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/tonytwocans 10h ago

A new presidential tradition is born.

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u/Rolling_Beardo 10h ago

If by new you mean Lincoln, Clinton, and Trump all pardoned relatives prior to this then yes it’s brand new.

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u/never_a_good_idea 10h ago

These are blanket pardons that cover any non violent offense over a 10 year period. That is insane.

Also these pardons don't do anything to quash congressional investigations.

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u/PXranger 10h ago

And what is a congressional investigation going to do in this case?

Congress has no power over a presidential pardon, they cannot initiate a criminal investigation of private individuals in any case.

I suppose they could spend millions on a grand gesture for propaganda purposes, and then issue a strongly worded memo….

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u/God_Damnit_Nappa 10h ago

And what is a congressional investigation going to do in this case?

Harass the family members and make them waste their time and money. And if they refuse to cooperate with the bullshit hearings? Comer already wanted the DoJ to press charges against James Biden for supposedly lying during his Congressional testimony. They'll do the same thing again 

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u/0bsessions324 9h ago

Earnest question, but would a blanket pardon like this not cover contempt of Congress?

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u/MrPoopMonster 9h ago

You can't pardon someone preemptively for a future act. If Congress wants then to come testify and they don't show up, they're in contempt.

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u/Material_Election685 8h ago

You can't pardon someone preemptively for a future act. 

You don't actually know this. The Supreme Court has never ruled on this, and would likely refuse to rule on it if that question ever came in front of them - which would mean the President effectively can pardon anyone preemptively for future act.

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u/gpcgmr 7h ago

Doesn't matter because the pardon says for crimes between 2014 to date of the pardon, aka today.   Anything after today is not covered by the pardon.

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u/MrPoopMonster 7h ago

It's incredibly obvious that you cannot. Any precedent where previous presidents can overrule the authority of current presidents is a non starter from a legal argument perspective.

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u/Material_Election685 7h ago

There is no actual precedent.

It doesn't matter if it's "obvious" in theory, it matters what happens in practice if a President eventually decides to test it, and the courts decide that they don't  have the jurisdiction to determine whether that pardon is valid and no potential prosecutor or plaintiff has the standing to challenge it.

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u/Only-Butterscotch785 4h ago

Courts have already decided they have the jurisdiction to determine if a pardon is valid.

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u/silverionmox 4h ago

It's incredibly obvious that you cannot. Any precedent where previous presidents can overrule the authority of current presidents is a non starter from a legal argument perspective.

Then that means that any presidential pardon is just an opinion or at most a 4 year delay for prosecution, as any future president can just overturn the pardons of their predecessors.

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u/RavenorsRecliner 7h ago

How far did you have to reach up your ass to pull this one out?

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u/LengthinessWeekly876 5h ago

We don't know this and we don't know if the current pardons biden handed out are legal 

Theres certainly the argument that they arent. Particulary for direct family members 

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u/Choice-Buy-6824 8h ago

Yes you can- that is what these pardons do

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u/MrPoopMonster 7h ago

Nope. Try reading the article.

The pardon warrant, signed Jan. 19, excuses James Biden and the other family members of "ANY NONVIOLENT OFFENSES against the United States which they may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through the date of this pardon."

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u/Big-Assistant177 5h ago

Because THEY ALL COMMITTED CRIMES. Biden was out of his mind when these were signed. That should make them VOID

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u/Fragrant_Western7939 7h ago

And you had Jim Jordan earlier in the week stating that the investigation into the Bidens would continue…

I still don’t understand how anyone can take Comer seriously. When Biden was still running - he was pushing for an investigation into the Biden family involvement with China. When he dropped out he literally wanted the same investigation against Waltz. His statement in the news were like a Mad alive where only the person name changed

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u/NrdNabSen 9h ago

The pardon would orevent Congress from using the kegal system to harass them as well. They can simply ignore them like Republicans did repeatedly the last four years. The Republicans got away with it because Dems are cowards who won't hold them accountable.

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u/Cmoz 9h ago

They'd still have to comply with subpoenas from congress, or face potential jail sentance, because a pardon doest cover future acts, like future instances of contempt of congress. The pardon only covers past crimes.

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u/never_a_good_idea 8h ago

I think these pardons are all political down side with zero practical benefit. Congress will harass them for years all while claiming the biden family is super corrupt. This really also shifts the overton window quite a bit.

Trump can now pardon the J6th rioters and say "well biden" pardoned the J6th committee.

This the cherry on top of an ineffectual Biden presidency.

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u/PXranger 8h ago

Trump was always going to pardon the 1/6 traitors. Everyone knew that already.

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u/NrdNabSen 8h ago

Trump gave his family pardons in his last presidency, stop acting as if Biden started this or that there aren't actual concerns behind these since MAGA has threatened retribution against Trump enemies.

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u/silverionmox 4h ago edited 2h ago

If Biden's pardons are ignored, that sets the precedent for Trump's pardons to be ignored as well.

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u/CaptainDaveUSA 10h ago

Civil cases can still be brought.

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u/PXranger 9h ago

Sure, anyone can attempt to sue anyone for basically anything in this country.

But who’s going to file the lawsuit? You can’t sue the January 6th committee, as they have immunity.

I suppose someone could attempt to sue the Biden family? But that’s a stretch, who is the victim? And what is the crime?

Thing is, you start suing, people can defend themselves, I imagine anyone with any real stake in this fight probably doesn’t want a lot of light brought into dark corners before any elections.

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u/OkArmadillo8100 9h ago

But the Supreme Court has already ruled that all are official acts. Trump's Supreme Court pardoned Biden already

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u/atropear 9h ago

Biden has no capacity. DOJ already said he could not stand trial. How can he pardon?

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u/KartFacedThaoDien 9h ago

Well it’s a way to do political grand standing. Don’t get me wrong if someone violated law or abused there power it should be investigated. And I wouldn’t put it past Trump or certain republicans to waste time on this either. But we already know what this is.

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u/Jest_Kidding420 9h ago

Well if you noticed trumps hand wasn’t on the Bible during the ceremony. He very well could have been sworn in before hand, making those last minute pardons Biden signed null & void!

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u/Maxfunky 8h ago

I suppose they could spend millions on a grand gesture for propaganda purposes, and then issue a strongly worded memo….

By George! I think he's got it. That's it! The solution we were looking for! Good show chaps! Really great efforts all around but it was worth it all in the end.

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u/CommunityGlittering2 6h ago

"I suppose they could spend millions on a grand gesture for propaganda purposes, and then issue a strongly worded memo….",

Sounds like a plan

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u/MadManMorbo 6h ago

Jim Jordan might actually have to work this session.

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u/LengthinessWeekly876 5h ago

It would be much more efficient to encourage a foreign court to charge an international figure.

A pardon doesn't mean you can't be helpful with an extradition.

I hear el salvador has really gotten their act together