted and harshly sentenced for nonviolent offenses.
In his statement, Jeffries stated that President Biden should exercise the high level of compassion he has consistently demonstrated throughout his life 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.
This call comes on the heels of President Biden issuing a sweeping pardon for his son Hunter Biden, who faced charges related to taxes and other financial matters. Jeffries’ statement suggested that the president’s action demonstrates a commitment to justice and compassion, and he believes that similar action could benefit many working-class Americans.
The statement read: “Throughout his life, President Joe Biden has fought to improve the plight of hardworking Americans struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. Many of these people have been aggressively prosecuted and harshly sentenced for nonviolent offenses, often without the benefit of adequate legal representation. Countless lives, families and communities have been adversely impacted, particularly in parts of Appalachia, Urban America and the Heartland.”
Jeffries continued: “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. This moment calls for liberty and justice for all.”
