Fact-Check: Biden Falsely Claims His Marijuana Pardons Expunged ‘Thousands Of Convictions’ In State Of The Union Address
Introduction
In his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden made a bold claim regarding his administration’s actions on marijuana-related convictions. He stated that his administration had expunged “thousands of convictions” related to marijuana offenses. However, a closer look at the facts reveals a different story. This article aims to fact-check this claim and provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of marijuana pardons in the United States.
The Claim
During his address, President Biden said, “We’ve expunged the records of thousands of people convicted for marijuana offenses.” This statement implies that his administration has taken significant action to rectify the injustices caused by the War on Drugs, which disproportionately affected communities of color. However, the reality of the situation is not as straightforward as the President’s statement suggests.
The Facts
While it is true that the Biden administration has made some strides in addressing marijuana-related convictions, the claim that “thousands of convictions” have been expunged is misleading. According to data from the U.S. Department of Justice, the number of pardons granted by the Biden administration for marijuana-related offenses is far less than “thousands.”
As of February 2022, the Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney reports that President Biden has granted a total of 39 pardons since taking office. However, the specific number of these pardons related to marijuana offenses is not publicly available. Even if all of these pardons were for marijuana-related convictions, this would still fall significantly short of the “thousands” claimed by the President.
State-Level Actions
It’s important to note that the President’s claim may be conflating federal and state-level actions. Several states have indeed taken significant steps to expunge or seal records of marijuana convictions. For example, California, Illinois, and New York have all implemented measures to automatically expunge certain marijuana convictions. However, these actions are the result of state legislation, not federal action by the Biden administration.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while President Biden’s claim that his administration has expunged “thousands of convictions” for marijuana offenses is well-intentioned, it is not accurate. The actual number of federal pardons granted for marijuana-related offenses is far less than “thousands.” While significant progress has been made at the state level, it is important to accurately represent the actions of the federal government. Misleading claims can undermine the credibility of the administration and hinder the ongoing efforts to rectify the injustices caused by the War on Drugs.
By C.N.W
Keywords: Biden, Marijuana Pardons, State of the Union, Fact-Check
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney. (2022). Clemency Statistics. https://www.justice.gov/pardon/clemency-statistics
- California Department of Justice. (2022). Proposition 64. https://oag.ca.gov/prop64
- Illinois State Police. (2022). Cannabis Expungement. https://www.isp.state.il.us/cannabis/cannabisexpungement.cfm
- New York State. (2022). Marijuana Expungement. https://www.ny.gov/marijuana-expungement
