Biden Issues 3 Pardons, 75 Commutations

President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued the first three pardons of his presidency — including one to a Secret Service agent who guarded President John F. Kennedy — and commuted the sentences of 75 others, the White House announced.

“Today, I am pardoning three people who have demonstrated their commitment to rehabilitation and are striving every day to give back and contribute to their communities,” Biden said in a statement announcing the clemencies. “I am also commuting the sentences of 75 people who are serving long sentences for non-violent drug offenses, many of whom have been serving on home confinement during the COVID-pandemic—and many of whom would have received a lower sentence if they were charged with the same offense today, thanks to the bipartisan First Step Act.”

“America is a nation of laws and second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation,” Biden said. “Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect these core values that enable safer and stronger communities.”

The Secret Service Agent, Abraham Bolden, was a member of Kennedy’s security detail between 1961 and 1963.

Bolden, 86, was the first Black Secret Service agent to serve on a presidential detai. He was tried in 1964 for attempting to sell an official Secret Service file. The trial ended in a hung jury.

He has long claimed that the charges were false due to a culture of racism within the Secret Service at the time.

Though key witnesses during the second trial admitted being instructed by prosecutors to lie, Bolden was convicted after a second trial and efforts at a retrial failed. He spent six years in federal prison.

“He has steadfastly maintained his innocence, arguing that he was targeted for prosecution in retaliation for exposing unprofessional and racist behavior within the U.S. Secret Service,” the White House said in a statement.

“Bolden has received numerous honors and awards for his ongoing work to speak out against the racism he faced in the Secret Service in the 1960s, and his courage in challenging injustice. Mr. Bolden has also been recognized for his many contributions to his community following his release from prison.”

The White House released the list of all 78 people affected by Biden’s move.

The White House also unveiled a strategy Tuesday that expands job opportunities for those who formerly served prison time. It’s part of a “whole-of-government” effort to boost jobs, bolster re-entry and strengthen communities and the economy, officials said.

“Leaders on both sides of the aisle recognize that second-chance opportunities offer people who have made mistakes and served their time a path to make meaningful contributions to their communities and reduce recidivism,” the White House said.

 

About J. Williams

Check Also

Francis Scott Key Bridge

Biden Pledges Federal Dollars For ‘entire cost’ To Rebuild Collapsed Baltimore Bridge

Jacob Fischler, Michigan Advance President Joe Biden called Tuesday for the federal government to foot …

Leave a Reply