- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman Brian Schatz (D-HI) spearheaded a letter urging President Biden to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, the renowned Native American rights activist. The letter was dated Thursday, December 12, 2024, the same day the president commuted sentences of 1,500 individuals and pardoned 39, a record by a president in a single day.
The letter, signed by 34 Members of Congress, was sent during the final weeks of Biden's term, calling for a pardon for Peltier, who has been incarcerated since 1977 following a controversial trial and conviction for the murder of two FBI agents during a standoff on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
The lawmakers highlighted the long-standing legal and moral concerns surrounding Peltier's conviction, citing the case’s flaws, including what many view as an unjust investigation and trial. The U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case has also called the trial problematic. In their appeal, the Members of Congress emphasized Peltier’s advanced age and declining health, making the argument that a presidential pardon is his last chance for freedom. The case of Leonard Peltier remains a focal point of discussions about justice, Native American rights, and the U.S. legal system, with many advocates urging for his release on the grounds of humanitarian and legal concerns.
“Despite the grave concerns surrounding the continued imprisonment of Mr. Peltier, who is now 80 years old and suffering from severe health conditions, including increasing vision loss, the Bureau of Prisons denied Mr. Peltier a compassionate release or reduction in sentence in April of this year; and in July 2024, the U.S. Parole Commission denied him parole. These recent denials mean only you have the unique ability to grant him clemency and rectify this grave injustice that has long troubled human rights advocates and Native Peoples across the globe,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s unprecedented record of addressing the country’s history of injustices against Indigenous communities and urge President Biden to cement this legacy by commuting Mr. Peltier’s sentence.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Daniel Kildee (D-Mich.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Ohio), Erica Lee Carter (D-Texas), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), James McGovern (D-Mass.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.), Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai‘i), and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), as well as U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D- Vt.), and former U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).
READ the full text of the letter here.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Protests Greet Western Governors in Santa Fe
Red Hoop Talk: Native Stories, Real Conversations
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
