Thread by @jbendery

The White House is hosting a big Tribal Nations Summit this week, in part to talk about improving justice for Native Americans.

In this light, a Q I have is whether Biden has considered granting clemency to Leonard Peltier. I tried to ask in today's WH briefing, but no dice.

If you are a tribal leader participating in this week's White House Tribal Nations Summit and you think clemency for Leonard Peltier is something worth talking about with the Biden administration, I'd love to hear from you: [e-mail]

Who is this Leonard Peltier guy, you may be asking?

He's a Native American activist the FBI + US Attorneys Office put in prison 44 years ago based on lies, threats and no evidence that he committed a crime.

He's still in prison. Why? huffpost.com/entry/leonard-…

Did I mention that the U.S. Attorney who helped put Peltier behind bars in the 1970s wrote to Biden this summer telling him the U.S. govt had no evidence that Peltier committed any crimes, and pleading with Biden to release him?

Copy of the U.S. Attorney's letter in here. First time it's ever been made public.

“I write today from a position rare for a former prosecutor: to beseech you to commute the sentence of a man who I helped put behind bars." huffpost.com/entry/leonard-…

"We were not able to prove that Mr. Peltier personally committed any offense on the Pine Ridge Reservation.”

“I urge you to take a step towards healing a wound that I had a part in making.”

Just an incredible letter.