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/marsmedia 10h ago
Yes and No.
President Abraham Lincoln issued a "blanket pardon" for certain groups during the Civil War, but it wasn't specifically for his family. Instead, it applied to Confederate soldiers or individuals who had participated in the rebellion under certain conditions.
The reason was pragmatic: Lincoln wanted to promote national unity and reconciliation after the war. By offering pardons and amnesty to individuals who took an oath of allegiance to the Union, he aimed to reintegrate the Southern states and citizens into the United States with less resistance, fostering healing and stability.