Below is my column in the Hill on the decision of Joe Biden to end his presidency with a final act of ignominy. The use of his pardon authority to protect his own family members was the final corruption of Joe Biden.
Here is the column:
With only 15 minutes to go as president, Joe Biden snatched infamy from the jaws of obscurity.
With record-low polling and widely viewed as a “failed” president, Biden completed his one-man race to the bottom of ethics by issuing preemptive pardons to members of his own family.
The pardons were timed to guarantee that the media would not focus on yet another unethical act by this president. He need not have worried. For four years, the media worked tirelessly to deny or deflect the corruption scandal surrounding the Biden family.
The pardoning of James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens and Francis Biden brought an inescapable clarity to the corruption of what is known in Washington as Biden Inc.
I have written about the Biden family’s corruption for decades. Influence-peddling has always been the favorite form of corruption in Washington, but this city has never seen the likes of the Biden family. Millions of dollars were secured from foreign sources and distributed to various Biden family members.
Biden repeatedly lied about the influence peddling. He long denied knowing about his son’s foreign clients or business. He denied ever meeting Hunter’s clients. Later, photos and emails showed that Biden had clearly met these clients and knew about the business deals. He was fully aware that his family was cashing in on his name and various offices.
Even Biden’s claims about handling the Trump cases were recently contradicted. While long claiming that he left these cases to the Justice Department and took no position on the merits, the Washington Post recently reported that Biden was irate over the failure to prosecute Trump before the election. He also reportedly lashed out at Attorney General Merrick Garland and said he regretted his appointment in light of the failure to nail Trump.
One of the most glaring lies was that he would never pardon his son. Few people believed him. Indeed, Hunter Biden’s bizarre criminal defense made no sense unless he knew that he had a pocket pardon if all else failed.
Once he was forced out of the presidential race, Biden was freed up to sign a pardon for any and all crimes committed over a ten-year period by his son. He insisted that he really hadn’t been lying. He claimed that no ordinary person would have been tried for his son’s crimes — a manifestly untrue statement. He also emphasized that he had to take this step as a father of a son who was a hopeless addict and has now been clean for years.
However, the latest family pardon shatters even that rationalization. These Bidens are not even charged with any crimes, but Biden wanted to give them cover from any possible prosecution for anything. It was the ultimate sign of contempt for the intelligence of the American public and the integrity of his office.
Biden has long exercised situational ethics and, with his powers coming to an end, the situation demanded that he cash out before his credit ended. In granting these pardons, Biden was seeking to protect not just his family but also himself. He was the object of the influence peddling and repeatedly lied to bury the scandal. This insulation of his family serves to move the threat farther from himself.
Biden, however, may have been too clever by half this time. In the final moments of his presidency, He broke into the open and exposed not just himself but his allies in the media. Reporters are now fully visible as willing dupes in one of the greatest corruption scandals in the history of this country.
In his pardon statement, Biden insisted that “the issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense.” Of course, that is the very opposite of what most people will conclude. More importantly, the pardons will not end the threat to his family.
Figures such as James Biden have been accused of lying to Congress about the influence-peddling operation. He can still be subpoenaed and, if he lies, he can be charged with a new crime.
Indeed, after James Biden’s pardon, it will be argued that he has less basis to claim the right to remain silent about any alleged crimes committed during the period for which the pardon applies. (He could argue that there is a danger of state charges, but that is less credible due to the running of statutes of limitation and other factors.)
The pardons, if anything, make such an investigation even more compelling for those who want answers to longstanding questions of corruption.
Biden sealed his legacy with a finality that escapes most presidents. While his diminished mental capacity will remain an issue for historians, his longstanding lack of ethics was conclusively established with these pardons. It was Biden’s final act of corruption.
For a president who liked to call others “lying dog-faced pony soldiers,” Biden proved that, in the world of political corruption, the ponies are entirely optional.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
I agree with the investigation to asses how much damage was done and to try to mitigate whatever we can. But the pardons do limit us.
The most important thing we can do is lay it bare for the entire country to see with all the interconnections, graft, money movement and such and then put it all in a concise report and, print and pass it out to all American citizens. The main people this should be focused on are those that continued to believe and voted for the Crime Family even as they voted for Kamala. (About 75 million). You will not convert many but you may convert enough so as to keep his enablers and the Democratic Party out of the WH for the next several election cycles.
Maybe, just maybe we can bring that Party down and shrink it close to oblivion. You won’t exterminate it, that’s just not possible but severe shrinkage could help.
Corruption and influence peddling have to become law and with severe penalties, irrespective of who they are.
Constitutional amendment to limit the power of the Pardon.
We have to remember that the Federal Government is so big and tosses around so much money that it almost guarantees corruption. Solution- massive shrinkage. The Argentina Solution.
While the Biden Crime Family can no longer prosecuted, is there any reason they can’t be forced to disgorge their ill-gotten, stolen loot–Including the Big Guy’s 10% cut?
Every dollar should be confiscated, and they should be forced to pay unpaid taxes on plunder they’ve spent.
Yeah! I’m all for ‘That’, I want a citizen’s Time-Share of ‘That’ at Biden’s Rehoboth Beach House.
(in July or August will be fine). Got my Kid a metal detector a few years back, maybe I’ll use it and find Ukrainian and Chinese Gold Bars buried in the Sand.
I suspect the grounds are too soiled to be enticing.
Particularly the showers.
Someone far wiser than this writer will provide a one word way for history to remember Biden. Until then l respectfully suggest Sméagol.
While a presidential pardon precludes criminal charges, a trial, and possible conviction, it does not preclude a thorough public investigation of the Biden family and public exposure of any ill-gotten gains. It is interesting to consider whether any discovered ill-gotten gains would be recoverable by the federal government by federal civil asset forfeiture laws independent of conviction at trial. Public shaming of these miscreants may be more satisfying than prolonged criminal trials, and would be cheaper for the U.S. taxpayer. And just desserts would be publication of any adverse findings of such an investigation similar to the release of Jack Smith’s investigative findings of Trump before they could be introduced and defended at trial.
So once again I ask this question. If the President is complicit in criminal behavior with his coconspiraters during his presidency can’t he be impeached post term and have his pardons removed? This is new territory but America has never seen anything like this before. This kind of corruption has to be stopped and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. With this kind of selling us out you may end up with some other corrupt politician selling Uranium to Russia or something! Even if you don’t put them in prison they need to be stripped of their ill gotten gains, General Flynn style!
” can’t he be impeached post term and have his pardons removed?”
Retroactively impeached? Possibly, but it would be a tough slog. Pardons removed retroactive to the effective date of impeachment? I doubt that very much. In addition to the impediments to the first action, there would be arguments regarding ex post facto to wade through. I think that there is a better (but not “good”) chance of a ruling that pardons for uncharged offenses are not authorized by A2S2.
Remember that Biden was already under investigation by Comer well before he granted any pardon. The process of impeachment inquiry was in play, that has to be legal standing in this.
What is the exact wording of Gerald Ford’s pardon of Nixon? Has that set a precedent?
This is from Article II Section 2 of the constitution,
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
The key words being, OFFENCES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, I would hope that congress will forward a referral for lying to congress for one of the people Biden Pardoned. Then it would be clear if what he did is legal.
So another legal aspect of this was that Biden was under investigation for impeachment as he issued the pardons. Couldn’t that be solid ground to rebuke this criminal? If the evidence is there, burn them down!
I think people forget the other clemency powers a president has — reprieves, commutations, and remissions.
All of these require due process — conviction and sentence before they can happen.
Reprieves and pardons are linked in the Constitution, both are for offences against the US.
It is utterly illogical and, I believe, improper construction to claim that a pardon does not also need a conviction to be issued.
These are all parts of our due process. If one has never been through due process and been convicted of an offense against the US, there is nothing to pardon.
Dear Jonathon, please get a grip. You have missed the biggest unkept secret of the Biden family and that is many years ago they partnered with the CIA. I expected nothing less from the CIA agent VP and then Presidential puppet of the spooks…
Mitchell – the Biden’s are protected by pardons. The CIA or anyone that partnered with them is not.
” the Biden’s are protected by pardons. The CIA or anyone that partnered with them is not.”
The day that a high level CIA functionary (other than someone who has fallen out of spook favor and is therefore deemed expendable) is brought to trial and convicted for a violation of the Constitution or any other major Federal crime would be a truly great day for the USA. Unfortunately, it will almost certainly also be long after I am gone.
The same lying members of the media and the Democrat party that are saying they are “disappointed” in the pardons are the same lying members of both that said they were ‘shocked” to find out that Biden was suffering from mental deterioration after the debate.
THEY ARE LYING NOW AS THEY LIED ON JUNE 28th.
Yes, and they are out of power. Worse still no one trusts them.
I watched bits of various confirmation hearings and they were SAD.
Democrats went after Trump nominees – as expected. Republicans went after Biden nominees. That is normal politics.
What was different was the behavior of the nominees, and the trong sense of weakness and irelevance from democrats.
Schiff was the worst – not in the sense that his questioning was poor – though it was – several other democrats were worse.
But in the sense that he came accross as a tiny man drowning in his cloths. Bondi very carefully and articulately put him in his place.
No Democrat nominee would have dared to do that with Cruz or Hawley.
What is different ? Democrats – and particularly Schiff have lost peoples respect – not just the respect of republicans, not the respect of their collegues, but of much of the country.
There was purportedly a Democratic strategy to go after Trump’s nominees to embarrass them on the world stage. This was supposed to be the first step in the resistance.
This strategy was not a fizzle is was an abject failure.
What Schiff did was not politics, it was criminal and he should be held accountable.
He should also be bounced from any important committees.
He should be shining shoes at the steps of Congress or in prison with his pal Ed Buck.
John Say,
Well said. Abject failure is right. Bondi mopped the floor with them. Stefanik did too.
But we have already established that they are all compulsive liars and yet nothing is EVER finally done to hold them accountable – the WHY that this is how DC operates is the big question that Trump and his myrmidons must answer.
Prof. Turley, the only thing surprising about this is that you did not expect it.
I would hope this would put an end to the throng of claims on the left that teh Biden’s are pure as snow and that nothing has been proven.
Does the Biden Family corruption matter now ? Mostly not. Most people know they were corrupt. These pardons just provide further evidence.
Maybe this drops the scales from the eyes of a few.
It certainly will have no effect on the woke.
Yes, the investigations should continue. But the purpose is NOT to target the Biden’s, but to bring in sunlight and to address the enablers and national security compromises involved.
Hopefully Bondi will appoint a Special Counsel, and they will go about their business mostly quietly.
“Most people knew he was corrupt”? I just asked 10 people on FB if they knew Biden was corrupt. All responded, he was never charged or convicted of corruption.
Most not all. Is there any doubt that “the usual suspects” here will rant that nothing has been proven and that this is just protection from Trump and Vengeful republicans.
This is NOT most people.
No investigation, no evidence, therefore no crime. The Clinton’s came close but the fix was in with the FBI, DOJ, and IRS. The FBI even agreed to destroy evidence in exchange for testimony with preemptive immunity. The D party is corrupt and has corrupted the federal government as well.
“All responded, he was never charged or convicted of corruption.”
Are those 10 people by some chance members of a FB group for attorneys?
This is what cult members looks like. Amy Klobuchar looks at Schumer with a face that screams “don’t answer the question”. Schumer does not disappoint. This is Dante’s 9th Circle of Hades material
Reporter: Leader Schumer you mentioned obviously your concern about the Trump pardons what about Joe Biden. Was it appropriate for him to give a blanket part to his family on the way out the door?
Schumer: we’re looking at the future
He may have protected them from a formal conviction by the courts, but, if all of their deeds can now be exposed for public inspection; they are powerless to plead the 5th and will need to cough up the truth under oath or be held in contempt. Either way they should be seen as pariah to the nation. The same fate for all he pardoned is fine with me. Expose all of biden’s grifting career and all the skunks that abetted his actions – or worse yet, concealed the nature of his dementia.
The final spate of pardons for his La Cosa Nostra crime family members may be the final corruption of Brandon as a chief executive, but recall what Obama warned: do not underestimate Joe’s ability to #@!! things up. Until he descends into the netherworld, there are still a lot of post-presidential crimes he can (and likely will) commit.
Again, he could do the Republic a yuuuge favor by just finding a comfortable recliner, sitting back and slurping down a few hemlock ice cream waffle cones.
A State Funeral would be a wonderful thing!
Only if we get to piss into his open coffin.
I’d stand in line for that.
Take a Number 6 on his head, so to speak with your choice of figuring the cumulative mix! 🤣
We may needs allow him to lie in State after his death, but then I would hope we just cremated him and flush him down a public toilet somewhere in the swamp.
It would be very revealing to learn who are behind the NGO’s that have been receiving tax dollars to aide and assist illegal aliens. What exactly is the Clinton Global Foundation doing in the Ukraine?
The immigration NGOs are the grift that has done serious harm to the nation. We have the Climate Grift as well and that grift caused 20% inflation which means in other words that lining the pockets of the green money grubbers has cost every family about $5,000 a year.
The Climate Grift and the Immigration NGO Grift are done solely to enrich Democrat’s friends, and Democrats themselves (see Pelosi, Nancy and Paul) and to empower China to get stronger (they build 100 coal plants a year as climate warriors attack only the west) and assist in weakening the US and the West.
I agree with you, but I also think that we need an investigation in order to identify who they are and recoup the funds and place them back into Social Security and Medicare. I have a feeling that the degree of corruption would blow our minds🤯.
Lining up cheap farm land deals for the Soros family Empire ? Rich in heavy metals…
“He thought he was a wit. He was half right.”
He is a bribe taking grifter. The house investigation estimated that the Biden Family were all in at 35 million dollars. He issued his preempted pardon to his family because they took the money. They were named in the report.
He pardoned Hunter who owed the IRS well over a million in unpaid tax. Gone. He took Air Firce One out of D.C. on his last day. There is a couple more million.
These are but a few facts. These bribes have been known for years. The story has been suppressed.
In the end, like every human being, he will stand in judgment. He, like all of us, will have a lot to answer for. His day of reckoning will come. It started at the inauguration speech. He looked very uncomfortable.
The words “consciousness of guilt” come to mind.
Work for the CIA not the American people…
Bidens Corruption Inc. now drag all of them in front of investigating committees/Congress, under oath, if they lie Prosecute them. Can Hunter or Jim or Biden’s sister tell the truth? Go after their partners who were not pardon. Make the Biden’s toxic. Yet the DEMS continue to protect them?
Helllo! They all have immunity.
Immunity means they can not invoke the 5th amendment. It also means that if they lie under oath they can be prosecuted for that.
Those who have been pardoned, have enormous inventive to cooperate.
Biden pardoned his family. Many other people were involved in this. They do not have immunity.
and he and his family got away with it!
It shows Crime pays and remember the $10’s of Trillion printed since 2008…in went to the 10% and Democrat money centers of Boston, NY, Cali, etc
and the GOP will continue to do Nothing!
Corruption doesn’t go away if you just ignore it! Everyone on planet Earth knows that 30% of the entire government is actively working to undermine Trump, steal and sell out the USA!
Biden’s corruption has been known for decades….the idea of a VP Family taking millions from China, Ukraine, etc and getting benefit….while NO ONE does anything…is appalling! The USA has a 50/50 chance of survival given there is $130,000 of federal debt per person(family of 4 almost $600k) and that doesn’t include the trillions of future payments dedicated to out of control pensions, benefits for government workers and various entities.
Anonymous – Comers committee did about as much as is possible for a congressional committee to do. Actual prosecutions must be done by DOJ.
What is it that you want done ? Hopefully DOJ will investigate now. Though this should be a low profile investigation done carefully quietly and with little fanfare.
The objective is NOT to “get Biden” or his family, but to get to the bottom of this, and to prosecute the myriads of enablers that were necescary for this./
Further the Biden Family corruption is the least important of investigations that need to occur. You correctly note that may in government are actively working to Thwart Trump.
That is not new, it is not unique to Trump and it must be dealt with.
Candidate Obama promised to get us out of Afghanistan and Iraq in 90 days. Whatever you feel about Obama, it is clear we should have gotten out long ago.
There was no US benefit to our involvement over the next 12 years.
Why did Pres, Obama back away from that promise ? With near certainty because “the deep state” opposed it and threatened him and his presidency if he went through with that promise ?
Who runs the country – the bureaucrats of those we elect to do so. Electing Obama was a mistake. But no one elected the Deep State.
Candidate Obama promised to get us out of Afghanistan and Iraq in 90 days. Whatever you feel about Obama, it is clear we should have gotten out long ago.
There was no US benefit to our involvement over the next 12 years.
Not clear at all to me because I don’t believe all the terrorists have retired or decided to take up farming.
I do hope Americans felt they were getting some level of security during those 12 years – as well as the rest of those years – while the hajjis primary mission was staying alive in the mountains to fight another day. Rather than being in control of the country and having secure, comfortable terrorist training facilities and bases to work towards future terrorist attacks on America.
Particularly the last seven years when it was the ANA and ANP doing all the fighting and dying while we were in the rear with the gear providing the technical and logistical support for them to fight the way we trained them to fight.
Ah well… they’ll never pull off another 9/11; nothing to worry about.
Trump’s team with Patel and Bondi aren’t even in place yet so let’s not say that they won’t do anything about it.
When you’re a front man for the CIA it happens on a regular basis. The biggest unreported story about Biden and his family… CIA operatives!
“$130,000 of federal debt per person”
According to what I read: $1.2MM debt and unfunded liabilities PER TAXPAYER. Even if Trump and DOGE achieve everything they seek (highly unlikely) that cannot be completely paid off. Hyperinflation, or debt repudiation (i.e. Federal bankruptcy) – pick your poison. The road for can-kicking grows shorter every day.
You Can Believe The Math Or The Politicians, But Not Both
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/you-can-believe-math-or-politicians-not-both
Let me be the first to say it, “But Trump,,,,,”
Also, “Professor Turley is just a right wing hack for his corporate masters.”
Should I go on or do most of the regulars here know the drill?
so you support the biden sending $250 Billion to Ukraine because his family received millions from Ukraine?
You support Biden as his family took millions from China as he helped them?
Wow. I bet you believe every democrat politician should get millions to sell power like Obamas, Clintons, Gore, etc?
I was being facetious. Anytime Prof. Turley talks about subjects like this, the name calling begins.
Sarcasm does not work well on the internet.
Apparently not. However, I try to remain cautiously optimistic.
It worked for me. Keep on keeping on.
/S punctuation is important
I understood, but sometimes a s/, or is it /s, tag is helpful.
“so you support . . .”
Do you not know the purpose of quotation marks?
And what exactly to you think he meant in his last sentence?
I might suggest yet another form of corruption, more like his continuum of lies, may be yet to come. Within a year or so, Biden will publish his memoirs. These will be a fully fictionalized and glowing account of his accomplishments, not an uncommon outcome. In Biden’s particular case is that he won’t write it – not a word. It will be fully ghosted, not so much normal. The true corruption part will be that, most likely, he’ll not even read it.
That appears to be the way that the deep state pays them for fulfilling their tasks.
Corruption is as corruption does!
Makes no sense Forrest.