Public opinion polls and media analysis

Biden Grants Clemency to 1,500, Including 'Kids-for-Cash' Judge and Embezzler of $53 Million

Dec 14, 2024, 02:19 AM

President Joe Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals on Thursday, marking the largest single-day act of clemency by any U.S. president. With just over a month remaining in his tenure, Biden's unprecedented clemency actions included pardons and commutations for individuals convicted of a range of serious offenses, including fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, and other crimes. Among those granted clemency is Michael Conahan, a former Pennsylvania judge involved in the "kids-for-cash" scandal, who accepted $2.1 million in kickbacks for sentencing juveniles to private detention facilities. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro criticized the decision, stating that Biden "got it absolutely wrong" and that Conahan "deserves to be behind bars, not walking as a free man." Victims and families impacted by Conahan's actions expressed feelings of shock and betrayal. Rita Crundwell, the former comptroller of Dixon, Illinois, who embezzled over $53 million from the small city in the largest municipal fraud scheme in U.S. history, also received clemency. The decision has angered Dixon residents and officials, with some expressing that they feel "betrayed by the president." Biden commuted the sentence of Eric Bloom, who defrauded clients of $665 million in 2007, the largest fraud case in Chicago history. Additionally, Meera Sachdeva, a cancer doctor who diluted chemotherapy drugs as part of an $8 million Medicare fraud scheme and reused needles, causing patients to contract HIV, was among those granted clemency. The clemency actions included commutations for individuals convicted of drug offenses, including cartel leaders and those involved in fentanyl trafficking. Notably, Wendy Hechtman, convicted of manufacturing a potent fentanyl analog linked to overdoses and deaths, had her sentence commuted. The president also granted clemency to Shanlin Jin, a Chinese national convicted of possessing 47,000 child pornography images, including videos involving infants and toddlers. The decision to commute the sentences of Chinese spies has raised national security concerns. The move has drawn widespread criticism from victims, officials, and the public, who question the rationale behind pardoning individuals convicted of serious crimes. The administration stated that it continues to review clemency petitions in the remaining weeks of Biden's presidency.