Biden’s Bold Move: 37 Death Row Inmates Get Life Sentences

The transition team of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump strongly condemned President Joe Biden’s commutation of death row inmates on Monday, calling it an “abhorrent decision.” Earlier that day, Biden announced that he had commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 death row inmates, reducing their sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This move aligns with Biden’s longstanding opposition to the death penalty, contrasting sharply with Trump’s strong pro-death penalty stance.

Steven Cheung, who has been appointed as White House Communications Director for Trump’s potential second term, issued a statement expressing outrage: “These are among the worst killers in the world, and this abhorrent decision by Joe Biden is a slap in the face to the victims, their families, and their loved ones.”

Cheung also emphasized, “President Trump stands for the rule of law, which will return when he is back in the White House after he was elected with a massive mandate from the American people.” Opposition to Biden’s decision emerged from Trump’s camp and within the ruling Democratic Party.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) voiced his concerns during a CNN interview. He said, “I have real concerns overall with the death penalty, but I also have concerns with the executive branch overturning cases that have been decided by courts across the country.”

“And I understand the concerns and threats of a Trump administration going forward on these, but I think the baseline is, I think you commute sentences or pardon people when you think justice was not done in those cases. It sets a precedent here, it goes well beyond pardoning his own son, which I think is a mistake, no one is above the law,” he said.

Earlier, Biden explained the rationale behind his decision, stating that he could not stand idly by and allow the incoming administration to resume the executions that he had halted.