President Obama commuted the sentences of 209 people yesterday, most notably Chelsea Manning who was initially set to serve 35 years in prison for providing WikiLeaks with sensitive documents.
In addition to those 209 people, President Obama also pardoned 64 people for past offenses, including baseball Hall Of Famer Willie McCovey.
McCovey, and fellow Hall of Famer Duke Snider, originally pleaded guilty to tax evasion back in 1995 after failing to report nearly $70,000 in income that came from card/memorabilia shows between 1988 and 1990. Both men received two years probation and a $5,000 fine for their crime.
During McCovey's 1996 sentencing hearing, he told a judge that the tax evasion was unintentional and that he never willingly tried to cheat the government.
"The only thing I'd like to say is, well, I've always tried to do the right things," he told the judge. "I have never willingly tried to cheat the government, and it's one of those things that was overlooked at the time and I do accept responsibility for it."
Yesterday, Willie McCovey thanked the POTUS for having this issue scratched from his record once and for all.
Per ESPN:
"I want to express my sincere gratitude to President Obama not only for this kind gesture on my behalf, but also for his tireless service to all Americans," McCovey said. "He will be deeply missed and I wish him all the best in the future."
