Advocates have long criticized the current administrative clemency system, which involves submitting petitions to the DOJ’s Office of the Pardon Attorney. They argue that the influence of people involved in law enforcement in reviewing clemency cases makes the process inherently flawed. Of course, the president can unilaterally grant clemency without the Justice Department’s go-ahead—a right that President Donald Trump frequently exercised, for example—but the lawmakers say that it’s still necessary to reform the existing system to ensure that all deserving cases are identified. That includes people impacted by the drug war. “Fueled by the failed war on drugs, the mass incarceration epidemic that our nation faces has ruined lives, families and communities,” Jeffries said in a press release. “Our broken clemency system only deepens this pain, and we must transform it in a just, equitable, and transparent manner.”Pressley said that the nation’s “growing mass incarceration crisis is rooted in white supremacy and has ravaged our communities, destabilized families, and exacerbated generational trauma for far too long.”
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 12/13/2021 11:51:00