Staff Reports
As the Biden administration continues to shake things up before the incoming Trump presidency, it just clocked its own record for the “largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history.” While the White House pats itself on the back, the average American is left wondering what exactly this fleeting fame is worth.
The president proudly announced that nearly 1,500 Americans were given clemency on that fateful day. These lucky individuals reportedly demonstrated “successful rehabilitation” and a “strong commitment to making their communities safer”—a heartfelt sentiment, though one might question how such judgments were made during a chaotic transition period. It’s worth noting that this announcement arrived hot on the heels of the highly controversial pardon of Hunter Biden, the president’s own son. Hunter’s pardon alone stirred up a hornet’s nest of disbelief and disdain, proving that familial ties may have their own special kind of justice.
Forgiver-In-Chief …??
Biden commutes 1,500 sentences at once.
Plus Another 39 #Pardons.
White House officials bill his action as biggest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
Promise more in the weeks to come. pic.twitter.com/EwDHDE2Htd— Tom T. ن 🇺🇸 (@VRWCTexan) December 12, 2024
Not only did Joe Biden manage to pull off this audacious clemency spree shortly after granting his son a pass, but he also managed to gloss over the ethical implications. Critics have highlighted how the early pardon gives the illusion of Biden’s hands being clean—ignoring the potential legal shadows lurking from his vice-presidential days. It may appear that, despite past promises to let the legal matters play out, Biden decided his son warranted another chance on the family’s behalf. This redirection certainly doesn’t reflect a determination to uphold the rule of law, but rather a dash for the family scoreboard.
Unquestionably, Biden’s foray into clemency has received a lukewarm reception across the political spectrum. Though the Associated Press claims that Hunter’s pardon stumbled in with roughly a 20 percent approval rating, Biden seems undeterred, forging ahead with plans for even more pardons and commutations. Apparently, as far as he’s concerned, the “noble cause” of reunification and rehabilitation is worth a low approval rating.
The White House has presented Biden’s clemency grants as a means of advancing “criminal justice reform,” but somehow that mantra is beginning to sound a tad hollow. With the insistence that these actions are for the greater good, one can’t help but question whether the style and swagger with which these announcements are made belies a deeper trend of favoritism and political self-preservation, rather than a genuine commitment to justice.
As this pardon procession continues, conservatives are left to wonder just how many actions will be taken before the dust settles after the Trump inauguration. With Biden leading the charge of rehabilitation while simultaneously potentially covering his own tracks, it paints a concerning picture of what “second chances” might mean in the eyes of a president not necessarily known for his clarity or consistency.
