President Biden is facing pressure to fulfill his 2020 campaign promise to abolish the death penalty before the upcoming election, with about eight months left.
Despite initial considerations, no action has been taken yet, and former President Trump has used the issue in his campaign pledges.
Biden’s administration imposed a temporary moratorium on federal executions to review the practice further, but recent developments suggest a potential lift on the hold.
White House assistant press secretary Robyn Patterson said, “The President has long talked about his concerns about how the death penalty is applied and whether it is consistent with the values fundamental to our sense of justice and fairness.”
“He supports the attorney general’s decision to issue a moratorium on federal executions while the Department of Justice conducts a comprehensive review of the practice,” she continued.
Biden’s stance against the death penalty marks a departure from previous administrations, but it remains uncertain if he will take action before the election.
Robin Maher, executive director of the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center said, “It’s always been used as a political talking point. It has for centuries, and it probably always will be.”
She added, “But I think the American public is seeing through that now and is really looking for more serious answers to these very serious problems in our communities.”
Support for the death penalty has declined over the years, with a majority now believing it is unfairly applied.
