In a controversial move during his final hours in office, outgoing US President Joe Biden issued a preemptive blanket pardon for several members of his family. The unprecedented decision, announced on January 20, shields his relatives from potential legal repercussions stemming from accusations and investigations that have dogged the Biden family for years. The pardon has ignited fierce debate, with critics accusing the president of shielding his family from accountability while supporters claim it was a necessary step to protect them from politically motivated attacks.

The pardon, which Biden described as a constitutional exercise of his executive authority, extends to five family members: his brother James B. Biden, James’s wife Sara Jones Biden, Biden’s sister Valerie Biden Owens, Valerie’s husband John T. Owens, and Biden’s brother Francis W. Biden. The pardon covers “any nonviolent offenses against the United States” that these individuals might have committed between January 1, 2014, and the end of Biden’s presidency.

In his statement, Biden asserted that the pardon “should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that [the family members] engaged in any wrongdoing.” Instead, he framed the decision as a response to what he described as “unrelenting attacks and threats” targeting his family. “My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me – the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,” he said.

The Biden family has faced years of scrutiny, particularly regarding allegations of influence peddling and unethical business dealings. James Biden, the president’s brother, has been at the center of these controversies. A former nightclub owner, broker, and........

© Blitz