Biden's Messy Mercy

Plus: A listener asks the editors to consider the tradeoffs of involuntary commitments to mental institutions.

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Biden's Messy Mercy

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie welcome special guest Jacob Sullum to discuss President Joe Biden's latest batch of pardons and clemency grants, as well as President-elect Donald Trump's plans to pardon January 6 Capitol rioters.

 

01:01—Biden's clemency grants and pardons

14:13—Trump intends to pardon January 6 rioters

37:57—Weekly listener question

50:36—This week's cultural recommendations

 

Mentioned in this podcast:

"Biden Issues More Pardons and Commutations Under Pressure From Criminal Justice Groups," by C.J. Ciaramella

"Biden Shouldn't Have Commuted the Sentence of a Judge in the 'Kids for Cash' Kickback Scandal," by C.J. Ciaramella

"Biden Faces Mounting Pressure To Clear Federal Death Row and Issue More Commutations After Pardoning His Son," by C.J. Ciaramella

"The President Still Has Time To Show His Mercy Extends Beyond His Own Son," by Jacob Sullum

"What Happened to Biden's Ambitious Criminal Justice Reform Plans?" by C.J. Ciaramella

"Trump Decries Disproportionate Drug Penalties While Threatening Dealers With Death," by Jacob Sullum

"It's (Almost) Always the Feds: How the FBI Fabricates Schemes To Entrap Would-Be Radicals," by C.J. Ciaramella

"Vivek Ramaswamy Really, Really Wants You To Know He Thinks January 6 Was an 'Inside Job,'" by Matt Welch

"With 22-Year Sentence, Ex-Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio Pays Hefty 'Trial Penalty,'" by Christian Britschgi

"Stewart Rhodes Gets 18 Years After the DOJ Reiterates a Conspiracy Claim That Jurors Rejected," by Jacob Sullum

"Kash Patel's QAnon Dalliances Reflect an Outlook That Pits Trump Against Evil Conspirators," by Jacob Sullum

"When Deciding Whether To Investigate His Opponents, Trump Says, He Will Defer to 'Very Fair' Kash Patel," by Jacob Sullum

"Kash Patel's Threats Against Journalists Make Him an Alarming Choice To Run the FBI," by Jacob Sullum

"Jordan Neely Needed to Be Institutionalized," by Josh Barro

"Debate: Mentally Ill Homeless People Must Be Locked Up for Public Safety," by Jared Meyer and Mike Riggs

"Eric Adams' Plan To Involuntarily Hospitalize Mentally Ill Homeless People Will Face Legal Challenges," by C.J. Ciaramella

"Curing the Therapeutic State: Thomas Szasz interviewed by Jacob Sullum," by Jacob Sullum

 

Upcoming Events:

Reason Versus, December 18, 2024

 

Send your questions to [e-mail]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

 

Today's sponsor:

• In an election year, getting overwhelmed by the constant buzz of news and opinions is easy. Understanding the true impact of political events can be a challenge. Not Another Politics Podcast, from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, provides clear, research-driven perspectives on the biggest issues. Get the insights you need to truly understand the political landscape—no spin, just facts. Subscribe today at harris.uchicago.edu/napp or look for Not Another Politics Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Audio production by Ian Keyser

Assistant production by Hunt Beaty

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

• Video Editor: Ian Keyser
• Producer: Hunt Beaty

What are we consuming this week?

Katherine Mangu-Ward

• The City and Its Uncertain Walls: A Novel by Haruki Murakami

Nick Gillespie

• Will & Harper

Jacob Sullum

• The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth

Matt Welch

• Revolution on the Hudson: New York City and the Hudson River Valley in the American War of Independence by George C. Daughan

---

Comments

[Eeyore]

Biden is most likely getting cash payments in exchange for pardons.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Probably at least $20 million collectively. Nice little retirement bonus.

[Bipedal Humanoid]

This is the way.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Well, it’s not like they’re going to have any earning power once he’s out of office. And his crackhead son is useless outside of being his bagman.

[Vernon Depner]

Does the Deep State have a retirement plan?

[The Margrave of Azilia]

[The following is adapted from some stuff I already posted on the Volokh side of things]

Look at some beneficiaries of Biden's clemency just from Kentucky.

Since this is Reason, I'll skip the opioid cases and go the thieves:

A lawyer who was "found to have stolen more than $1.2 million from clients between August 2009 and October 2016, also accruing around $1.5 million in gambling losses during the timeframe."

A guy who "defrauded over 200 investors nationwide out of more than $3 million."

A guy who "defraud[ed] nationwide investors out of more than $18 million."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/12/13/biden-commutes-sentences-of-many-kentucky-criminals-before-leaving-office/76961955007/

That's what reporters found when turning over rocks in just one state.

And from Illinois:

"On Feb. 14, 2013, [former Dixon, Illinois comptroller Rita] Crundwell was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison for embezzling more than $53 million from the City of Dixon going back to 1990. She pleaded guilty to charges in the case in November 2012....

"Nearly a dozen years later, frustration, shock, disappointment, and outrage were some of the responses Thursday to the decision to commute Crundwell's sentence. The fact notwithstanding that Crundwell has been out of prison for several years, many involved with the case said clemency sends the wrong message.

""The message seems to be crime pays," [former mayor Li] Arellano said. "Supposedly, these are labeled as nonviolent criminals. If you rob a town of $54 million, and then you think there's less violence that it doesn't impact public safety, you're wrong. There absolutely is more crime when you steal 10 to 20% of a city's budget, absolutely.""

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/president-biden-commutes-sentence-dixon-comptroller-rita-crundwell/

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Can’t wait till Jeff shows up and references a very slightly questionable single pardon of Trump’s. Even though there are probably a minimum of several hundred of Biden’s which are absolute bullshit.

“But….., but…… Trump!”

[Mother's Lament (Salt farmer)]

I imagine he'll bring up Steve Bannon, and pretend that his incarceration wasn't a fascist, politically motivated farce.

[Spiritus Mundi]

welcome special guest Jacob Sullum

That is very special guest. Did he arrive on a short bus?

[jeannie melo]

As is often the case, Matt's answer about involuntary commitment was the only one with which I agreed (Nick was a little on point in his noncommittal way). The answers generally just remind me of why Americans can't have nice things, and why I can't be fully libertarian, and also reminded me that "progressives", who ruined a few of my cities, are very libertarian even if they wouldn't admit it. I live in Berkeley, where serverely mentally ill people are everywhere, screaming and scaring people. And they should all be FORCED off the streets into care. I've lived in another country that handled this in a humane, civilized way. I can only assume that Katherine and her loved ones live in an environment where they don't have to be threatened on a regular basis, or she's just been very lucky.

[With Trump in, "now Lord you can let your servant go in peace"]

"Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent,"

BIDEN IS A HORRIBLE HORRIBLE MAN for doing this.
Murderers given a break and the families of victims given more shit.

[With Trump in, "now Lord you can let your servant go in peace"]

Even his lies are half-hearted and show contempt for his voters.
Just a few months before he 'changed his mind" he said
https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2024/07/05/defiant-biden-tells-wisconsinites-im-staying-in-the-race/

July 2024 I AM STAYING IN THE RACE

ANd when he reversed himself he offered NO excuse for why he didn't think this way just a few months ago.

[With Trump in, "now Lord you can let your servant go in peace"]

Is this not just pure contempt. He said this in Wisconsin

“There’s a lot of discussion about my age,” Biden said, joking “I know I look 40.” “I wasn’t too old to create over 50 million new jobs,”

50 million new jobs. WE ACTUALLY LOST MILLIONS OF JOBS.