Below is my column on the Biden family pardons in Fox.com. President Joe Biden merely confirmed the worst expectations of his critics. The true condemnation rests with those in the media who enabled the Biden influence-peddling operation.
Here is the column:
At 11:45 am, the media felt the final sting of the Biden scandal. It was delivered by President Joe Biden, who shattered any pretense of principle in pardoning family members allegedly implicated in the influence-peddling corruption scandal.
According to an old fable, a scorpion convinced a leery frog to carry him across a river, noting that he could not sting him since they would both drown. Halfway across, the scorpion struck and the frog asked why he would doom them both. The scorpion replied “I am sorry, but I couldn’t resist the urge. It’s in my nature.”
For those of us who have written about the corruption of the Biden family for decades, the pardons were crushingly predictable. The President simply couldn’t resist the urge.
In a city where corruption is a cottage industry, the Bidens have long been in a league of their own, from nepotism to influence peddling to illicit lobbying.
In the influence-peddling scandal, millions were generated from foreign sources in virtual plain view.
There were the luxury hotel rooms, a diamond, a sports car, and massive payments called “loans. In the summer of 2019, one Chinese businessman wired Hunter Biden $250,000 using Joe Biden’s Delaware home as the beneficiary address.”
The sense of absolute impunity came out in shake-down communications. For example, there was the WhatsApp message to a Chinese businessman openly threatening the displeasure of Joe Biden if money was not forked over without delay. In the message, Hunter warned:
“I am sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight. And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the Chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.”
That sense of impunity was due to mainstream media forming a protective shell around the family. The media refused to pursue the scandal despite the Hunter Biden laptop and clear evidence of influence peddling.
In 2020, CBS News’s Lesley Stahl literally laughed mockingly at then-President Donald Trump when he raised the Hunter Biden laptop and what it revealed about the Bidens. (Yet Stahl still recently expressed confusion and alarm that people were abandoning legacy media for new media.)
Reporters assured citizens that the laptop was presumptive “Russian disinformation.” Even after the media belatedly acknowledged that it was authentic, MSNBC and Washington Post analysts were still making the claim last year.
After Republicans in the House detailed millions in payments, the media shifted to claiming that there was no real scandal unless it was shown that Joe Biden actually received money directly. It was a ridiculous claim since courts have long treated money going to family members as the same as going directly to a principal as criminal conduct.
The media continued to protect Biden, as evidence showed that Biden had repeatedly lied about not meeting with Hunter’s clients or not having knowledge of his foreign dealings.
As the media narrative continued to collapse, it latched on the promise of Biden that he would never pardon his son – proof that the President was willing to let the criminal justice system run its course.
Biden then was shown to be lying about the pardon promise. After he was forced out of the election, Biden signed a pardon for any crimes over a decade committed by his son.
The media gave muttered “harrumphs” and moved on. Many said that it was understandable for a father of a son who struggled with drugs.
Now, in the final minutes of his presidency, Biden pardoned his other allegedly implicated family members, including James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden.
James Biden was previously referred for criminal charges for lying under oath to Congress as part of its investigation into the corruption scandal.
The pardons were clearly timed to avoid media scrutiny and questions. While he described the act as one of “conscience,” it was an almost mocking act of corruption.
In a strange way, it passed in Bidenworld as an honest moment. There were no claims of supporting an addicted son or dealing with a pending case. It was done in the final minutes because it was raw and obvious. There is no pretense or apology. Just good old-fashioned corruption Biden-style.
It was as honest a moment as when Biden told a friend that “no one f**ks with a Biden.” There was nothing revealing in this about Biden. He could shrug and say, “It’s in my nature.” The sting instead fell on the media, which trusted Biden not to demean it further with such an unethical and disgraceful final act.
The funny thing is that Biden made it across the river. He boarded his final flight with his family (and himself) protected by the misuse of his presidential authority. However, if he looked out the window, he could see his media allies slipping stunned beneath the waters.
Well Said, Spot On, Professor Turley, Thank you.
I havw to listen to CNN since I am living in Spain. Fox was dropped in Sppain and I also believe so for England. It seems that the word is out for the mainstream media to ignore coverage for the pardons for the Biden crime family even if directly asked. The immediate shift was to the Trump pardons instead of covering them.
For me the elephant in the room is the Fauci pardon. Which pardon does more harm than this one?
I mean as nice as some might feel to see Hunter punished or even Biden for that sort of corruption pardoning Fauci seems at least to put the nix on any sort of investigation into the pandemic and its origins and what really happened.
Of course its possible Hunters dealings in the Ukraine were in some way linked to the gain of function research but now we’ll never know for sure. And never have closure there. And certainly never see any accountability on any of it.
These pardons seems way out of line and in themselves an attempt by an outgoing failed President misusing his authority of office to conceal and cover up a mass conspiracy and crime.
When I heard he pardoned Fauci in his last “seconds” in office Worse he pardoned him all the way back to 2014. WHY?
Why would he do that if Fauci wasn’t guilty of anything?
If Fauci didn’t commit crimes, why would Biden pardon him? And why would he do it in his last SECONDS in office?
I mean the MAFIA conceals their crimes better than this.
And how can a President use his pardon powers to by his own stated reasoning, simply because he wants to restrict and circumvent any investigation into possible crimes by a future President.
Don’t’ you have to commit a crime to be pardoned? How can it be used like this to stop the Judicial process altogether?
The Pardon powers of a President mean he can openly engage in conspiracy and just order that no one can investigate or address it?
Because that’s what’s just happened.
My saddest moment of Fauci’s pardon. He made the American public suffer for 2 years. Dehumanizing is from any sense of normalcy. Biden protected him. May he meet his maker and be rejected. A little Neopalitan complex. He surely is. We may never see justice done to to him. But we know. Just like we know that OJ Sampson had his wife killed.
@Chris
Agreed. They just confirmed that the literal Soviet hell they subjected us to was completely by design beyond the two weeks, it was intentional. I’ve said it before, but that alone, and hoo boy is there so much more, is reason enough to keep the modern left out of power forever. I hope Rand Paul keeps going after Fauci, even if the pardons may mean he never faces consequences; at least we’ll know, and many of us did in the summer of 2020, and we were destroyed for saying it – the truth will be the justice, and may it be broadcast from sea to sea. Getting us out of the WHO and Paris fundraiser for rich folks ‘environmental’ boosheeta farce is my current favorite of the EOs. May the UN be next. Let those fascists fend for themselves while we prosper. They will sorely regret it.
Bless this country that is still, against all and overwhelming odds, free.
And sorry for the typos. This is an historic moment. May we carry it forward into the future to the extent that the past 16 years (thanks, Obama) feel like a bad dream that we can forget about upon waking.
Fauci’s underlings got no pardons. Even if Fauci himself cannot be punished, his crimes can still be investigated.
Granted, the pendulum for the grifters had swung to the far left but will the patriots of the constitutional republic be able to maintain the pendulum to swing to the right ?
the biden crime family is equaled in hypocrisy, perfidy and corruption by the trump crime family- we are now formally a banana republic
Evidence please.
You’re apparently listening to the fake “news” outlets.
dear Anonymous from the Darkside… why don’t you put your mouth to good use and tell us exactly just how the Trump Family could possibly compete with the well established Biden Crime Family instead of making silly comparisons because they make you feel better for being on the wrong side…..
The Huffington Post says that the pardons are a mistake. CNN says the pardons are a mistake. However, a frequent poster to this blog known as Anonymous still says that the pardons are justified. The leftist publications are afraid that this action will provide cover for Trump if he decides to do the same for his family in four years. Today the world must be a very lonely place for our resident Anonymous contrarian as she sees Donald Trump taking the oath of office. We can rejoice at the falling of leftist tears this day of January 21 in the year of our Lord 2025
Trump delivered his J6 pardons, now Congress must decide fate of panel that required clemency
“You don’t forgive somebody of something unless they have potentially done something,” said Rep. Barry Loudermilk, the Georgia Republican who took over the Jan. 6 probe from Democrats two years ago and exposed major factual flaws with the original investigation’s findings.
“I mean, to me, this is basically, if not an actual admission, it’s truly the perception of admitting that there was wrongdoing done,”
https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/tuetrump-delivered-his-j6-pardons-now-congress-must-decide-fate
Ya daughter Ashley showering humpingjoe biden laughs all the way to the bank… and the media will be the communist democrat media and protect the biden crime family when ever humpingjoe calls on them. Mr Turley, you are either naive or delusional.
@Turley,
While I agree with the points you raised in your article… consider the following:
In the back of everyone’s minds… which would be worse?
A corrupt and senile Joe Biden being handled or his VP taking over either due to impeachment or the 25th Amendment?
And that’s the scary thing.
Having a meat puppet Joe Biden “in charge” was actually the lesser of two evils.
And here’s the kicker… Biden out. Harris then gets impeached along w here new VP… Pelosi out as Speaker and a GOP speaker… all hell breaks loose.
That was Biden’s insurance policy.
Do you honestly think that the MSM, Democrats in general, will ever admit their failings?
-G
What makes you certain that Harris would not herself have been a “meat puppet”? Her obvious outstanding intellect? Perhaps she was chosen for VP as a reliable puppet to back up Biden.
In the words of his sister from another mother, what does it matter now? No one does squat. Communist America on steroids.
The media doesn’t care. Do you watch? I am forced to watch because my wife still thinks it is credible. Almost every piece has some lie, omission, half-truth and/or blatant propaganda.
Dear Prof Turley,
No frog has ever issued a ‘pre-emptive’ pardon to a scorpion.
“… he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for *Offences* against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
There has to be some ‘offense’ to pardon.
*Otherwise it’s just spitting into the wind. .. tugging on superman’s cape.
Pardons are not qualified by the Constitution. The president may issue any and all types and forms of pardons. That pardons are for offenses is innate, inherent, and understood. That offenses are against the United States merely differentiates the offense from those of inferior levels of government.
Well, pardon me, but this: >”That pardons are for offenses is innate, inherent, and understood.”
.. . is about as clear as mud.
*it’s one thing to pardon a miner faux’pa, it’s another thing to pardon someone for WWIII
I also agree with anonymous on these illegal broad pardons. I do not believe they will be upheld by the Supreme Court if challenged. I read the Garland case and others and in all cases there needed to be an offense mentioned. This was not done when Biden pardoned all of his family (for What?) or for the pardons to the J6 Committee, again for what. We all know about the many illegal things done by that J6 group, but Biden did not name any particulars.
Exactly.
Our legal system is built on due process — a pardon is part of that due process.
None of these people have gone through that due process, yet. Except I think I read one of biden’s brothers had been charged with a crime.
Just as no ‘law’ can be repealed until it is actually a law — someone mentioned the ERA should be repealed and another commenter replied it has to be law before it can be repealed — no one can receive a pardon for something they have not been adjudicated (is that the correct word?) to have committed.
In addition, biden made it clear that these people had committed no crimes and done nothing wrong. biden stated these pardons were to prevent investigation and prosecution of what he claims are innocent people. That’s obstruction of justice.
Furthermore, I’ve read, on here — love the excellent, intelligent, and knowledgeable comments and commenters here — that these are more ‘grants of immunity’ and not pardons. A president has no Constitutionally delegated authority to issue grants of immunity.
Lastly, sorry, this makes me so mad, the other powers the Constitution delegates to the president on this issue — reprieves, remissions, and commutations — those can only be done after a person has been convicted of an offence against the US.
I like your take on ‘obstruction of justice’.
*Pardons for undefined ‘offenses’, willy nilly, make a mockery of justice.
The most corrupt president in US History.
Is there anyway to make what goes on in Washington D.C. not a carnival?
From the W.H. to K-Street, to the Congress, to the SCOTUS, to the Treasury, to the Military, to the Alphabet Departments, to the … ends of the Earth.
Several years ago in a Prague newspaper was printed this assessment of Joe Biden and the voters who elected him.
The danger to America is not Joe Biden, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the
Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of a Biden presidency than to restore the
necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man
for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Biden, who is a mere
symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of fools should not blind anyone to the vast con-
federacy of fools who made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Biden, who is, after all,
merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president.
Here’s a required reading before America’s celebration of its 250th anniversary. It’s Sir John Glubb’s 24 page
essay, ” The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival” [1977]. After studying the fate of several empires across the
ages, Glubb concluded that their histories had basic cyclical patterns of birth, growth, and decay, generally
lasting 250 years. The characteristics of Glubb’s final stage, that of decadence, sure resembles closely con-
temporary activities into which Joe and his family fit seamlessly.
Exactly what I have been saying – the fact that 75 million Americans voted for Kamala is terrifying. Think of it – 75 million people out there just a dumb and destructive as George, GiGi, StupidAnon, and Dennis McIntyre (assuming they are even distinct real people). How do you fix that?
On top of that, we are staring up at the barrels of a shotgun, financially speaking. Here’s an excerpt:
“There is a lot of “rah-rah” over Trump coming back into office within days. But the economic environment in his first term was very different than it is now.
For one thing housing affordability was double what is today, roughly. That is you’d have to see house prices cut roughly in half with interest rates at a normal, positive-slope against actual inflation rate. Current inflation at the monetary level from the government is about 6% so this means a 7+% mortgage, or roughly equal or higher than it is now.
In addition the squeeze on American workers has had four more years to ferment — especially in tech but not exclusively-so. This is an insidious and corrosive thing that has been going on for a long time but when you couple it with the end of a 30+ year rate cycle that has now convincingly ended and thus we must expect the other half of the cycle for the next 20 or 30 years you’ve got trouble with anything economic that depends on increasing debt loads.
I cannot predict precisely when a “foldback” sort of event can and will come in the markets and economy but that we are at historically extreme valuation levels in the stock market coupled with severe affordability problems in the broader economy cannot be argued. Our economy and markets are as dry as the SW California scrub with 80mph Santa Ana winds ripping over both and despite the smug pronouncements out of The Fed and others there is only a belief that someone will be there to buy at an equal or higher price that is behind any of the market. Even firms that are very stable businesses such as Costco, which has a record of being able to expand earnings over long periods of time by 10% or so annually, is not selling at a 10 or a 15 multiple — its selling at a 54 PE, which is easily four to five times a reasonable forward expectation — this is a retailer with a 4% operating margin!
That which you could make a case for as borrowing got cheaper and cheaper over the last of 30 years doesn’t work when that cycle ends — and it has ended. As that paper has to be rolled over the cost of doing so goes up and that hit drops directly to the bottom line.
No matter where you look in the market today you find this sort of multiple, with it being even more-extreme in certain areas. Add to this the deterioration internally in the labor report on a quality, not gross employed number basis and the ratcheting upward of Americans’ cost of living and the sky is rather gray with the wind picking up.”
https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=252692
So, let me get this straight. Hypothetically, if Hunter was being paid by the cartels to arrange for his father to effectively open the southern border and permit the cartels to make obscene amounts of money transporting migrants to the border at any time during the period of the preemptive pardon, he could not be prosecuted?
NO, likely not. However he can be prosecuted by individual states. So I’m guessing, perhaps Texas which should have standing as they were directly harmed by the border invasion, might be able to bring some sort of action against Hunter. Also, he can be forced to testify in federal inquiries, and he cannot take the 5th as he’s been pardoned for all his many crimes. If he lies, that’s perjury, a crime he has no protection from as it’s new.
For that a he could go to prison. Finally, I don’t really care so much who goes to prison. What I do care about is that all these many crimes from all the nefarious bad actors in and or associated with the Biden adm. are exposed and thoroughly explained in a formal way, thus forcing the lying MSM to report on them in full.
Congressman James Comer (R-Ky) of the House Oversight Committee and Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) of the House Judiciary Committee Chair,
Know plenty of the ‘Follow-the-Money Biden Family Trail’. Pardons will not change the Facts, the Pardons will obfuscate the Facts.
It remains to be seen if Our Government will pursue justice, or just let it rot in the abyss of the National Archives.
Re:
Comer doubles down on shift away from Biden impeachment
By: Andrew Solender – Axios Politics & Policy ~ Mar 25, 2024
https://www.axios.com/2024/03/25/james-comer-biden-impeachment-criminal-referrals
BTW:
Comer to Return as Chairman of Oversight Committee in the 119th Congress
December 10, 2024
https://comer.house.gov/press-release?id=BEE0C42D-CD53-4031-AF0F-8448A84B291F
Oh I thought you were closing the file on your Biden character assassination campaign last week with your snarling Hunter finale, Turls.
Glad to see you found another reason to hyper ventilate with this push piece!
To be fair, I know it’s a dollars and cents issue for you. If it’s impossible to legally persecute the Bidens, it’s impossible for you to monetize your op Ed’s on the subject. Big hit to your pocketbook, ayy?
Just gonna have to suck it up and deal with your bitterness without being able to also cash in it looks like. You’re just going to have to be the butt hurt anti-anti trump academic who uses that platform to punnish those on your grudge list. That’s cool. I mean that way you’ll be able to nurse your ego without a nasty hit piece mandate and contract to make it all just that much more difficult for you…
Thoughts and prayers, bud.
Another communist democrat and their constant whingeing..
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F5h9iQ3aEAAm1Qk?format=jpg
Cynical diatribe, Anonymous! Many of us enjoy the blog. Why read it if you don’t enjoy it?
In a normal justice system, soon to be revived in the new administration, the actions of the Fourth Estate and Stahl could be deemed to make them accomplices to the crimes. Goebbels would be proud.
We NEVER want to hear from Dems or the Media about anything GOP or Trump conspiracy related AGAIN! These two classes of IDIOT (DEMS AND MEDIA) are lemmings just looking for the next cliff to jump from! We refuse to follow that lunacy and most Americans can think for themselves unless they are Kool-aid drinking numbskull Dems! In that case, please do follow your high priests, priestesses, or THEY/THEM Guru’s over the cliff – good riddance!!
Biden on the way out the door let us all know who really is the criminal party. What a way to end a disaster of a presidency. And MSM, their ratings reflect their trust worthiness, that is, none. Biden made them look like the chumps they are.
As Biden departed, and looked down at the gathered crowd from the plane’s window, he turned, and commented to Jill, “See, they still think I’m number one!”.