Biden clemency announcement gets mixed reviews on Capitol Hill: 'Where's the bar?'

President Biden's act of clemency, the largest in a single day, has left some congressional Republicans unhappy, while a number of Democrats are hoping to see it expanded. 

"I’m not surprised at this point anymore," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said. "I think I’m still trying to get over the Hunter Biden thing after he promised America he wouldn’t do it." 

Biden broadly pardoned his son Hunter Biden earlier this month despite promising he would not. Hunter was convicted in two separate federal cases. 

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According to Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Biden had lost whatever credibility he had left when he pardoned his son. 

"Every president at the end of their term has that same kind of act. Where’s the bar live?" asked Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas. "Nobody knows. I haven’t gone deep into the waters to see exactly who he’s touching. But it’s the United States, hey?"

The president revealed Thursday he had commuted jail sentences for nearly 1,500 people and granted 39 pardons for nonviolent offenders. 

"Does that tell you how corrupt he thinks this administration has been?" Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., wondered.

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Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the Senate Judiciary ranking member, told Fox News Digital, "That's a large number.

"He'll have to stand by his choices. I haven't really looked at who they are. That's the power of the presidency." 

Outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., reacted to Biden's clemency grants to reporters Thursday, recalling his own limited pardon use as governor. 

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"I did very few, and I wanted to make sure if the community didn't buy in" that the person would not receive a pardon. 

"I would make sure that my staff would go back and check in that area and do a due diligence and a deep dive," he explained. 

Asked if Manchin trusted that Biden's administration did it own due diligence on the people whose sentences were being commuted, he said, "I would like to think. I believe in the process. I believe in the system. So, I hope so."

The White House released a list Dec. 12 of those who were granted clemency.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., released a statement on Biden's action, approving of it. 

"The president took an important step by commuting the sentences of these men and women. In far too many cases in our justice system, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. I have long advocated for criminal justice reform to address these inequities and commend President Biden for this act of mercy and for his leadership," the senator said. 

"These individuals have successfully returned to their communities and reunited with their families. I urge the president to continue using his pardon power during his remaining time in office to address miscarriages of justice, just as the founders of this democracy intended."

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Other Democrats applauded the move, including Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who told reporters, "These are nonviolent offenders, and I think they represent compassion. In no way is [this] gonna jeapardize public safety. So, I support the president, what the president did."

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., expressed an appetite for even more similar actions from Biden, saying Thursday, "We’re still hoping he will offer clemency to the people who are on death row. We’re still looking for the next list of people."

Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said he supported Biden using his pardon power, though he hasn't looked through all the people affected. He explained it is "important to use that pardon power and clemency to even out our system and to evolve with our system as we move forward."