Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called on President Joe Biden to commute the sentences of federal inmates on death row in the wake of Biden’s pardoning of his son Hunter Biden.
The New York Democrat and outspoken progressive told The Independent that commuting federal death sentences is more than just about the individual pardon, which many Democrats loudly criticized. Specifically, she cited Native American activist Leonard Peltier, who is serving a life sentence for killing two FBI agents, though advocates say he was wrongly convicted.
“It’s less about the fact that the President pardoned his son and more about the fact that he's only really pardoning his son when there are, in fact, many people, including Leonard Peltier, as well as several other cases of many Americans who are on death row, who should be taken off death row, and who are facing the end of their lives if this president does not act,” she said.
Biden announced the pardon for his son Hunter, despite the fact the White House repeatedly said the president would not do so, for any offenses Hunter Biden committed between January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024. Hunter Biden, the last living child from his father’s first marriage, was convicted in June on three federal gun charges related to the purchase of a firearm. He also pleaded guilty to nine tax-related charges.
But Ocasio-Cortez said she cared more about justice for others ensared in the criminal system.
“I hope that we see is far, far, far more commutations and clemencies that are provided because the current administration has issued a record-low number,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
So far, Biden has only issued 26 pardons, a record-low number, though he issued a presidential proclamation pardoning those who had been convicted for the federal offense of the simple possession of marijuana and later expanded that for anyone convicted of possession of marijuana.
“And what I would hate to see is President Biden leaving office with less commutations and clemency issuances than even President Trump provided,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
The president-elect issued clemency to 237 people during his first presidency, including Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, whom Trump nominated to be ambassador to France.
Ocasio-Cortez also announced on Tuesday that she intended to seek the top Democratic spot on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee should Jamie Raskin succeed in his challenge to Representative Jerry Nadler as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
