PRESIDENT BIDEN: USE YOUR CLEMENCY POWER FOR THOSE VICTIMIZED BY OUR UNJUST CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
QUICK READ: President Biden’s broad clemency power must be used to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
CONTENTS:
BACKGROUND
During the 2020 campaign President Biden pledged to push for the death penalty’s abolition, strengthen America’s commitment to justice and reform the harsh, racially biased inequalities in the criminal justice system (CJS)—both very popular positions.
While utilizing his constitutionally-enumerated clemency power will not reform the system, it can be used to save the lives of the 40 currently on death row Trump intends to execute, to repair the thousands of lives derailed by an unjust CJS, and to begin healing the racial injustices embedded in it.
Last week, Biden issued 39 pardons (which wipe out convictions and restore civil liberties) and 1499 commutations (which reduce the punishment) for non-violent offenders serving their sentences on home confinement to reduce the spread of COVID in prisons.
He did not, however, grant clemency to those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, battered women who killed their abusers, those with unjustified sentencing disparities—as 60 House members, including Rep. Blumenauer, requested in November—or those unjustly convicted, such as the 80-year-old, severely ill, Native American activist, Leonard Peltier.
Please inform Biden that he needs to use his pardon power liberally to commute the sentences of the thousands of federal inmates in these groups to counteract the CJS’ harsh racial inequities.
ACTION One: Call the Senate.
Script for Oregon Senators
SEN. MERKLEY: Portland office: 503-326-3386 | D.C. office: 202-224-3753
My name is [--] and I'm a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Please convince President Biden to use his pardon power broadly to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
SEN. WYDEN:
Portland office: 503-326-7525 | D.C. office: 202-224-5244
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Please convince President Biden to use his pardon power broadly to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
Script for Republican Senators
D.C switchboard: 202-224-3121
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], [state], [zip code].
I am furious that Donald Trump wants to execute inmates on death row and pardon those who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of powwer in 2020, while ignoring those thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system. As your constituent, I demand that you forcefully and publicly reject his lies.
ACTION TWO: Call the House.
Script for Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Oregon office: 503-469-6010 | DC office: 202-225-0855
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Please convince President Biden to use his pardon power broadly to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
Script for Cliff Bentz (OR-02)
Medford office: 541-776-4646 | DC office: 202-225-6730
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
I am furious that Donald Trump wants to execute inmates on death row and pardon those who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in 2020, while ignoring those thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system. As your constituent, I demand that you forcefully and publicly reject his lies.
Script for Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)
Oregon office: 503-231-2300 | DC office: 202-225-4811
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Please convince President Biden to use his pardon power broadly to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
Script for Val Hoyle (OR-04)
Eugene office: 541-465-6732 | DC office: 202-225-6416
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Please convince President Biden to use his pardon power broadly to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
SCRIPT FOR LORI CHAVEZ-DEREMER (OR-05)
Salem office: 503-588-9100 | DC office: 202-225-5711
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
I am furious that Donald Trump wants to execute inmates on death row and pardon those who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in 2020, while ignoring those thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system. As your constituent, I demand that you forcefully and publicly reject his lies.
Script for Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
Salem office: 503-385-0906 | DC office: 202-225-5643
My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code].
Please convince President Biden to use his pardon power broadly to right historical wrongs by making whole the thousands whose lives have been derailed by our unjust, racially biased criminal justice system—those on death row, the elderly and chronically ill, the battered women who killed their abusers, and those victimized by unjustified sentencing disparities or unjustly convicted, such as Leonard Peltier, the 80-year-old, severely ill Native American revered elder and activist imprisoned almost 50 years for crimes he may not have committed.
FURTHER READING
U.S. Reps Urge Biden to Use Clemency to Correct “Extreme Use of Incarceration”
Biden urged to empty federal death row before Trump takes office
Four Things to Know About the Federal Death Penalty
Biden Commutes the Sentences of 1,500 Americans, a Record for One Day
Who was pardoned in Biden’s clemency? Data breakdown of demographics, ages
