He has commuted the sentence of one individual, a woman with terminal leukemia whose case was championed by Illinois Sen. Under Obama, an applicant’s chance is slightly less than 1 in 5,000. Bush, that fell to a little less than 1 in 1,000. Under Reagan and Clinton, applicants for commutations had a 1 in 100 chance of success. Obama also has been stingy with commutations, applications for early release by those still serving federal prison sentences. At this point in his presidency, Ronald Reagan had pardoned 1 of every 3 such applicants. He has given pardons to roughly 1 of every 50 individuals whose applications were processed by the Justice Department. For many applicants, a pardon is simply an opportunity for a fresh start.īut Obama has parceled out forgiveness far more rarely than his recent predecessors, pardoning just 22 individuals while denying 1,019.
While pardons do not wipe away convictions, they can restore a person’s full rights to vote, possess firearms and obtain business licenses, as well as remove barriers to certain career opportunities and adoptions. The Constitution gives the president unique power to forgive individuals for federal offenses. A young woman who mailed ecstasy tablets for a drug-dealing boyfriend, then worked with investigators to bring him down.Īll of them and hundreds more were denied pardons by President Obama, who has granted clemency at a lower rate than any modern president, a ProPublica review of pardons data shows. A retired sheriff who inadvertently helped a money launderer buy land. (White House)Ī former brothel manager who helped the FBI bust a national prostitution ring. Bush is credited with beginning the formal pardon tradition back in 1989, saying that year's bird was "granted a presidential pardon as of right now.He’s certainly not pardoning anyone. President John Kennedy spared the turkey presented to him in 1963, saying "let's keep him going." And President George H.W. The White House Historical Association said Truman remarked they would "come in handy" for Christmas dinner. The National Turkey Federation began bringing live turkeys to the White House when President Harry S. "I know there's some bad ones in here, but this is the last time I'm doing this so we're not leaving any room for leftovers," he added. Obama embraced the moment, saying he hopes that when somebody at the Thanksgiving dinner table says you can't have any more food, you'll respond: "Yes, we cran." It inevitably also leads to several bad jokes that will leave the audience responding with "oohs" instead of laughs. The pardoning ceremony brings levity to the endless list of serious issues the president faces daily.
Obama said it's a time to remember that "we have a lot more in common than divides us." He also challenged Americans to show the world that the United States is a generous and giving country, and to make sure everyone has something to eat on Thanksgiving.Īfter the ceremony, the president and first family will be volunteering at a community service event.
The ceremony also gave Obama a chance to reflect on the spirit of Thanksgiving. While only one could be named the "National Thanksgiving Turkey," the White House said that both birds will be sent to their new home at Virginia Tech's "Gobblers Rest" where they will be cared for by veterinarians and students. Each 18-week-old bird weighed in at about 40 pounds. For example, Tater's favorite snack is worms. Tot prefers tomato slices. The White House even provided a biography for each bird to help voters with their decision. The White House asked people on Twitter to vote for which turkey will receive the pardon, though both will get a reprieve.