And welcome to the beat. I am Ari Melburgh. Our top story is the makings of this sea change in criminal justice and marijuana policy.

Reaction now pouring in as President Biden pardons all federal marijuana possession crimes, unburdening thousands of people of the criminal records that they were carrying and the associated setbacks of that history.

I'm announcing a pardon for all prior federal offense, federal offenses,

for the civil possession of marijuana.

I thought it was monumental.

There are thousands of people who are convicted for marijuana possession

who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities

as a result of that conviction.

My pardon will remove this burden on them.

It starts with marijuana, but where does it go from there?

I'm asking the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to initiate a

process to review how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

I think it was a great decision. It's a smart move.

For too long, marijuana possession has been used as a weapon against underserved communities.

Whenever you look at the challenge that we face with crime in our society, it's the wrong signal 30 days before the election.

The pardons are about marijuana, expunging criminal records of people who are already out of jail.

No one is actually left serving time in federal prisons solely for marijuana possession right now.

But this is also about much more than marijuana.

Some critics did seize on old tropes that stigmatize marijuana,

Sean Hannity attacking this new set of Biden pardons as a quote,

Hail Mary Jane.

And you just heard that quote from a Republican governor, Mr. Hutchison,

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