Staff Reports
In the grand theater of American politics, few characters take the stage with as much zeal as Rep. Adam Schiff. Back in 2018, during President Donald Trump’s initial term, Schiff made headlines by passionately criticizing Trump’s pardon of Scooter Libby, who had served time for lying to the FBI and obstruction of justice. Now, in a delightful twist of irony, Schiff finds himself in a metaphorical three-ring circus after President Joe Biden recently pardoned his son, Hunter Biden. Apparently, the spotlight follows Schiff like a moth to a flame, except this flame might be more like a contagious bonfire of hypocrisy.
Looking back at Schiff’s dramatic performances, he had introduced legislation aimed at preventing the president from using pardons as a get-out-of-jail-free card in investigations where he himself is a figure of interest. He argued that Congress should have access to investigative files to determine whether the president was using his pardon powers for his own benefit, because heaven knows, transparency is the name of the game when it comes to the Democrats. Schiff proclaimed that the American people deserve to know if a president is trying to shield himself from accountability—words that ring somewhat hollow now.
Adam Schiff 💩 says the President can’t PARDON his son!!! pic.twitter.com/PqOMWPO1rj
— Swamp Monster (@ThomasContino) December 3, 2024
Fast forward to today, and one can’t help but notice that Schiff has conveniently forgotten his own stringent principles on the matter of pardons. With Biden’s recent pardon of Hunter, which many see as a bid to clean up family messes, Schiff’s silence on the matter is deafening. Instead of addressing the hypocrisy of the current administration that he once vehemently critiqued, Schiff seems more preoccupied with musings about automation and workers’ rights. His apparent response to the election cycle’s comedy club-worthy antics? An unrelated video message that barely raises an eyebrow.
The irony isn’t just rich—it’s practically gourmet. Schiff’s lack of commentary following Biden’s pardon feels like political déjà vu. He once insisted that Congress should be the watchdog over presidential pardon power, but now it appears that neither he nor his Democratic colleagues feel the same urgency. If the tables had turned and a Republican president made such a questionable pardon, Schiff would’ve likely been calling for a congressional inquiry faster than one can say “double standard.” The silence from the left is about as loud as a marching band playing at a mime convention.
In the online fray, the reactions from conservative commentators have exposed the glaring disconnect between what Schiff said in 2018 and his current silence. Many conservatives have taken to social media to lampoon Schiff’s selective outrage. Critics have noted that if the Democrats didn’t have double standards, they wouldn’t have any standards at all. With Biden’s pardon effectively making Schiff’s previous calls for oversight look like child’s play, one can’t help but wonder if he’s due for a new set of principles—or at least a new script.
