Biden’s Gift To Trump
Democratic strategist David Axelrod recently criticized President Biden for issuing pardons to several of his family members just minutes before the end of his presidency, calling the timing “egregious.” He argued that if Biden was going to make such decisions, he should have done so earlier in his term, rather than waiting until the final moments of his presidency. Axelrod suggested that the last-minute nature of these pardons allowed Biden to avoid accountability or explanation for his actions.
The pardons, granted just before Biden left office, sparked immediate backlash from both Republicans and some Democrats. Former President Trump criticized the pardons, claiming they made Biden appear “guilty.” This controversy intensified when Trump also issued his own series of pardons, including one for over 1,000 individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol riot.
Axelrod pointed out that Biden’s actions unintentionally helped Trump by muddying the narrative surrounding the January 6th events. He suggested that the pardons made it harder for the public to clearly distinguish between the two administrations’ handling of the riot and the people involved.
Republican lawmakers quickly seized on the issue, with Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, calling Biden’s pardons a “confession” of corruption within the Biden family. Meanwhile, some Democrats, like Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), expressed concerns about the broader use of presidential pardons, suggesting that it may be time for Congress to reevaluate the pardon power.
The controversy surrounding these pardons highlights growing concerns over the use and potential abuse of executive power, with both parties questioning how presidential pardons should be handled in the future. The debate is likely to intensify as discussions on reforming the pardon system continue.