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Friday, Dec. 1, 2023

Has Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued pardons to 1,111 people with cannabis convictions?

Tom Kertscher, Wisconsin Watch
no

As of Nov. 29, 2023, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers had issued 1,111 pardons to people convicted of all crimes, not just cannabis convictions.

Evers’ announcement cited what the recipients did “to overcome their past mistakes and build positive, rewarding lives.”

A pardon is an official act of forgiveness for a criminal offense. It restores civil rights such as the right to hold office, possess firearms and hold certain licenses.

A pardon does not remove a conviction from public records.

The governor’s office said it does not have a database showing how many pardons were for marijuana convictions.

Evers’ latest pardons announcement, Nov. 22, listed pardons for 82 people, including 28 for a marijuana conviction, mostly possession.

The 96 pardons announced July 21 included 38 cannabis convictions.

That announcement said Evers had broken the record for pardons issued by a Wisconsin governor — Julius Heil’s 943 pardons between 1939 and 1943.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

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