In 1999, President Bill Clinton, who is campaigning with Arizona Democrat Fred Duval today, made the controversial decision to grant clemency to 16 Puerto Rican terrorists. Duval joined the Clinton Administration in 1997 and was a cochair of the Interagency Working Group on Puerto Rico which advocated for clemency.
The FALN and Matcheteros Puerto Rican separatist groups had been involved in bomb making and had purchased assault weapons and grenades. The White House claimed the terrorists had received excessive punishment.
And prior to granting these terrorists clemency, out of almost 3,300 requests, the White House had offered clemency only 3 times. Nonetheless, the 16 terrorists were offered clemency as well.
Following the controversial decision, emails subpoenaed by lawmakers showed the overtly political nature of the decision, and Duval’s personal involvement.