Biden DOJ ripped White House over clemency grant to ‘non-violent offenders’

WASHINGTON — Senior Justice Department officials were left befuddled by the sweeping pardons then-President Biden approved for thousands of convicts days before leaving office earlier this year — and rebuked the White House for falsely labeling the clemency recipients “nonviolent” offenders, according to emails reviewed by The Post.

Associate Deputy Attorney General Brad Weinsheimer struggled to make sense of the commutations granted nearly 2,500 federal convicts on Jan. 17 and requested “a list as to each inmate listing the offenses that are covered by the commutation.”

“I think the language ‘offenses described to the Department of Justice’ in the warrant is highly problematic and in order to resolve its meaning appropriately, and consistent with the President’s intent, we will need a statement or direction from the President as to how to interpret the language,” Weinsheimer wrote in a Jan. 18 email to members of the White House Counsel’s Office and the DOJ Pardon Attorney’s Office, adding that a statement directly from Biden would help clarify “the meaning of the warrant language.”

“One other important note,” the DOJ official continued, “in communication about the commutations, the White House has described those who received commutations as people convicted of non-violent drug offenses.

“I think you should stop saying that because it is untrue or at least misleading.”

Weinsheimer explained at least 19 “highly problematic” commutations had already been identified by his office — 16 of whom “received grants of clemency from the President.”

“Even in that number, we identified violent offenders, including those who committed acts of violence during the offense of conviction, or who otherwise have a history of violence such that it is misleading to suggest that they are nonviolent drug offenders,” he said.

“There are likely many more problematic cases in the ones we have not yet been able to review. Unfortunately and despite repeated requests and warnings, we were not afforded a reasonable opportunity to vet and provide input on those you were considering,” Weinsheimer went on.

“And as you know, we only were provided the actual warrants and information on those for whom the President was granting clemency minutes before you posted the list online.”

The Oversight Project exclusively obtained copies of the emails, which were shared with The Post, in order to delve deeper into the issue of possible abuses of the presidential auto-pen by the Biden White House.

A spokeswoman for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.