Biden's Final Pardons Include Controversial Clemency for High-Profile Convicts

President Joe Biden issued a historic number of pardons and commutations, drawing criticism for decisions involving financial fraudsters, corrupt officials, and his son Hunter Biden.

President Biden granted clemency to 1,500 prisoners and pardoned 39 individuals in what the White House called the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history.
Hunter Biden, convicted earlier this year on federal gun and tax evasion charges, received a pardon, sparking significant backlash from critics.
The pardons included Michael Conahan, a judge implicated in the 'Kids for Cash' scandal, and Rita Crundwell, who orchestrated the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history.
Other recipients of clemency included individuals convicted of major financial crimes, opioid trafficking, and Medicare fraud, raising concerns over the nature of Biden's decision-making process.
Critics argue that Biden's reliance on categorical criteria for clemency, rather than case-by-case reviews, undermines the intended purpose of presidential pardons.