President Biden is in la la land. He does not know what’s going on.
That’s why Joe Biden just accidentally gave Donald Trump a huge gift to his incoming administration.
For months, Joe Biden and his White House officials have been saying that the President is not interested in pardoning his son Hunter of the crimes that he’s committed, like tax fraud and gun crimes. Hunter Biden was awaiting sentencing until Joe Biden went back on his promise to the American people, eventually pardoning his son.
This news took the news outlets by storm and it’s set off intense debate about whether it’s right for sitting U.S. Presidents to pardon their family member who are obviously guilty of many crimes, like Hunter is. Even many Democrats are saying it doesn’t sit well with them that Joe has done this. The consequences are vast and it sets a new precedent that some are saying is a little dangerous.
Not only that, but Joe Biden has unknowingly given Donald Trump a reason to do exactly that which his fiercest critics have been worried about for years now. That is to pardon some of the January 6 protesters who have, in Trump’s opinion, been wrongly charged for crimes they did not commit.
Trump’s Anticipated Pardons and the Biden-Hunter Controversy
CNN presidential historian Tim Naftali weighed in on the political implications of President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, suggesting it could pave the way for President-elect Donald Trump to carry out his own controversial pardons. Specifically, Naftali believes Biden’s decision to pardon Hunter Biden could “help justify” Trump’s anticipated pardons for individuals involved in the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot, many of whom are still incarcerated.
In an appearance on CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown, Naftali reflected on how Biden’s pardon could influence the actions of a future Trump administration, especially regarding the Jan. 6 protesters. The historian noted, “The scope of the pardon covers activities, for which there are — by the way, there’s no evidence that any wrongdoing was done by either President Biden or his son.” He explained that the timing and nature of Biden’s pardon would likely resonate with Trump and his supporters, who have long used the events surrounding the Capitol riot to fuel their political narrative.
Notably, Naftali pointed out that Biden’s actions could be seen as ammunition for Trump’s supporters who have rallied around the idea of an “egregious pardon” for those convicted of crimes related to the January 6th attack. The historian observed that Biden’s pardon may provide Trump with a “justification” for his own use of pardons once he takes office again, though Naftali emphasized that Trump didn’t necessarily need an excuse to issue such pardons.
“I fear that though President-elect Trump didn’t need an excuse to engage in wide-scale pardoning, for example, of the January 6th — those that have been convicted for crimes on January 6th or as a result of January 6th. This just I think, helps justify it for President-elect Trump,” Naftali added, hinting at a broader political and legal narrative that could shape the future of presidential pardons.
Trump, for his part, has been vocal about his intention to pardon many of those involved in the Capitol riot. During a CNN town hall in May 2023, he said he was “inclined to pardon many of them” very early on in his second administration. While acknowledging that a few individuals may have “got out of control,” Trump argued that the prosecution of Jan. 6 participants was part of a broader pattern of “two standards of justice” in the U.S. He compared the treatment of those involved in the Capitol riot to the actions of groups like Antifa and Black Lives Matter, saying, “What they’ve done to so many people is nothing — nothing. And then what they’ve done to these people — they’ve persecuted these people.”
As of October 2023, over 1,500 individuals have been charged in connection with the events of January 6, with over 1,000 already sentenced, including 645 who received jail time. In light of these figures, Democratic leaders, such as Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, have expressed concern over the treatment of Jan. 6 defendants, particularly the use of solitary confinement during their pretrial detention. This debate, however, has not deterred Trump from doubling down on his promise to issue pardons for many of those involved in the Capitol insurrection.
Pardons and Presidential Precedent: Trump’s Justification
The comparison between Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden and Trump’s anticipated pardons for the January 6 defendants raises important questions about the nature of executive clemency. If Joe Biden is allowed to pardon his own son — a decision that has sparked controversy and debate — it’s entirely reasonable for Donald Trump to consider similar actions for individuals who aren’t his relatives. After all, the very idea of executive pardons is rooted in the notion that a president can offer clemency for a variety of reasons, often influenced by personal, political, or humanitarian considerations.
Just as Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden serves to mitigate the legal consequences of his son’s actions, Trump could argue that his pardons for January 6 defendants are similarly aimed at rectifying what he perceives as a miscarriage of justice. While the political ramifications of such pardons are complex, they reflect a broader tension in the U.S. over what constitutes fairness in the justice system and how presidents choose to wield their clemency powers. If Biden is within his rights to pardon his son, Trump too would likely see his own pardoning powers as legitimate, even if it involves individuals unrelated to him by blood or family ties.
The president’s discretion in granting pardons has long been a subject of debate, but the issue of political consistency and fairness remains central. If a president can pardon family members for actions that some view as legally dubious, it seems only logical that a future president might similarly issue pardons for others, especially when political and legal arguments frame their actions as a response to perceived injustices. Should Trump decide to pardon some of the Jan. 6 protesters, this decision of Joe Biden to pardon his own son will be immediately brought to mind.
Not even CNN can hide away from the fact that this move from Joe Biden is so bold that it makes a potential move from Trump to pardon the Jan. 6 protesters seem relatively mild in comparison. Not even the bought-out Leftist media can spin this story favorably for Joe Biden and company.
The Conservative Column will keep you updated on any major news and reports on the Joe Biden pardon of Hunter Biden.
