During Joe Biden’s final days in office, his autopen was running rampant, effectuating the death sentence commutations of all but a handful of criminals on death row.
The GOP was outraged, and so were some Democrats, for that matter.
While a significant number of death sentences were commuted, Attorney General Pam Bondi is now trying to make sure that the recipients of that clemency live out their remaining days as uncomfortably as possible.
The commutations and pardons issued by Biden have come under considerable scrutiny, and for good reason.
With Biden always looking like a deer in the headlights, many are wondering if he even knew that these pardons and commutations were occurring.
In announcing the commutations of death sentences, Biden stated, "Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss.”
Billie Allen, who had been on federal death row for 27 years, responded, "You have to realize that when you are facing death every day, to have that burden off you, it's a great relief." And that is my only problem with the death penalty; it takes too long to carry out. Tried, convicted, sentenced, put to death, end of story. The families of victims need closure, and the fact that these murderers are allowed to live for decades after their crime is utterly ridiculous.
After Biden made his commutation announcements, people on both sides of the aisle were upset, and not just about the death sentences themselves.
Rep. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) stated, “The guy who claimed he would ‘protect norms’ continues to bulldoze them and the Constitution until the bitter end. Biden truly is one of the worst Presidents in American history and will only be remembered as the guy between Trump’s two terms.”
On the liberal side, Pod Save America co-host and ex-Obama aide Tommy Vietor was livid, stating, “Everyone looks stupid.”
He added, “Everyone looks like they are full of s---. And Republicans are going to use this to argue it was politics as usual when Democrats warned of Trump’s corruption or threat to the rule or the threat to democracy.”
Since Biden’s commutations cannot be undone, Attorney General Pam Bondi decided that she would do the next best thing and transfer several of the prisoners who had their death sentences commuted to one of the toughest prisons in the country.
Bondi sent them to the most notorious “Supermax” prison in the United States, “ADX,” located in Florence, Colorado. Bondi stated, "President Biden’s decision to commute the death sentences of these monsters showed abhorrent disregard for our justice system and total disrespect for victims’ families already suffering through immense loss.”
She continued, "After meeting with many of the victims’ families at the Department of Justice and promising to take action on their behalf, eight of these prisoners have been transferred to the Colorado super-max prison ADX. This will ensure that they spend the remainder of their lives in conditions consistent with the egregious crimes they committed.”
Call me petty, but if we cannot put these people to death, let’s make them miserable for the rest of their lives. I think it’s a great move by Bondi, and I fully support it.
