Controversy erupts with Biden’s unexpected pardons–Here’s why Americans are outraged.
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In the twilight hours of his presidency, Joe Biden issued a series of pardons that have sparked controversy and debate from all corners of the political arena.
The recipients of these pardons include family members, key figures from the January 6 Capitol attack investigative committee, high-profile military and health officials, and a former Republican congresswoman.
This move has left many questioning the motivations behind these decisions and the implications they may have for the future of presidential pardons. Why did he conduct these pardons?
The list is as diverse as it is unexpected. Biden extended clemency to his brother James Biden and his wife Sara Jones Biden; his sister Valerie Biden Owens and her husband John T. Owens; and his brother Francis W. Biden.
Additionally, he pardoned the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley; the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci; and the former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney.
Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt was quick to criticize the pardons, accusing Biden that “the guy who claimed he would ‘protect norms’ continues to bulldoze them and the Constitution until the bitter end.”
In his statement, Biden emphasized that the pardons should not be seen as an admission of guilt or wrongdoing by the recipients, saying, “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.”
The former president, who also issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his son Hunter Biden in December, also said that he made this last-minute effort to protect his family from prosecution. This move is due to Donald Trump succeeding office, and Biden’s fear that he might seek retribution.
“My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me – the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,” Biden stated.
This was a sentiment echoed by Fauci, who, while accepting the pardon, maintained his innocence against any politically motivated threats of investigation.
“Let me be perfectly clear: I have committed no crime and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me,” Fauci stated.
Milley expressed gratitude for the pardon, saying that “after 43 years of faithful service in uniform to our nation, protecting and defending the constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights.”
The pardons also extended to members of Congress and staff who served on the select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack, as well as the US Capitol and DC Metropolitan police officers who testified before the committee.
The timing of these pardons, issued just before Biden's presidency ended, was particularly contentious, as it preceded a wave of expected pardons from his successor, Donald Trump, for individuals convicted of offenses during the January 6 riots.
President Donald Trump also commuted the prison sentences of all the 1,500 or more people charged with crimes in the US Capitol riot, even those convicted of seditious conspiracy and assaulting of police officers.
Additionally, Trump also ordered the Attorney General to pursue the dismissal of around 450 pending cases that are rooted in the large investigation in the history of the Justice Department.
Rachel Vindman, the wife of Alexander Vindaman, the National Security Council US army colonel who testified at Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, mentioned that she felt “betrayed” that her family has not been extended a pardon.
“Whatever happens to my family, know this: No pardons were offered or discussed. I cannot begin to describe the level of betrayal and hurt I feel,” Vindman posted online.
“Innocent people being pardoned in the morning, and guilty people being pardoned in the afternoon,” Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin mentioned.
The preemptive nature of these pardons raises legal and ethical questions. They suggest potential offenses that have not yet been disclosed and seem to act as a shield against future retribution from the incoming administration.
Source: CNN / Youtube.
Critics argue that this sets a dangerous precedent for the expansive use of pardons by future presidents, including Trump.
“Everyone looks stupid,” expressed Tommy Vietor, a former Obama aide and co-host of Pod Save America.
“Everyone looks like they are full of s***. And Republicans are going to use this to argue it was politics as usual when Democrats warned of Trump’s corruption or threat to the rule or the threat to democracy.”
In related news, an update on the Hunter Biden case was given through Special Counsel Weiss' final report, following the six-year investigation. Learn more about it through this story here.
How do you think this will affect the future of presidential pardons? Join the conversation in the comments below, but please remember to remain respectful.
The recipients of these pardons include family members, key figures from the January 6 Capitol attack investigative committee, high-profile military and health officials, and a former Republican congresswoman.
This move has left many questioning the motivations behind these decisions and the implications they may have for the future of presidential pardons. Why did he conduct these pardons?
The list is as diverse as it is unexpected. Biden extended clemency to his brother James Biden and his wife Sara Jones Biden; his sister Valerie Biden Owens and her husband John T. Owens; and his brother Francis W. Biden.
Additionally, he pardoned the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley; the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci; and the former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney.
Missouri Republican Senator Eric Schmitt was quick to criticize the pardons, accusing Biden that “the guy who claimed he would ‘protect norms’ continues to bulldoze them and the Constitution until the bitter end.”
In his statement, Biden emphasized that the pardons should not be seen as an admission of guilt or wrongdoing by the recipients, saying, “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.”
The former president, who also issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his son Hunter Biden in December, also said that he made this last-minute effort to protect his family from prosecution. This move is due to Donald Trump succeeding office, and Biden’s fear that he might seek retribution.
Former President Joe Biden issued last-minute pardons to several family members and political figures, drawing criticism from across the political spectrum. Image source: ABC News / Youtube.
“My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me – the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,” Biden stated.
This was a sentiment echoed by Fauci, who, while accepting the pardon, maintained his innocence against any politically motivated threats of investigation.
“Let me be perfectly clear: I have committed no crime and there are no possible grounds for any allegation or threat of criminal investigation or prosecution of me,” Fauci stated.
Milley expressed gratitude for the pardon, saying that “after 43 years of faithful service in uniform to our nation, protecting and defending the constitution, I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights.”
The pardons also extended to members of Congress and staff who served on the select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack, as well as the US Capitol and DC Metropolitan police officers who testified before the committee.
The timing of these pardons, issued just before Biden's presidency ended, was particularly contentious, as it preceded a wave of expected pardons from his successor, Donald Trump, for individuals convicted of offenses during the January 6 riots.
President Donald Trump also commuted the prison sentences of all the 1,500 or more people charged with crimes in the US Capitol riot, even those convicted of seditious conspiracy and assaulting of police officers.
Additionally, Trump also ordered the Attorney General to pursue the dismissal of around 450 pending cases that are rooted in the large investigation in the history of the Justice Department.
Rachel Vindman, the wife of Alexander Vindaman, the National Security Council US army colonel who testified at Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, mentioned that she felt “betrayed” that her family has not been extended a pardon.
“Whatever happens to my family, know this: No pardons were offered or discussed. I cannot begin to describe the level of betrayal and hurt I feel,” Vindman posted online.
“Innocent people being pardoned in the morning, and guilty people being pardoned in the afternoon,” Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin mentioned.
The preemptive nature of these pardons raises legal and ethical questions. They suggest potential offenses that have not yet been disclosed and seem to act as a shield against future retribution from the incoming administration.
Source: CNN / Youtube.
Critics argue that this sets a dangerous precedent for the expansive use of pardons by future presidents, including Trump.
“Everyone looks stupid,” expressed Tommy Vietor, a former Obama aide and co-host of Pod Save America.
“Everyone looks like they are full of s***. And Republicans are going to use this to argue it was politics as usual when Democrats warned of Trump’s corruption or threat to the rule or the threat to democracy.”
In related news, an update on the Hunter Biden case was given through Special Counsel Weiss' final report, following the six-year investigation. Learn more about it through this story here.
How do you think this will affect the future of presidential pardons? Join the conversation in the comments below, but please remember to remain respectful.
