Former President Donald Trump has suggested that Joe Biden should have issued himself a pardon before the end of his presidency, reigniting debates over the use of preemptive pardons. The remarks came during a preview of an upcoming interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, set to air Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST.
In the teaser, Trump accused Biden of weaponizing the Department of Justice to target him politically, pointing to the federal indictments he faces in Florida and Washington. Trump implied that Biden’s actions could leave him vulnerable to similar treatment.
“This guy went around giving everybody pardons,” Trump said, referring to Biden’s last-minute preemptive pardons issued during his final hours in office. “And you know, the funny thing, maybe the sad thing, is he didn’t give himself a pardon.”
Trump’s remarks came after Hannity mentioned Biden’s 2020 campaign promise to avoid preemptive pardons. Cutting him off, Trump defended his decision not to pardon himself or his allies during his presidency, claiming there was no wrongdoing to pardon.
“We had people that suffered,” Trump said, referring to former aides Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, who both served four-month sentences for contempt of Congress. “They’re incredible patriots. They’ve lost their fortunes, their nest eggs, paying lawyers, and so much more.” Trump added that neither Bannon nor Navarro would have accepted a pardon, even if offered.
Biden, meanwhile, has defended his use of preemptive pardons for his siblings and their spouses, stating they were necessary to shield his family from potential political attacks. The pardons were issued quietly less than an hour before Biden left office, during a moment when attention was focused on the inauguration of his successor.
Biden’s decision has faced criticism from both sides of the aisle. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) told ABC News last month that preemptive pardons set a dangerous precedent. “This is not a precedent we want to set,” Schiff said, referencing Biden’s actions.
Trump has seized on the controversy, accusing Biden of hypocrisy for warning against blanket pardons during his campaign. “He told everyone he wouldn’t do it, but he went and pardoned his family on the way out,” Trump said.
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9 Responses
By all means Pam bondi should proceed if there’s evidence. The pardon8ng of the family made any investigation very difficult
That cause he didn’t want to be the first
Says the twice impeached, 4 times indicted and convicted felon. Only an idiot would think there’s such thing as a self pardon.
rt – As usual, you comment about things that you know nothing about. Only an idiot doesn’t agree with the logic of Kal v’chomer. If the president has the authority to pardon others, surely he has the authority to pardon himself. But, besides the logic, “yehuda v’od l’krah”, the Constitution gives unlimited poer of granting pardon except in cases of impeachment ONLY. Only when being impeached, the president cannot pardon himself. U.S. Const. art. II, § 2, cl. 1; see Garland, 71 U.S. at 373 (acknowleding that the President’s authority to grant pardons is subject to the exception of cases of impeachment and that [w]ith that exception the power is unlimited).
There have been legal articles debating whether the President may issue a self-pardon or pardon contempt of Congress—but this is an open debate among legal experts (except the commentator rt says only an idiot would think so!), since it has not been addressed by the Supreme Court. E.g., Paul F. Eckstein & Mikaela Colby, Presidential Pardon Power: Are There Limits and, If Not, Should There Be?, 51 Ariz. St. L.J. 71, 97–100 (2019) (surveying arguments regarding authority to self-pardon); Charles D. Berger, The Effect of Presidential Pardons on Disclosure of Information: Is Our Cynicism Justified?, 52 Okla. L. Rev. 163, 181 (1999) (describing pardon of Dr. Francis Townsend for contempt of Congress, without court challenge, during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt). So once again rt shows that he knows nothing but speaks loudly as if he does.
So if Bidung did not pardon himself. Than after the inaugeration, the scoundral and rascal Bidung should have been nabbed and put under arrest for treason and war crimes against humanity. Sadams scaffold awaits him and Hunter
rt is nervous as are most Libs. They set a terrible precedent by going after trump. Only an idiot, to coin a phrase🤣, would believe charges brought by bondi against Biden would be bogus. The American public has no love for crooked joe. If he were held to account it wouldn’t go well for him.
The great melumedes the rebetzin forgot that preemptive pardons are just as unresolved. But Joe did them anyway ( as did ford) . However her oversight is quite understandable due to the long term effects of TDS
My dear Chavasdaas, it is difficult for the melumedes to effectively communicate with the ignorant, simple and uncouth. You claim that I have long term effects of TDS – Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome. I assume because you too must suffervfrom it. Your TDS is somewhat different -Trump Derangement Syndrome. For treatment, TDS – “Ter Die Sumendum,” (- as we say in Latin), say three times a day Make America Great Again. Maybe you will grow a pair, and overcome your own Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome.