Biden as pardoner-in-chief … and more to come
With the addition of 39 more pardons – after specifically pardoning his son – and the community of 1500 individuals who have been serving on house arrest since the Covid Pandemic, President Biden is breaking all records for one-day presidential clemency – and he is not done yet. In the process, he is abusing the power unlike any President in American history.
The question is, “Why?”
The White House said that these all involve low-level nonviolent criminals. Using that standard, he could issue tens of thousands of pardons and commutations.
There has long been a belief that the American justice system is neither just nor fair. There are literally hundreds of thousands of individuals — mostly Black and Hispanic – who are serving hard time for minor crimes. In fact, the land of the free incarcerates more of its people, per capita, than any nation on earth — including such heinous dictatorships as China, North Korea and Iran.
There are two things possible at the same time. Biden’s action is an abuse of power by usurping the determination of prosecutors, judges and juries … AND that prosecutors (especially prosecutors), judges and juries have been abusing their powers in terms of prosecuting and sentencing. It is a problem that afflicts both the criminal and civil justice systems.
Regardless of the problems in the system — and they are monumental – usurping the power of the judiciary by executive action is wrong and dangerous except in the most extreme and meritorious cases. Pardons should be few and specific. The injustice of the justice system is not sufficient reason to use executive powers to make a massive correction – if that is what it is. And such reasoning does nothing to actually reform the broken justice system.
But is that Biden’s motivation – or his only motivation?
Biden could see his action as an enhancement of his rather weak legacy – a humanitarian gesture. If that is his thinking, I do believe he is not thinking very clearly. Broad general pardons lack the specific humanitarian justification in each case. If there is humanitarian justification in each case, the public will not accept it because the public cannot see it. It smacks of a political move more than a humanitarian action.
We the people cannot determine the merits in each case because Biden did not release the names of those receiving clemency. Although we are told that they include a nurse who helped spearhead a COVID-19 vaccination effort, an addiction counselor to young people, and a military veteran who assists elderly church members. Well … that is three out of more than 1500 people, and even then, we do not know who they are from information released by the White House or reported in the news media.
We are told that the crimes include minor drug offenses – and in one case “consensual sodomy” in the military. (That gives a whole new meaning to the military term “taking up the rear.” But I digress – and probably should not have in this age of hyper political correctness.)
So, what are the political benefits for Biden and the Democrats? Not much — and it may be why so many Democrats are critical of Biden’s pardons, so far.
Since the vast majority of those given clemency are minorities, perhaps Biden believes it will improve the Democrats’ support among that group. That is not likely to happen since most members of the minority communities know that it has been Democrat prosecutors and judges in the big cities that have put the vast majority of Blacks and Hispanics in prison in the first place. A relatively few acts of mercy hardly compensate for the injustice the system has imposed on so many.
The only practical explanation for so many pardons and commutations is to create enough flak to distract from the very specific and personal pardons – like Hunter’s and others yet to come among the Biden family, friends and political associates. That is not a great rationale either. The more egregious personal pardons will stick out no matter how much flak and distraction Biden can produce in his final days in office.
Perhaps the greatest benefit from Biden’s plague of pardons will accrue to President Trump. It will take the sting out of the large number of pardons he proposes for folks involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol Hill riot currently imprisoned or under indictment. Surely, that is not Biden’s motivation, but an unintended consequence.
If it is not to benefit Trump – and it is most likely not going to benefit Biden or Democrats – why do it? Now easy to answer that question when it does not make sense.
So, there ‘tis.
Here’s an interesting spin on it from The Dispatch.
The DIspatch, according to Media Bias, leans right of center and is highly factual. IE – no lies.
The conclusion: “Viral posts use inconsistent data to suggest he has issued more pardons than any other president.” heh, heh. The author swallowed them — hook, line, n, stinker.
*https://thedispatch.com/article/claims-about-bidens-number-of-pardons-and-commutations-are-misleading/*
“Between 1974 and 1975, for example, President Gerald Ford’s Presidential Clemency Board granted pardons to more than 6,000 Vietnam-era draft dodgers and military deserters, and in 1977, President Jimmy Carter extended a blanket pardon to hundreds of thousands of Americans who avoided the Vietnam draft. Biden issued similar blanket pardons in 2022 and 2023 granting clemency to approximately 6,500 Americans convicted of simple marijuana possession and use violations.”
There’s even picture charts making it easy for folks to see.
Just because it’s on the internet does not make it so. And if it is in the blogosphere, frequent blind repetition does not improve the truthfulness.
Frank Danger … You are so confused. Cannot understand the specific topic.. You confuse mass or blanket pardons with numbers of individual pardons. They are two different subjects. Duh! Biden still holds the one day record for individual pardons according to the stats — and as widely reported in the news media. Is it a matter of reading comprehension — understanding and sticking to the subject — or are you just trying to hard to be the obsessive counterpoint? You do have a tendency to drift off topic with a lot with whatabouts and distractions. I thought the subject in this one was clear, but perhaps I should have noted the difference between large blanket pardons and individual pardons for folks like you. I guess I just assumed better critical reading. Although you are the only one who rebutted with irrelevant information.
Uh……. yes, Biden holds the one day record. And that’s because, like the article says, blanket immunities for a reason like pot smokers, vietnam dissenters, etc. tend to have higher numbers. No dub. And yes, Biden holds the record. Happy?
As to relevance: the article is what it is and as it says, it’s in direct response to stuff like you wrote which is replicating across the blogosphere, and beyond. I confused nothing. It’s their article, take it up with them.
I would not be the obsessive counterpoint you fantasize about IF you could be a comprehensive investigative searcher of the truth. It’s just a different view, perhaps a different angle, but certainly associated with your story and spot on in terms of relevance.
Biden holds the record. So what, someone has to and would you leave all those potheads to rot instead just to not break the record? Really? Is it a bad thing to let the potheads go? Would you put your reputation for NOT being the largest one day pardoner AHEAD of these people, individuals, just plain folk?
I have sold a lot of pot in my youth. Helped me get through college in oh so many ways. Even internationally if you count Canada. I still look over my shoulder, muscle memory makes me hide what is now legal, and have been harassed a few times by the boys in blue. Nope, I am overjoyed these folks got the pardon and commend Joe for having the strength to sacrifice reputation to do the right thing.
And that’s the important takeaway. Doing the right thing. Too bad your story does not. And The Dispatch tells a more whole story, and much better than you. And it’s right wing, so —– your side —- suck it up, buttercup. Quit whining. How about this: Joes is biggest one day ever: YOU WIN. Feel better now? Geeeeeez.
Franks Danger … You got yourself through college by being a big time drug dealer — and you are proud of it? You brag about it. You are a felon — and unconvicted one, but a confessed felon all the same. No wonder you like his pardons. And they are mostly users, not dealers, like you. You are not even in a position to judge right and wrong. Did you brag about your drug dealing days to your kids as a role model?
Harassed by the boys in blue? LMAO I recall your bs story about being attacked by police while you were protesting something or other — and then you admit, a cop put his baton against your chest to signal you to not cross the street. So tell my about all hat harassment. lol. Did they ask you to “move on” without saying “please?” LOL
I understand that you got our information from an article the missed the difference between blanket pardons and mass individual pardons. But you pushed back at my commentary because you were not smart enough to recognize the difference — their mistake. You missed the point of my criticism… so your response was not relevant to the point of the commentary.
You really hate to admit that I was right — and you rarely do. And then only begrudgingly. LOL
Boy, like a junkyard dog with a bone, you are just having a heyday with this one. Again, not big time, never said I was. Sold a good amount, but it was a number of years. And only to friends, and never in amounts that would amount to much. And it’s all legal at those levels today, so get over it, it’s the past, let it go old man.
My story about the DC occurrence is true, you are the fucked up about it. I even corrected your version and yet, much like your archaic and dated ideas, you still can’t get it right.
Hat harassment: forget to proof again or having issues with your chapeau?
If you mean what happened with the cops over pot, harassed may have been a bit high, but if you want to know so you can spew it back with snark —- go fuck yourself. Couple of really funny stories though. Point is in your old man view, you seem to make this a worse felony than Trump lying about falsifying business records to “catch and kill” a sex worker he wanted to keep quiet so he could rig the 2020 election to beat Hillary Clinton just as you try to rig these comments. Yeah, sure.
Instead of you thinking “the godfather,” try “dazed and confused.” Pretty close actually. And I’m Adam Goldberg, not Jason London. But I hung with the London character as jocks were good friends and customers. You play the role of Affleck and still like to spank the boys today, right? But you call it hazing, not sex, right? But yeah, a hippie nerd with many jock, and other, friends which basically continued in undergrad although, through my mentor, I became much cooler. And tougher, stronger, more fun. FYI: there I worked as the manager of a work release gang from Lorton, not an ez prison. So yeah, that tough. Actually, didn’t last. Not that tough, ho ho ho. Another funny story, but only job I just woke up one day, quit over the phone, and never even went for my last paycheck. Those dudes were tough.
Good to focus on the issues once again. Personalities are just not as interesting.
I spell my name: danger. Let’s be frank.
Regardless of the others, the pardon of Hunter Biden is the big one. He has created what could be the standard argument for anyone who doesn’t pay their taxes in any amount. At the same time, he has emasculated the Form 4473. Anyone can now lie on that form to buy a firearm and use the Hunter Biden defense if caught.
Willy, I do agree it’s an egregious use of power to protect family. And he learned from the best as Trumpy pardoned his FIL whose conviction was for much more serious crimes that actually hurt many more innocents. And then he gave the fucker a cushy job in his new court of the crimson King. Picture is better than his mug shot, that felon sex abusing defamation mug shot.
Not that it matters, but Trump’s record is family, friends, associates, and celebrities all can easily get out of jail free card even if they admitted: shit yeah, I did that.
However, look it up. No one gets much punishment if they pay back their taxes and not sure you can find a prison time. I have been penalized a half dozen times, haven’t paid a cent in punishment since I settled up upon request, usually at my math, not theirs. And one was for slightly over six digits, so not exactly chump change. FYI — I worked it down to the fair number, a low five digits. They had math issues.
On the gun charges, again, look it up. Most often the only time these charges actually end up in indictment is when the gun is used in furtherance of another crime. The mere charge was political as was the downstream effects. Most often, there would be a plea deal, no prison, UNLESS there was another crime. And in Hunter’s case, not.
Yet the pardon was still an exercise in political power, forecasted by Trump’s worse use of the same for family, and for his own son —- you have to get that, right? And no way should have Hunter faced that risk, but there it is: still wrong for Joe to do it.
Larry, you will be pleased to know. I had an insightful comment in it final paragraph just disappear in a radical erasure with an unexpected product screen pop-up.
Apparently, your blog post sophistication does not include the most basic SAVE function.
The comment that I believe is pertinent in the granting of presidential pardons, immunities, and commutations is that 10,000 or more individuals will be released into this country’s freedoms. Given this chance at life lived outside prison walls and fencing the will find themselves contributing positively in their local communities. I realize what the return rates are for those with a prison record. Still, I think the positives in pardons out weighs the failures.
In all cases, there must be a great crowd who are happy and thankful for freedom found anew. Who would begrudge a human being their freedom from prison constraints. Each and every pardoned person is very fortunate the Biden does not have an opinion on pardons like the opinion you, Larry Horist, laid out in this commentary.
Your stated opinion on our justice system that Presidential pardons were detrimental to the work put in by the various officials and people on juries in the apprehension, housing, trying, deliberating, and
convicting individuals.
Considering the percent of those sent to jails and the total cost from arrest to eventual incarceration would have been saved had the justice system and laws not be as restrictive and punitive.
Getting put away in confinement rarely has retraining and education pointing to reinter into society.
Rather, cases are that individuals regress and become harden in illegal skills honed in captivity.
Biden lowered the prison census and made prisons less crowded. Can’t say anything’s bad about that whether your right or of those just left.
12-21-2024
Another article where in its REPLY field Larry and Frank take another opportunity for their exchange of opinions that further has them knowing each other better.
Larry and Frank have been at this point-counter-point butting of heads sparing contest for awhile now. If memory serves, the sword play commenced during Trump 1.0. This timing may not be the case, but it’s close.
My initiation as a reader of PBP came at the outset of Trump’s campaign for the nomination as the party’s candidate for President. That night when Trump made the audacious entrance down the golden staircase during the Republican Party National Convention 2016.
That event induced a curiosity in my mind that brought me into my search and discovery path toward educating my mind on Trump himself, how he came to politics at the presidential level, and what his impact and consequences would bring on GOP politics in Washington, DC.
My first take on PBP and Larry Horist was my being intrigued and almost captivated by the opinions expressed by Horist and other writers on PBP.
My years growing up in a predominantly Republican district in Michigan educated me in politics that, I later understood, was a moderate conservative strain in the larger Republican voting block. While the majority of my neighbors considered themselves to be true Republicans, but they were not in your face hair on fire right wing diehards. Those of the firebrand right mind I watched from a distance and listened to with great reservation.
Pres. Eisenhower did not seem to draw many intensely dogmatic preaching members of his party even with Nixon his VP. Later After Presidents Kennedy and Johnson came Nixon winning his second run for President. Pres. Jerry Ford picked up the pieces of the Executive Branch left in the wake of Nixon’s forced resignation and humbly served out the remainder of Richard M. Nixon’s second term Ford lost his bid to retain the job of President. Presidents both Republican and Democrat swung through the Oval Office during the years of reasonably calm political fever from Ford thru Obama’s two terms.
For reasons which historians, political pundits, social scientists, and the odd interested observers will be discussing if not vigorously attempting a debate on for decades to come, the American experiment with governance in the democratic style begun in the later half of the 18th Century post revolution era has in the 21st Century come under fire from the right flank. That flank lead by Trump 1.0 (2017 – 2021) laid ground work for Trump 2.0 (2025- ) While President Biden (Dem) 2021- 2025 governed in a relatively calm and steadying manner without the high drama Trump produced before Biden and has given every indication that he continue producing beginning on January 29th 2025z
Larry and Frank are on a political tear as Larry writes articles that demonize “the left” from his conservative outcropping on the political scene. And in straight forward old fashion standard fact checking with references provided, Frank has made the counter points to Larry’s assertions pointing to some event or persons’ actions allegedly criminal and/or of a hypocritical nature perpetrated by the left.
Larry’s article stories portray evil doings by the left’s representatives in Congress, President Biden, VP Harris, and the legacy media (predominantly MSNBC).
While Trump, MAGA Republicans, and Fox’s propaganda machine speed disinformation that pulls at democracy’s underpinnings, Larry’s opinion commentaries only pile on more misinformation in furthering Trump’s anti- democracy strongman lef central authority in America.
Larry and Frank , with support for Frank coming from Tom and others, have kept this protagonist vs antagonist action going far longer than thought possible by me as I sit reading Larry’s protagonist opinion tale highlighting what in his mind are the left’s follies, ignorance, missteps, and foolishness on the one hand and on the other hand Larry own superior intelligence, knowledge, insights and history of correct predictions. Larry’s assessments are, in his estimation, truer than any reported facts on the matter and beyond dispute whomever that may come from. Larry’s word is law on PBP and assumedly away from PBP, too.
My humble opinions are made with a goal of maintaining an objective judgement about any issue and question of validity and truth concerning a subject. It’s with much frequency that the opinion I have come to based on the facts and piecing them into their context is at cross purposes with Larry’s objective strongly partisan fault finding analysis of the same subject. Since Larry and PBP have no promise of objective judgement but state the purpose in its writer’s’ commentaries is to represent the conservative ideology perspective relating to the nation’s stories and their telling those stories.
Given PBP’s mission statement and its writers’ loyalty to maintain not just PBP’s mission but the writers own conservative perspective of the facts. It’s my understanding this reality that answers my questions of why Larry will not discuss, debate, or message any equivocation from the substance of his articles messaging.
I more often than not do find myself and my opinion in alignment with Frank’s counter point inquiry relative to Larry’s points illustrating his particular opinion’s view of the subject he has under study and on which he based his line of reasoning for commenting as he did.
It’s in the nature of politics that two or more opinions will differentiate into factions pro and con, some fixed and some moderately fixed. To the degree that either pro or con can form a coalition with those moderates leaning toward the pro or con position. That position with the majority of opinions in some agreement will have the advantage.
An easy explanation of politics arising comes about when two or more people concerned with making a binary decision in where one choice is exclusive over the other. Since, the decision affects every member, and no compromise is possible. Every member must vote to choose and afterward accept what the majority’s choice means for the minority means for the whole.
Larry and Frank have shown in the discourse between them that few if any of the points made from their different opinions line up in agreement. Their history of their engagement in political ideology differences facing off, admittedly it’s online and partially anonymous, competition has always shown up, and language used has not been genteel in anyone’s view.
Frank had not had the home court advantage ever. While Larry has had that advantage and established his own house rules. These rules apply for each REPLY commenters’s remarks. And, the rules are applied in a way that guarantees the house always wins.
The casual observer will say that PBP does not offer a fair discourse between its opinions and those various opinions it rules as contrary to PBP’s vision or its mission for its blog posts.
If that’s the case, then my question for some time is this. Why provide a print field for readers questions and comments at all when only complementary and agreeable comments are excepted. While commenters stating contrary opinions to PBP’s given political stance is met with derision, derogatory language, and incivility driven disrespect like MYG is famous for in the halls of Congress and when Congress is in session and she has the floor.
PBP’s lack of welcome and non acceptance of ideas that do not conform in lock step with its rigid political requirements is in my view, for what that is worth, sums up the GOP’s less than grand application of the right
Wing’s attitude’s crumbling ethics and dissipation in its morals.
I am not saying the left has its ethics and morals in perfect condition. You will mention instances of exceptions, but those are using your opinionated rules.
Your old out of date stereotypes that label Republicans righteous and Democrats evil does not measure up in today’s post modern and post election 2020 culture. People do not accept being lied to, conned, gaslighted, and bossed around by a bully autocrat, who steels from the working and middle classes with entitlements given the wealthy unlike anything since the robber barons ran over all who were not in their club.
Larry the current crop of Republicans in the scant majority of both houses can not be doing their oath promising jobs in constancy with the high stands you allude to your possessing The President elect can not be meeting your approval. Trump is no more a conservative than you are a liberal lefty.
And that’s all I have to say about that
Thank you very much …
Forrest Gump