President Obama commuted the sentences of 61 people Wednesday, boosting a push for leniency in his final year that has seen him grant more commutations than the previous six presidents combined.
Mr. Obama granted clemency mostly to low-level drug offenders, part of his pledge to use his pardon and commutation power for people jailed on drug possession charges.
The president was meeting Wednesday with some offenders who have been granted commutations of their sentences by him and previous presidents.
In a letter to those he granted clemency, Mr. Obama said, “The power to grant pardons and commutations … embodies the basic belief in our democracy that people deserve a second chance after having made a mistake in their lives that led to a conviction under our laws.”
White House counsel Neil Eggleston said Mr. Obama “cautioned those receiving clemency that what they do with this unexpected opportunity reflects not only on each individual person, but also on all those still behind bars who are seeking that same shot at a new life.”
Mr. Obama now has commuted prison sentences for 248 men and women in more than seven years. Combined, Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford commuted a total of 139 sentences.
Mr. Clinton had commuted the most sentences previously — 61 in eight years.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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