Obama hands out over 1000 commutations. More than the past 11 Presidents combined.

Obama reaches clemency milestone

WOW when I read this I was flabbergasted. Obama has really over reached his power on this and is expected many more before Jan 20th. He has instructed over 6000 inmates with drug charges to file and is providing(at our expense) legal counsel for any that request it. What an extreme abuse of power. Some of the people he has released also have gun charges.

President Obama announced he would free 79 more drug offenders from federal prison Tuesday, pushing the total number of commutations under his tenure to over 1,000. With this new grant, Obama has handed out more commutations than the past 11 presidents combined, part of his 2014 decision to use his previously dormant clemency power in a new and aggressive way. That year, the Justice Department asked prisoners who had been sentenced for nonviolent drug crimes to apply for clemency, funneling them through a group of pro-bono lawyers to help them with their petitions. The president saw his commutation power as a way to correct for overly harsh drug sentences that sent people away to prison for decades and sometimes life for nonviolent crimes. “He is committed to using his clemency power in ways not seen from any other president in the modern era,” White House Counsel Neil Eggleston told reporters. He said the commutations send a message that the U.S. is a “nation of second chances.” Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates said that her office is committed to processing the remaining 6,300 drug petitions and getting them to the president’s desk before he leaves office. It’s unclear how many more of them Obama will grant, though Eggleston said there will almost certainly be more before Jan. 20. Most drug prisoners who have received grants so far had served at least 10 years in prison for a drug crime. The administration officials said they don’t know whether a Trump White House will pursue Obama’s aggressive use of clemency. Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s pick for attorney general, has called Obama’s commutations “reckless” and an abuse of executive power. He pointed out that some of the freed prisoners were also serving time on firearms charges. “This president has been personally committed to this,” said Eggleston. “This White House has cared a lot about it, this Department of Justice has cared a lot about it. But I can’t really talk to whether the next administration would have a similar sense of enthusiasm.”

a reply to: brutus61

Wait, wait, you're against setting free nonviolent drug offenders? Really? What's your thoughts about private prisons and federal mandatory minimums? How about the War on Drugs, thoughts? And finally, do you believe marijuana should be legal or illegal?

The president saw his commutation power as a way to correct for overly harsh drug sentences that sent people away to prison for decades and sometimes life for nonviolent crimes

Sounds like the thing to do. I wonder how many more thousands of people are locked away for non violent, victimless crimes....

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: brutus61

Wait, wait, you're against setting free nonviolent drug offenders? Really? What's your thoughts about private prisons and federal mandatory minimums? How about the War on Drugs, thoughts? And finally, do you believe marijuana should be legal or illegal?

How much effort did Obama put into changing the law while he was in office? Changing the law would be a long term solution rather than a point in time grandstanding exercise like these commutations.

a reply to: brutus61

Good. The more people released for drug crimes the better.

As long as they aint killers, rapist, pedos, or armed felons, no sweat off my back. Free the man that serves a sentence for par-taking in a doobie.

Holdup, I dont like Obama, But remember, The USA is a place where you get jail time if you're caught with a bag of weed, Depending on the severity of these drug "crimes" some of these clemency may be justified.

Obviously not for harder drugs, But someone spending the rest of their life in jail for weed or recreational drugs is absurd.

It wasnt that long ago possessing alcohol would have landed you jail time, Dont forget its a drug just like the others....

originally posted by: brutus61
Obama reaches clemency milestone

WOW when I read this I was flabbergasted. Obama has really over reached his power on this and is expected many more before Jan 20th. He has instructed over 6000 inmates with drug charges to file and is providing(at our expense) legal counsel for any that request it. What an extreme abuse of power. Some of the people he has released also have gun charges.

President Obama announced he would free 79 more drug offenders from federal prison Tuesday, pushing the total number of commutations under his tenure to over 1,000. With this new grant, Obama has handed out more commutations than the past 11 presidents combined, part of his 2014 decision to use his previously dormant clemency power in a new and aggressive way. That year, the Justice Department asked prisoners who had been sentenced for nonviolent drug crimes to apply for clemency, funneling them through a group of pro-bono lawyers to help them with their petitions. The president saw his commutation power as a way to correct for overly harsh drug sentences that sent people away to prison for decades and sometimes life for nonviolent crimes. “He is committed to using his clemency power in ways not seen from any other president in the modern era,” White House Counsel Neil Eggleston told reporters. He said the commutations send a message that the U.S. is a “nation of second chances.” Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates said that her office is committed to processing the remaining 6,300 drug petitions and getting them to the president’s desk before he leaves office. It’s unclear how many more of them Obama will grant, though Eggleston said there will almost certainly be more before Jan. 20. Most drug prisoners who have received grants so far had served at least 10 years in prison for a drug crime. The administration officials said they don’t know whether a Trump White House will pursue Obama’s aggressive use of clemency. Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s pick for attorney general, has called Obama’s commutations “reckless” and an abuse of executive power. He pointed out that some of the freed prisoners were also serving time on firearms charges. “This president has been personally committed to this,” said Eggleston. “This White House has cared a lot about it, this Department of Justice has cared a lot about it. But I can’t really talk to whether the next administration would have a similar sense of enthusiasm.”

This is about the only true blue honest to goodness good thing Obama has ever done -- however, I assume that there is strings to this, because Obama doesn't do nice things out of the goodness of his heart. The point remains though, nobody should be spending life in prison for a non-violent offense that didn't cause any harm to another individual. A true victimless crime.

a reply to: brutus61

Oops! Starred and flagged this before i read it though completely, lesson learned.

I agree with above posters. People in jail for having weed is wrong, and the fact three more states are on track to legalize reinforces this. Not sure what the OPs problem with this is, IMO is one of Obamas better acts.

The money spent on lawyers will be nothing compared to the massive amount saved not jailing these poor bastards. It's saving money, not wasting it.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Here here, excellent thought

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: brutus61

Wait, wait, you're against setting free nonviolent drug offenders? Really? What's your thoughts about private prisons and federal mandatory minimums? How about the War on Drugs, thoughts? And finally, do you believe marijuana should be legal or illegal?

Non violent? With gun charges?
War on drugs is a farce.
private prisons are just another money making scheme.
legal

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: brutus61

Wait, wait, you're against setting free nonviolent drug offenders? Really? What's your thoughts about private prisons and federal mandatory minimums? How about the War on Drugs, thoughts? And finally, do you believe marijuana should be legal or illegal?

How much effort did Obama put into changing the law while he was in office? Changing the law would be a long term solution rather than a point in time grandstanding exercise like these commutations.

Legalization is a state matter, not federal.

And what, you are against it then? Let's continue to waste more money jailing pot smokers! Yay!

a reply to: ColaTesla

I agree entirely, but as burd suggested, why the hell hasnt Obama used his pen and his phone to change people being jailed to begin with?

a reply to: burdman30ott6

He doesn't have the authority to legalize marijuana nationwide. If he expressed interest in such a law and out made it to Congress the obstructionists would make sure it never reached his desk. This is pretty much the only course of action he has.

originally posted by: BlueJacket
I agree entirely, but as burd suggested, why the hell hasnt Obama used his pen and his phone to change people being jailed to begin with?

Changing Federal Law requires Congress.

originally posted by: brutus61

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: brutus61

Wait, wait, you're against setting free nonviolent drug offenders? Really? What's your thoughts about private prisons and federal mandatory minimums? How about the War on Drugs, thoughts? And finally, do you believe marijuana should be legal or illegal?

Non violent? With gun charges?
War on drugs is a farce.
private prisons are just another money making scheme.
legal

Gun charges are different.

Let's pose this question to you. Do you agree non-violent offenders jailed simply for possession of weed is a good thing? I'm curious.

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
a reply to: burdman30ott6

He doesn't have the authority to legalize marijuana nationwide. If he expressed interest in such a law and out made it to Congress the obstructionists would make sure it never reached his desk. This is pretty much the only course of action he has.

He had 2 years to make that happen PLUS he had the authority to pressure the DEA. The simple fact is the politically powerful on the left side of the aisle embrace these strict drug laws and mandatory minimum sentencing laws because the drug cases often are accompanied with some manner of firearms charge OR at least render anyone busted with a felony amount of pot federally disqualified from future firearm ownership.

originally posted by: slapjacks
As long as they aint killers, rapist, pedos, or armed felons, no sweat off my back. Free the man that serves a sentence for par-taking in a doobie.

armed felonsarmed felons

"Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s pick for attorney general, has called Obama’s commutations “reckless” and an abuse of executive power. He pointed out that some of the freed prisoners were also serving time on firearms charges."

Obama is setting up future job opportunities for law enforcement.

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
a reply to: burdman30ott6

He doesn't have the authority to legalize marijuana nationwide. If he expressed interest in such a law and out made it to Congress the obstructionists would make sure it never reached his desk. This is pretty much the only course of action he has.

He shoulda put it in the ACA.

They could have called it "mandatory legalization".