Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. releases statement after not receiving pardon

CHICAGO - Former President Joe Biden issued a number of pardons on Monday before leaving the White House, including for his own family.

However, he did not grant former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s request.

 Jesse Jackson Jr.'s Response

What they're saying:

Jackson stated his belief that pardons should not be reserved for the privileged and called on the next administration, under President Donald Trump, to take action.

"Of course, I am disappointed. Democrats had an opportunity to end felonization for thousands, if not millions, of American citizens who have completed the time they were sentenced to serve. The fight for the American felon, of which I am one, must continue," Jackson said in his statement.

Jackson argued that Biden’s decision to pardon his own family members while leaving others without relief could have political consequences, particularly if Trump uses his pardon authority in the future to aid those who have completed their sentences.

"If President Trump wields his pardon pen for the debt-paid felon, as it is expected he will for January 6th insurrectionists, I believe he will make inroads into the base of the Democratic Party on a scale that we have not seen," Jackson said.

What's next:

Jackson pledged to continue advocating for those who have completed their sentences, calling the pardon power "the most powerful power in the Constitution."