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What is a clemency? -

Clemency refers to a president or governor's authority and power to show leniency towards individuals who have been convicted of crimes. The total number of clemencies granted by a president is calculated by adding together all instances of pardons, commutations, reprieves, and remissions they have issued during their tenure.

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Forms of leniancy - Leniancy can be in the form of a pardon where complete forgiveness nullifies the legal consequences of a conviction, or a commutation where a reduction of a convict's sentence to a less severe one occurs.

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More possibilities -

Additional possibilities include reprieve or a temporary delay in the enforcement of a sentence, which is often used in death penalty cases, or finally, remission or the cancellation of fines or other financial penalties associated with a conviction.

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Joe Biden -

On December 12, 2024, while serving as president, Joe Biden executed the largest single-day clemency in modern US history. The sentences of approximately 1,500 individuals were commuted. These individuals were confined to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Why is this important? -

This historical action showed the administration's commitment to criminal justice reform and a belief in second chances.

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Impact -

Former President Biden emphasized the importance of extending opportunity and addressing sentencing disparities, namely for nonviolent drug offenders.

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Clemencies by president -

The following list will name and briefly describe the US presidents who had clemencies while in office. The list goes from the least clemencies to the most.

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20. George H.W. Bush - George H.W. Bush granted 77 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 41st President of the United States of America and was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts.

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19. George W. Bush - George W. Bush granted 200 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 43rd President of the United States of America and was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut.

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18. Ronald Reagan - Ronald Reagan granted 406 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 40th President of the United States of America and was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois.

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17. Gerald R. Ford - Gerald R. Ford granted 409 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 38th President of the United States of America and was born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska.

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16. William Mckinley - William McKinley granted 446 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 25th President of the United States of America and was born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio.

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15. William J. Clinton - William J. Clinton granted 459 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 42nd President of the United States of America and was born on August 19, 1946, in Hope, Arkansas.

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14. Jimmy Carter -

Jimmy Carter granted 566 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 39th President of the United States of America and was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia

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13. John F. Kennedy - John F. Kennedy granted 575 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 35th President of the United States of America and was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts.

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12. Warren Harding -

Warren Harding granted 773 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 29th President of the United States of America and was born on November 2, 1865, in Blooming Grove, Ohio.

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11. Theodore Roosevelt - Theodore Roosevelt granted 1,099 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 26th President of the United States of America and was born on October 27, 1858, in New York City, New York.

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10. Dwight D. Eisenhower - Dwight D. Eisenhower granted 1,157 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 34th President of the United States of America and was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas.

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9. Lyndon B. Johnson - Lyndon B. Johnson granted 1,187 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 36th President of the United States of America and was born on August 27, 1908, in Stonewall, Texas.

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8. Herbert Hoover - Herbert Hoover granted 1,198 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 31st President of the United States of America and was born on August 10, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa.

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7. Calvin Coolidge - Calvin Coolidge granted 1,691 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 30th President of the United States of America and was born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.

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6. Donald J. Trump - Donald J. Trump granted 238 clemencies during his first time in office, and more than 1,500 on the first day of his second term, with a total of 1,738. He served as the 45th President of the United States of America and is now serving his second term as the 47th President. Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York City, New York.

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5. Barack H. Obama - Barack H. Obama granted 1,927 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 44th President of the United States of America and was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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4. Harry S. Truman - Harry S. Truman granted 2,044 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 33rd President of the United States of America and was born on May 8, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri.

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3. Woodrow Wilson - Woodrow Wilson granted 2,827 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 28th President of the United States of America and was born on December 28, 1856, in Staunton, Virginia.

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2. Franklin D. Roosevelt -

Franklin D. Roosevelt granted 3,796 clemencies during his time in office. He served as the 32nd President of the United States of America and was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York.

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1. Joseph R. Biden -

Joseph R. Biden granted 4,245 clemencies during his time in office while serving as the 46th President of the United States of America. He was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Sources: (AP) (Office of the Pardon Attorney) (CNN) (NPR) (Britannica)

See also: US presidents who didn't serve a second term

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