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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
1) The ACLU and other progressive orgs called on Biden to grant clemency to all incarcerated people who'd been granted home confinement under the CARES Act. Biden did as they asked. 2) Biden probably shouldn't have listened to them, and vetted the list of beneficiaries instead.
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Jeet Heer
@HeerJeet
What the fuck is Biden doing? x.com/sandinistaoliv…
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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
(Although, I also think it's perfectly legitimate to believe that people who have done horrible things -- but no longer pose a significant threat to society -- should not be imprisoned. But that worldview entails granting mercy to people who have terribly mistreated others)
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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
The ACLU did say that they didn't support clemency for anyone who presented a threat of violence. Violent offenders were not eligible for home confinement under CARES, however, so in practice I think this is tantamount to call for blanket clemency
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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
My tweet says that he should not have listened to them and done something else instead. So I don't understand your question. But this started with you asking what Biden was doing. The answer is: Mindlessly rubber-stamping the ACLU's request for how he should use his pardon power
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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
I will say, I think that -- on net -- it's good that this clemency happened. My intention is not to demonize the ACLU, but just to clarify why Biden did what he did.
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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
I am generally sympathetic to the idea that a person who no longer presents a threat to the public should not be in prison. But I think there's a case for imposing harsh penalties on a public official who violates the sanctity of the Justice system in the way that Conahan did
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JodiJacobson 🇺🇦 🩸🦷
@jljacobson
The fault of his staff. Not that he’s not responsible to some degree but it’s the staff that puts the stuff in front of him. But it’s all stupid. People who really need pardon and not getting them and people who should never be pardoned getting them.
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Eric Levitz
@EricLevitz
Yeah. I think it's important for people to understand that a Democratic president didn't handpick this guy for clemency, but just did a bulk clemency that happened to include him. But still, the consequences of that action are on the administration...
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Anthony LaMesa
@ajlamesa
Jeff Zients could have tasked a couple of 22-year-old staffers with reviewing the list and highlighting any potentially problematic individuals. Would have taken a day or two. Just insanely poor public administration.
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Devry Dropout
@foureyesfiend
We’re not going to make a dent in mass incarceration if we can’t live with the fact some people who did objectively terrible things should get second chances or some mercy
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Dr. Redneck, Ph.D.
@Gwenbors1
So the ACLU pushed for the pardon of corrupt judges who were incarcerating teens for minor offenses to turn a profit? Doesn’t seem very “civil liberties” of them, IMO…
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Alan Holmes
@oh_HOLMES
Biden pardoned a judge who profited off locking kids up, and you’re here playing defense? Maybe Biden’s Crime Bill brain saw Conahan’s "efficiency" as a feature, not a bug. That could be the real story, Eric.
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IM
@immo_i
You are de facto opposing any meaningful mass clemency here, if you demand a bunch of Jean Valjeans.
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Charliepop
@Charliepop2001
No its fine. Please stfu and log off or focus on the real criminal traitor in the White House . Jesus Christ you idiots are rtarded on here
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Walter Rauschenbusch Light
@revmattjohnson
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austerity is theft
@wideofthepost
Eric, this is a letter from *3.5 years ago.* Is your argument that "The Groups" are responsible for Biden commuting a cash-for-kids judge because of a 3.5 year old letter, as if he didn't do it 2 weeks after pardoning Hunter, and like 3.5 years isn't enough time to vet anyone? x.com/EricLevitz/sta…
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joe_auchter
@joe_auchter
Make a list of everybody mass-pardoned by Biden, and the crimes they subsequently commit, and ask every democrat running for office in the future if he disavows Biden’s reckless use of the pardon power. Make them own it.
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TonyChopper
@_RavenSon
this letter says "organizations on the right and the left" so its very curious for you to single out "progressive orgs"
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Theodoric
@theodoricitalia
Of all the things the ACLU could be spending influence on, convincing Biden to give people who got a huge break of getting home confinement another break has got to be at the bottom of the list.
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563 US 493
@borrfdad
Or maybe media members like you should just do a better job of publicly supporting obviously good policies like this one. What purpose is served by keeping this old man who is disqualified from being a judge behind bars?
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Mr. Nice Guy
@JustLurking234
Biden pardoned a corrupt and reprehensible judge and someone who ripped off an entire town because of a 3.5 year old letter. I am an extremely smart pundit.
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Jason
@DarkMatters95
So it's just lazy negligence. He has an army of aides who could have briefed him quickly. A jury dedicated their time to get justice done correctly. This guy wanted another four years when he obviously cannot work or focus competently anymore
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Eric Horst
@horst57986
This is so asinine. How is it the ACLU’s fault Biden and his staff were too lazy and checked out to read the list and cross two names off of it? Nothing wrong with their proposal at all! Don’t think they would have been upset if Biden had vetted it and those guys were left out
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Ambush Bug
@AmbushBugs
Progressives: "End mass incarceration!" Biden: ok, clemency and Parsons incoming Progressives: "We didn't mean letting criminals go!"
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