>>> WE'RE NEARING THE END OF THE ERA, FOR MOST OF US THAT SIGNIFIES THE HOLIDAY SEASON, FOR SITTING U.S. PRESIDENTS IT IS PARDONING SEASON. THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR PRESIDENTS TYPICALLY USE THEIR PARDON POWER AS AN EXPRESSION OF FORGIVENESS, A LESSON IN EMPATHY. FOR DONALD TRUMP, HIS PARDON LISTENING LOOTED STEVE BANNON, PAUL MANAFORT, AND CHARLES KUSHNER, AND ROGER STONE, DONALD TRUMP'S VERSION AND NOT LESSON IN EMPATHY. PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED HIS PARDON LAST, 11 PEOPLE HE IS GRANTING CLEMENCY. IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THEIR NAMES THAT IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT POLITICAL ALLIES OF THE PRESIDENT. THEY ALSO DON'T ENGAGE IN EFFORTS TO OVERTURN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THEY HAVE THAT IN COMMON. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE, WHO ARE GRANTED THAT SECOND CHANCE AS PART OF AN EFFORT THAT THE PRESIDENT FIRST ANNOUNCED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. >> AS I SAID WHEN I RAN FOR PRESIDENT, NO ONE SHOULD BE IN JAIL FOR USING OR POSSESSING MARIJUANA, IT'S ALREADY LEGAL IN MANY STATES. AND CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION HAVE LED TO NEEDLESS BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. TOO MANY LIVES HAVE BEEN UP AND THAT BECAUSE OUR FAILED APPROACH TO MARIJUANA. IT'S TIME THAT WE RIGHT THESE WRONGS. >> THAT WAS PRESIDENT BIDEN JUST BEFORE THE 2022 MIDTERM ANNOUNCING A SWEEPING PARDON FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CONVICTED OF MARIJUANA POSSESSION UNDER FEDERAL LAW. TODAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN TOOK IT A STEP FURTHER, BUILDING UPON LAST YEAR'S ACTION BY PARDONING THOUSANDS MORE WHO WERE CONVICTED OF USE IN POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA ON FEDERAL LAND. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS, THIS MOVE IS MEANT TO HELP THOUSANDS OVERCOME -- HURDLES TO FINDING EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING. IT'S ALSO EVIDENCE OF A PROFOUND SHIFT IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA WHICH IS NOW LEGAL IN 24 STATES. MORE THAN HALF THE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES. EVEN REPUBLICANS WHO NORMALLY WASTES NO OPPORTUNITY TO CRITICIZ
