Biden Admits Marijuana Pardons Did Not Expunge Records: Not A Good Look For Dems As Trump Moves Up In Polls

President Joe Biden recently acknowledged that his marijuana pardons did not expunge records, despite previous claims. At a campaign event last month in Philadelphia with VP Kamala Harris, Biden reiterated his commitment to ensuring that no one should be in jail merely for using or possessing marijuana.

"I pardoned thousands of people incarcerated for the mere possession of marijuana —thousands. A promise made and a promise kept," he said. "And their records should be expunged as well, I might add." However, pardons do not expunge people’s records.

What Is He Thinking As Elections Looms?

Donald Trump is ahead of President Biden by a razor-thin margin, in some polls, though media outlet 538 called it a "toss up" with Trump leading in most key swing states.

Given the poll results showing Donald Trump slightly ahead of President Biden and the fact that many traditional Democrats are unhappy with Biden for various reasons, one would expect the President to offer more than just empty promises or, worse, outright lies about his administration’s cannabis policies. It is worth repeating that nearly seven in 10 American voters, including a majority of Republicans, support legalizing cannabis, according to a recent Fox News poll.

So, Where Exactly Are We With Those Expungements?

Now we have come to find out from the Office of the Pardon Attorney that expungement is a rare judicial remedy not within the Department of Justice’s or the president’s power. Who knew?

The Congressional Research Service also notes that pardons do not remove all legal consequences of marijuana possession, as they do not expunge convictions. And that pardons represent formal forgiveness but do not seal records. The Justice Department has been issuing certificates to eligible recipients, apparently as symbolic documents.

Bottom line: There are still people in federal prison over non-violent marijuana offenses. And advocates keep pushing the Biden administration to do more.

The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), for one, is encouraging people to submit comments in support of descheduling as part of the public comment period underway over the proposed moving of marijuana from Schedule I to the less restrictive Schedule III.

"This public comment period is the people's opportunity to tell the Biden Administration rescheduling isn't enough and that it can and must take additional actions to deliver on its promises of reform," said Cat Packer, of the DPA. "Even folks who stand to benefit from Schedule III can acknowledge that marijuana must be descheduled in order to end federal cannabis criminalization and that additional actions are necessary to right the wrongs of prohibition."

Now read: Did You Know Cannabis Lobbying Isn’t New? Early 1900s Pharmacies Pushed To Sell ‘Marijuana Cigarettes’ For Fifty Cents

Photo: Benzinga edit with Biden photo from Shutterstock