Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) thinks former President Biden left Latinos hanging amid a flurry of last-minute pardons that sought to preempt authorized motion by the incoming Trump administration.
“As a member of the U.S. Congress who believes in second probabilities, I’m deeply disenchanted that President Biden — who made headlines for pardoning his son and issuing a report variety of commutations and pardons — refused to grant clemency to deserving Hispanics in South Texas and throughout this nation. These nonviolent offenders paid their debt to society and took all the requisite steps to take away a stain from their report solely to be met with rejection,” mentioned Gonzalez in a Tuesday assertion.
A spokesperson for Gonzalez declined to call particular instances, citing constituents’ privateness, however the lawmaker mentioned Biden — and President Trump, who on Monday pardoned, commuted sentences for or vowed to dismiss the instances of greater than 1,500 folks accused of collaborating within the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol — ignored deserving clemency candidates whereas checking off their very own political packing containers.
“The group, consisting of Hispanic/Latino constituents, included an 86 12 months outdated man who served his sentence over 20 years in the past. He turned his life round and has been pardoned by the Texas State Bar and has been practising regulation. These are people who made a mistake and did every little thing to rectify it. President Biden and his workers had the ability to offer them a brand new lease on life, however selected to not,” mentioned Gonzalez.
“As a substitute, he pardoned his household. Then, President Trump pardoned insurrectionists whereas my folks in South Texas are nonetheless left within the lurch. This isn’t proper.”
Trump’s January 6 pardons earned him pleasant fireplace, a lot in the identical approach that Biden’s acts of clemency towards associates, family and friends, together with towards his son Hunter Biden in December, drew attacks from both sides of the aisle.
Trump’s GOP critics included former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who in an article on Semafor Tuesday singled out Trump’s pardoning of rioters who instantly attacked Capitol Law enforcement officials.
