President Obama didn’t seriously focus on pardons and commutations until 2014, two years into his second term, when the Clemency Project 2014, a partner and campaign of the Justice Roundtable was established. Since holding office, President Obama granted clemency to 1,715 people – more people than the last 12 presidents combined. His final group of clemencies was the most Obama granted in a single day, the Washington Post reported.
*List of President Obama’s denied pardons and commutations 2010-2017
Pres Obama Grants Clemency to 330 People on Last Full Day in Office, January 19,2017
President Obama Gives 273 People a Second Chance, January 17, 2017
Click here to read White House release
President Obama Grants Clemency to 231 Individuals; Largest Single Day Grant December 19, 2016
Click here to read CNN article
President Obama Grants Commutations – December 19, 2016
Click here to read Drug Policy Alliance press release
Click here to read White House List of names
President Obama Announces 98 Clemency Grants; Second Set of Grants This Month – October 27, 2016 Click here to read NACDL press release
President Obama Grants 102 Additional Commutations, Bringing the Total to 774 – October 6, 2016
Click here to read USA Today list of names
Click here to read White House press release
President Obama Grants 111 Additional Commutations, the Most Commutations Granted in a Single Month – August 30, 2016
Click here to read White House press release
President Obama announces 214 grants of clemency on August 3, 2016
Click here to read White House press release
Click here to read USA Today article
President Obama announces 42 grants of clemency on June 3, 2016
Click here to read White House blog
Click here to read The Washington Post article
President Obama announces 58 grants of clemency May 5, 2016
Click here to read press release
NACDL/Clemency Project 2014 press release
President Obama Announces 61 New Grants of Clemency on March 30, 2016
On March 30-31, the Justice Roundtable successfully coordinated the attendance of nearly 30 commutation recipients from the Obama, Bush, Clinton and Ford eras, along with family members of commutation applicants, to come to Washington, DC – seven of whom were selected by the President to join him for a private lunch at Busboys and Poets restaurant. This lunch directly followed the President’s March 30, 2016, announcement of 61 new commutation grants.
There are still more people waiting for grants of clemency.
Learn more:
Press around this issue in March, April 2016:
Amsterdam News: If Black lives matter, Hillary and Bernie should commit to clemency
Fusion: What it’s Like to Get Lunch with the President Who Gave You Your Freedom
Politico: White House Promises to Speed Up Clemency Program
New York Times: Obama’s Clemency Problem