Criminal Justice Reform
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The order seeks to reaffirm the role of capital punishment as a cornerstone of the justice system while addressing perceived obstacles to its application.
To that end, the order directs the Attorney General to pursue the death penalty for all eligible crimes, prioritize cases involving the murder of law enforcement officers or crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, and encourage state prosecutors to bring capital charges. It also mandates a review of the incarceration conditions for individuals whose federal death sentences were commuted and explores options for state-level prosecution. Additionally, the Attorney General is tasked with ensuring states have sufficient resources to carry out executions, seeking to overturn Supreme Court precedents that limit capital punishment, and enhancing collaboration with state and local authorities to combat violent crime.
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The proclamation seeks to address what is described as a "grave national injustice" by commuting and pardoning sentences related to offenses committed during the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. It aims to foster national reconciliation through the following actions:
Commutations: The sentences of 14 named individuals involved in the January 6 events are commuted to time served as of January 20, 2025.
Full Pardons: All other individuals convicted of offenses related to January 6 are granted full, unconditional pardons.
Immediate Release and Dismissal:
The Attorney General is directed to issue certificates of pardon and ensure the immediate release of all individuals currently imprisoned for January 6-related offenses.
The Attorney General is instructed to dismiss all pending indictments with prejudice, preventing future prosecution for these offenses.
The Bureau of Prisons is ordered to implement these directives without delay, as coordinated by the Department of Justice. The proclamation frames these actions as steps toward addressing past grievances and promoting national unity.
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January 20, 2025 (W.H. Link) - The order asserts that the previous administration implemented unpopular and harmful practices, including embedding "diversity, equity, and inclusion" (DEI) into Federal institutions, which it claims undermines merit and equality. It criticizes open border policies for straining resources and climate policies for driving inflation and overregulation. Relevant executive orders revoked include:
Executive Order 14006 of January 26, 2021 (Reforming Our Incarceration System To Eliminate the Use of Privately Operated Criminal Detention Facilities).
Executive Order 14074 of May 25, 2022 (Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices To Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety).
Executive Order 14136 of January 3, 2025 (Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice).
The order mandates the immediate termination of Federal implementation of "unlawful and radical DEI ideology" by agency heads (SEE RELATED EXECUTIVE ORDER). It further directs the Directors of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) and National Economic Council (NEC) to review actions taken under previous administration directives, recommending within 45 days which should be rescinded, replaced, or amended to "enhance American prosperity." Additionally, the National Security Advisor (NSA) must review all National Security Memoranda (NSMs) issued between January 20, 2021, and January 20, 2025, to identify any harm to national security, domestic resilience, or American values, and provide recommendations for rescission within the same timeframe.