Staff Reports
Pardons are a presidential tradition as old as the republic itself, often doled out by outgoing commanders-in-chief to a select few individuals, usually with an eye toward making a final political statement or appeasing a certain constituency. As President Joe Biden inches toward the exit door, speculation is brewing about who will receive these coveted “get out of jail free” cards before the Bidens hand off the keys to the Oval Office, whether to Vice President Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.
The spotlight is undeniably on Hunter Biden, the president’s son, whose recent admissions of guilt in multiple federal cases could put him behind bars for quite a while. In September, Hunter copped to nine counts, including some serious felonies related to taxes and a prior gun conviction. Despite numerous promises to “let justice take its course,” the reality is that Biden may feel pressure to rescue his son from a fate far worse than any Thanksgiving family dinner. The question looms: will Biden break the tradition of “no family left behind”?
He’s angling for a pardon from Joe if he loses. Get ready for all the “to heal the divisions in the country” arguments in Nov and Dec which will also come from some Dems and media. Bookmark this. pic.twitter.com/S28y4L933l
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) October 24, 2024
To complicate matters, there’s a distinction that usually flies over the heads of less politically savvy folks: the difference between a pardon and clemency. While a pardon wipes the slate clean as if the crime never happened, clemency only lessens the penalties but keeps the stains on one’s record intact. This leaves plenty of room for speculation about what kind of special treatment, if any, Biden might cook up for Hunter. After all, if the Democrats can champion the likes of Chelsea Manning’s reduced sentence after espionage charges, why not try something similar for the president’s son?
Looking at Democrats with existing legal troubles, there’s a smorgasbord of pardon-worthy candidates just waiting for Biden’s rubber stamp. Former Senator Bob Menendez, recently convicted of 16 crimes, stands out as someone who could use an eleventh-hour save. Then there’s New York City Mayor Eric Adams, tangled in his own web of corruption charges—a perfect example of how criminal charges don’t seem to faze Democrats, especially when they can quickly shift blame to the administration’s supposed missteps on immigration.
Even further down the Democratic rabbit hole, former Representative T.J. Cox is staring down the barrel of extensive fraud charges. The pardon list is practically writing itself, assuming Biden decides to play nice with his fellow party members. While predicting pardons can often feel like guesswork at a carnival booth, it’s clear that the race for clemency is heating up as Biden’s time wanes.
The last-minute pardon wave isn’t specific to Biden. Presidents of both stripes have made headlines with surprise pardons. Ronald Reagan caught some flak for letting NASCAR legend Junior Johnson off the hook for moonshining, while Bill Clinton’s pardon of Marc Rich is still generating raised eyebrows nearly a quarter-century later. The political theater surrounding last-minute pardons has become so common that it begs for a bit of humor, especially when considering how these power moves seem to escape any meaningful fallout at the ballot box.
In the midst of this, one can’t help but wonder about the chaotic spectacle of Biden issuing a pardon to Trump, echoing Gerald Ford’s infamous pardon of Richard Nixon. It would be the cherry on top of the political absurdity iceberg. Funny as it sounds, a scenario like that could leave the American public scratching their heads and wondering just how convoluted politics can get in an administration that has made a habit of dodging accountability. Whether Biden decides to go down that path or stick with his own kind seems to be the biggest question of all.
