Saturday during an interview with MSNBC’s Al Sharpton, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), a member of the liberal congressional foursome known as “The Squad,” argued now may be the time to commute sentences of some federal prisoners given their vulnerability to coronavirus.
Pressley said she and other congressional Democrats were lobbying the Bureau of Prisons for “compassionate” releases.
“[W]hen we are talking about our most vulnerable, our low-income residents and those experiencing homelessness, our seniors and that we are also including the incarcerated men and women, who are amongst one of the most vulnerable populations and given the crowding and overpopulating in our prisons for a confluence of other reasons we won’t get into in this interview, Rev., buy you are certainly well aware of, are an ecosystem and a petri dish for the spreading of this pandemic, which is why I partnered with my colleagues, Representatives [Nydia] Velázquez, [Alexandria] Ocasio-Cortez and [Rashida] Tlaib, to lobby the Bureau of Prisons to use their full power to communicate guidance for how we will contain and mitigate this epidemic behind the wall.”
Illinois man allegedly threatens Trump execution in profanity-laced videos, faces federal charges
ICE reveals stunning statistic after exposing Halloween weekend’s ‘worst of the worst’ arrests
SBA chief Kelly Loeffler blames Senate Democrats for canceling veterans business week
FBI Identifies Suspects in Alleged Halloween Terror Plot, Releases Gun Range Photos
Las Vegas police roll out Tesla Cybertrucks worth up to $115K each after donation from tech billionaire
Get Out: After Ilhan Omar’s Latest Comments About Somalia, Trump Says It’s Time for Her to Go Back
Obama jumping into NJ gubernatorial race at 11th hour is ‘desperate,’ voters sound off
Listen: Trump Says He Will Not Allow Record Killing of Christians in Nigeria – Could Be Airstrikes or Even Boots on the Ground
Bodycam Footage: Sheriff’s Deputy Busts Down Door and Makes Precision Shot to Save Child Taken Hostage
Former governor breaks years of political silence to make major announcement in pivotal race
Socialism’s rise, rent and public safety prime topics in NYC mayoral race
Thune eyes longer stopgap funding bill as shutdown drags on
Musk follows Trump’s lead with eleventh-hour Cuomo endorsement
Hamas returns body of American Israeli IDF captain
Suspect arrested over mass stabbing attack on London-bound train
“Specifically, do they have access to testing? Secondly, has anyone tested positive, and what are the quarantine measures? Again given the overpopulating and the fact that many of these facilities are already subpar and that incarcerated men and women do not have access to soap, to alcohol-based hand sanitizers — and to regular showers, what is the guidance for those incarcerated and for staff? And that the B.O.P. Use their full powers, I think now would be the time to commute some sentences, to exact clemency and to take care of our most our vulnerable. Ten percent of those incarcerated are over the age of 60 and already have an underlying condition. We should be using compassionate release.”
