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December 20, 2016

Obama Grants Clemency to 231 Prisoners in Single Day
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On Monday, President Obama granted clemency to 231 prisoners-the most
individual acts of clemency granted in a single day by any president in
U.S. history. Obama pardoned 78 people and shortened the sentence of 153
others convicted of federal crimes. Obama has now pardoned a total of
148 people during his presidency and has shortened the sentences of
1,176 people, including 395 serving life sentences, as part of a push to
reduce the number of people serving long sentences for nonviolent drug
offenses. But he still hasn't offered clemency or pardons to some
high-profile political prisoners, including Army whistleblower Chelsea
Manning or Native American activist Leonard Peltier.


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