Outgoing President Biden on Monday issued a slew of pardons for more kin, including a broad, 11-year granting of clemency for his brother James — effectively killing any chance of repercussions for the first family’s influence-peddling.
The 11th-hour move — on the heels of Biden’s previous unprecedented sweeping pardon of son Hunter — brought widespread condemnation, even from hardcore liberals.
“It’s just unseemly,” said CNN’s John King during a live broadcast after Monday’s announcement mere hours before Biden left office. “If you’re going to do it, have the courage to do it in the light of day and explain it to the American people. It’s a stain on his legacy to do it like this.”
Congressional Republicans had subpoenaed James Biden, 75, along with first son Hunter Biden, 54, in 2023 to investigate their involvement in the family’s domestic and foreign business dealings — after evidence emerged that both men repeatedly involved Joe Biden in their lucrative relationships.
Republicans had accused James of lying to Congress and requested criminal charges. They also suggested his dealings may have amounted to unregistered foreign lobbying, another crime.
The outgoing president issued pardons to protect his brother spanning from Jan. 1, 2014, to Jan. 20, 2024, and other relatives from potential prosecution, including by the incoming Trump administration.
“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,” Joe Biden said in a statement minutes before leaving office.
Hellbound and Down 