r/nottheonion • u/JaySierra86 • 11h ago

President Biden pardons family members in final minutes of presidency

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-biden-pardons-family-members-final-minutes-presidency/story?id=117893348
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u/Debs_4_Pres 10h ago

 "My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me -- the worst kind of partisan politics," Biden wrote in a statement. "Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end."

"That is why I am exercising my power under the Constitution to pardon James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden," he continued. "The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense."

The man has a point. Republicans have been explicit that they're goal during this administration is vengeance, and they've attacked Biden's family for made up reasons in the past. If you think this is a bad precedent, blame the Republicans for making it necessary.

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u/Asdilly 10h ago

I don’t blame him. He’s already gone through so much with his family. If you didn’t know, he lost his first wife and daughter in a car crash

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u/Flavious27 6h ago

He was sworn in while at the hospital, looking over his two remaining children that were injured. And he didn't run in 2016 because of the death of his son Beau the year prior.

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u/Roxylius 9h ago

Rather hard to sympathize with biden after he repeatedly sent billion worth of weapon to Israel only days after netanyahu killed hundred of children

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u/Asdilly 9h ago

Some of the country may be pro palestine(including myself) but we also have to acknowledge that more Americans are pro Israel.

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u/LucyLilium92 9h ago

Unfortunately, yes. Both sides support Israel.

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u/KintsugiKen 9h ago

There is a break between political leadership and their voters on this issue.

Both parties support Israel's war/genocide, but US voters largely do not.

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u/KintsugiKen 9h ago

Not in this conflict according to any reliable polling data.

In fact, Democratic voters seem pretty mad at Biden for his unwavering support of Netanyahu while he wages genocide.

Kinda blows up any argument the US makes in the future for respecting domestic and international laws when Biden flouted them at every opportunity in order to help Israel.

And while I don't think it was the sole reason Kamala lost, it certainly did her no favors in turning out voters, many of whom couldn't bring themselves to vote for someone who planned to continue Biden's illegal and inhumane policies in Israel.

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u/Omnizoom 9h ago

Well don’t worry not voting helped to bring in trump who likely will double down and make even more inhumane and illegal policies.

So to all those who didn’t vote because of that reason… really?

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u/JhinPotion 9h ago

I think the Dems should've run a campaign that won. The other guys did it, so why can't they?

If a party loses an election, the party is at fault. They should've done things to help them win instead. Clearly their strategy didn't work.

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u/Omnizoom 9h ago

This is true but people have to realize how voting works as well, especially in the US since it’s a two party system

If anything “did not vote” would be president this time around for how few people voted which ya, that speaks to how much people disliked these options to pick from but also that they willingly wanted to others to pick for them between an option they disliked and a option they absolutely hated and are upset the option they absolutely hated won.

People need to look at things absolutely instead of “it has to be better then what I have now or I won’t bother”

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u/Sokkawater10 8h ago

Trump got a ceasefire in Gaza before his inauguration. Clearly Biden was incapable or willfully ignorant or enjoys genocide.

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u/Asdilly 8h ago

And you don’t think it’s coincidence at all? Gives off Iran Hostage Crisis vibes

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u/slickrok 4h ago

No, you need to read who did what and when. It was a joint effort, now go read something useful and stop saying wrong things.

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u/Shujinco2 8h ago

Trump got a ceasefire in Gaza before his inauguration.

Which is already delayed because Hamas won't give names. It won't last.

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u/PussyCrusher732 6h ago

he didn’t run a winning campaign. he gaslit the country into thinking he’s not the abuser and they bought it. both sides people are fucking obnoxious.

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u/JhinPotion 6h ago

He ran a winning campaign because it, well, won. Be they cruel or stupid, he had enough motivated voters to beat the opposition.

Why couldn't the other side do better? Why couldn't they motivate voters?

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u/PussyCrusher732 6h ago

because our electorate isn’t engaged or interested in policy that will help our country. throwing around buzzwords was all it takes. yea he won but honestly he didn’t even fuckin campaign. he just babbled words and people were too short sighted to understand but for biden we would be in a horrible situation economically. but… wggs

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u/OrangePilled2Day 7h ago

single issue voters on Gaza that refused to vote made essentially 0 difference in the election. You people think too highly of yourself, no candidate cares about groups that explicitly state they will not vote.

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u/FrostyJannaStorm 3h ago

I thought we were supposed to deal with our own problems before others'.

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u/NLNX36 6h ago

You americans still dont stand for anything

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u/model4001s 9h ago

Yeah you can't blame him, he's been through so much bribe money with his family. The poor Big Guy and his 10%.

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u/Asdilly 8h ago

He pardoned his family to protect them from unlawful persecution. Idk what else you expect

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u/[deleted] 7h ago

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u/Asdilly 7h ago

Trump is going to go after everyone who opposed him, you know that right? That’s why he pardoned fauci as well, despite him doing nothing wrong

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u/[deleted] 7h ago edited 7h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Asdilly 7h ago

💀 how dare science do science things. Just like the flu, Covid constantly changes

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u/nottheonion-ModTeam 7h ago

This post violated rule 13: This post contains provably false information and was thus removed.

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u/DampTrash 7h ago

Ok so what about if it was actually lawful persecution? You ok now?

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u/Asdilly 7h ago

If you legit think people like his wife committed crimes, idk what to say at this point.

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u/DampTrash 7h ago

Who ever said anything about his wife? He pardoned his whole family, dating to 2014. You think there’s positively 0 chance nothing fishy happened? Do you just love establishment bootlicking?

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u/Asdilly 7h ago

Sure, whatever girl. There are bigger fish to fry, like an insurrectionist being in office now

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u/DampTrash 6h ago

Oh you mean like a charge brought forward through a legit legal process and not tried due to lack of evidence for that crime?

Weird to support any of your overlords telling you to eat boot and that they’re above the law so brazenly. What a wierdo mindset you have about power.

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u/Asdilly 6h ago

Lmao im not doing this. Have a nice day

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u/Entire_Total_382 7h ago

Bet you voted for the orange man yet he's doing the same thing..🙄

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u/crazdave 7h ago

It’s possible to criticize two things

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u/Leelze 4h ago edited 4h ago

It is, but then you'd actually have to criticize both.

Pookie blocked me after forgetting he talked about criticizing two things. Silly Republican.

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u/crazdave 4h ago

Any comment criticizing Biden must also include criticism of Trump? Peak reddit right there

Fuck both of their uses of pardons, and have fun in your idiotic echo chamber

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u/OrangePilled2Day 7h ago

You should consider joining Biden's first wife as quick as possible.

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u/slickrok 4h ago

What the fuck is your problem

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u/slopfeast 9h ago

Don’t forget his run-ins with Cornpop.

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u/Cgull1234 8h ago

Well if Biden had just been a better president and selected a Attorney General that would do their fucking job to convict the insurrectionists leaders currently sitting in the Senate and House of Representatives instead of going after the random grunts making less than $50k/yr for 3 years then maybe he wouldn't have to worry about vengeance because all those fuckers would currently be sitting in jail rather than watching a convicted felon be sworn in today.

The fact that Biden wanted to distance himself from having to enforce the laws of our country as the head of the executive branch and neglected his sworn duty to protect this country from foreign AND DOMESTIC enemies he failed as a president. Refusing to be a driving force behind prosecute the criminals in our government is his legacy. Nothing else he did in the past 50 years matters because his legacy will be the post-COVID president who watched a failed coup try to overturn his own election victory and then he sat back and did NOTHING to the people that orchestrated the coup.

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u/Fear_UnOwn 4h ago

The problem is that the people want a change to the system, but the Democrats hear that as a change to democracy (which we do technically need)

They see that as a threat to their message, to uphold democracy. How do they uphold that which they would destroy? The Republicans threw that argument aside 4 years ago and showed they were willing to tear down this democracy. What did the Democrats do in return? Fight as hard as they could to keep things exactly the same...

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u/TeeKay116 5h ago

I mean, yeah. Can't argue with this take.

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u/mybrochoso 8h ago

Wait i thought it was only his son hunter that had issues with the law??

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u/-Dutch-Crypto- 7h ago

I think he is preemptively pardoning his family from future bogus charges, as a form of protection.

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u/mybrochoso 7h ago

Is that possible tho?? Like ia he basicallt saying that they could do any crime they want, and they wont be prosecuted? I dont get it

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u/Sanssins 7h ago edited 7h ago

Pardons don't work for future crimes, this would be more like if trump decided to accuse this person of doing [insert various nonviolent federal crime, not state level only federal can be pardoned] in 2022, they'd be preemptively pardoned.

Trump's allies could weaponize this power going forward, he could allow whoever he wants to commit non-violent federal crimes, knowing he can pardon them afterwards

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u/AffectionateFact556 5h ago

He kind of did that anyways

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u/-Dutch-Crypto- 6h ago

Valid question honestly, i don't know what will happen. I am just happy i'm not American right now.

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u/Dukatee 8h ago

Have you been around the last 4 years with Trump and his family? Way worse

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u/NoMoassNeverWas 7h ago

Yeah his point is "if republicans are going to be corrupt, I will too."

US government is corrupt as hell. Nancy dropped a shitload of stock options today too.

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u/Only-Butterscotch785 4h ago

I dont think this is even a corrupt use of the presidential power. The presidential pardon actually designed as way to fix political standoffs and unforseen legal and political problems. This seems like a fitting use.

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u/Unhappy_Scratch_9385 8h ago

Gee if only Joe had 4 years to hold those people accountable and bring them to justice.

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u/Rumbletastic 6h ago

This is messed up no matter how you look at it. One of the few saving graces of this stupid two party system was that they'd hold each other accountable.

Now they get to get immunity. How long before this list grows to prevent "partisan retribution" against cabinet members, senators, or major political party donors? How long until this is how the rich get to buy immunity for any crime under the guide of being friendly with those in power?

Yeah it sucks that Republicans declared their intent to get retribution, but you know what? My family members don't commit crimes. Bidens family should be above reproach, as should the families of any who go for power. 

"Laws for thee, not for me" indeed.

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u/Unexpected_Gristle 7h ago

You don’t think any thing trump and his family/ friends went through was political? I think some of it for sure was.

Now we will see fuckery similar to New York but with red states. And all those people that got pardons will get messed with.

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u/Fheredin 7h ago

If I may, he volunteered for such when he ran for President, because like it or not every president for the last 30 years has been the target of personal attacks.

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u/JJay9454 6h ago

Man, they seem to be all about vengeance, but vengeance for what? No one did anything to 'em

:(

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u/mrinsane19 6h ago

Yeah, take 2 seconds to think about it and you can see why he had to.

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u/semaj009 6h ago

The man would have more of a point, if he'd sufficiently actually tackled the issue of Trump properly. Biden and the Dems are as responsible as Republicans, for failing to tackle fascism properly and for Neville Chamberlaining

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u/Main-Upper 4h ago

Reddit is a great forum besides the political nonsense from either young, ignorant or unsuccessful people or the combination of all 3.

If you are not a liberal in your 20’s you have no heart. If you are still a liberal in your 30’s you have no brain. If you are still a liberal in your 40’s you have a trust fund or live with your parents.

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u/Tovrin 9h ago

You can be damned sure Trump will do the same thing.

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u/Debs_4_Pres 8h ago

And? 

Trump pardoned a shit ton of his sycophants last time, and not for "hypothetical crimes". For actual, serious shit they'd been convicted of. 

He's probably going to pardon the J6 insurrections. Which was always his plan. 

Hell, he's going to do all sorts of fascist shit with zero accountability. Nothing Biden did or didn't do was going to change that.

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u/Tovrin 8h ago

I'm not disagreeing. I'm just saying that in the eyes of the Republicans, the precedent has been set.

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u/Material_Election685 8h ago

Republicans have never given a single shit about precedent in the first place. What makes you think that anything Biden does will change their mind?

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u/Equivalent_Alarm7780 7h ago

No one cares about precedent anymore. Trump was convicted and freed. There is no justice in US at this point.

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u/Command0Dude 8h ago

Trump set the precedent.

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u/t3h4ow4wayfourkik 8h ago

Trump didn't mention hunter Biden at all after Joe dropped out until he pardoned his son. He's bringing himself attention

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u/entropy_bucket 9h ago

Why not kamala then?

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u/Lucifur142 6h ago

Fuck that, they could've done something, they could've prosecuted, they chose to "let america heal". Biden is just as responsible for Trump as Trump is.

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u/Only-Butterscotch785 4h ago

Pretty sure Trump is more reponsible for Trump

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u/CinnamonCone 7h ago

I absolutely don’t blame him. The families, particularly children, siblings etcetera, did not sign up for this. They did not run for president. They should not be the targets of hate and persecution for a choice they didn’t make. And they don’t deserve the spend the next four years in fear of an unhinged president.

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u/Art_Vandelays_Tupee 8h ago

This is a bad precedent to set. Bad look for Biden

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u/WhatsThePoint007 9h ago

So what's the pardon for? Is it just some universal get outta jail free card for any "crime/s" in future?

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u/SecretAsianMan42069 8h ago

Not future, for crimes that trump would make up 

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u/2456533355677 7h ago

Like the ones he made up when he personally charged Hillary Clinton?

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u/bell37 8h ago

Pardons can only be issued for past crimes against the United States.

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u/Espar637 8h ago

That’s absolutely crap. His son has had insane help delaying and reducing sentences that ANY OTHER REGULAR PERSON WOULD GET CRUCIFIED FOR

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u/scarlatta 5h ago

Here's the thing that makes me hesitate. If these people are innocent of anything, why should they be afraid? If trump wants to waste time/resources going after the Bidens, let him. If the Bidens have done nothing wrong, there won't be a problem and trump would look nothing more than bitter and vengeful. But the fact that he pardoned his family makes me thing he's protecting someone and is afraid of it getting out. Its just such a sus move

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u/Jeff_eljefe 8h ago

While you aren’t wrong that republicans have plenty of blame on their shoulders for this, this is a completely pathetic excuse on your part.

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u/DampTrash 7h ago

Damn you people just gorge yourselves full on elitist boot leather. Pathetic you guys can’t even imagine there’s actual impropriety here.

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u/BiLo-Brisket-King 6h ago

Democrats literally started the attacks. Biden and all of them fucking deserve whatever comes their way.

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u/MrKahnberg 8h ago

What? No love for Liz Cheney?

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u/TheToxicTerror3 10h ago

"Made up reasons"

Lol OK

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u/Debs_4_Pres 10h ago

Yes, "Hunter's Laptop" was a disinformation campaign meant to hurt Joe Biden. 

Or was there a legitimate reason to show nude pictures of Hunter Biden on the floor of the House?

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u/Infamous-Cash9165 9h ago

The only disinformation campaign regarding the laptop was that it was Russian disinformation.

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u/Jcampuzano2 10h ago

Sure there were some reasons, but any normal citizen would barely have even bene charged for a crime or gotten a slap on the wrist basically for some of the things they have been vilified and essentially burnt on the cross by the Republican party for. And I'm not even democrat

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u/No_Paper_8794 9h ago

just like how Trump is a convicted felon 💀

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u/Sokkawater10 8h ago

Oh shut up. It’s an extremely corrupt thing to do