Furious federal judge blasts Biden’s ND prisoner commutations

President Joe Biden’s unprecedented commutation of the sentences of nearly 1,500 federal prisoners has drawn an equally unprecedented rebuke from U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland in Bismarck. Fifteen federal prisoners convicted in North Dakota were freed by Biden in time to go home for Christmas. Their shocking release took authorities, victims and their families completely by surprise, according to Forum News.

In a scathing email sent to the U.S. pardon attorney on Wednesday, Dec. 18, U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland, who has served in the role since 2002, called the process by which the decisions were made to commute the sentences “alarming and troublesome at best.”

“None of the federal prosecutors, victims, or myself as the sentencing judge were ever contacted about these commutations beforehand — not even a telephone call. I am certain the victims would be shocked and appalled to learn of the commutations, as are the prosecutors,” Hovland wrote.

Hovland singled out the cases of Hunter Hanson and David McMaster, whose respective convictions for fraud were upheld upon appeal, as particularly indefensible. But the senior federal jurist on the bench since 2002 also found no grounds for commuting the sentences of the other prisoners, as well.

Hovland said he also reviewed some of the drug trafficking-related commutations and none were for low-level, non-violent offenders.

“To not seek any input from those persons who were directly involved in the criminal case at issue is alarming and troublesome at best. It would seem that common sense would require at least a telephone call to those closely familiar with the case, or some contact with those who were victimized… Unfortunately, common sense is not as common as it used to be,” Hovland said.

Prisoners who received a commutation get out of prison but their convictions remain on their criminal record, unlike prisoners who are pardoned. Nevertheless, Biden’s actions also clearly rubbed federal prosecutors the wrong way.

Asked for comment on Hovland’s email, North Dakota U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider said, “I am proud of our office’s prosecutors for obtaining a measure of justice by securing convictions and the strongest sentences possible in those cases. Our hearts were with the victims of those serious crimes then, and our hearts continue to be with the victims today.”

Schneider also encouraged any victims with questions about the commutations to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The bottom line: Biden’s across-the-board commutations with little regard to case history or victims and their families further undermine respect for the rule of law.