President Joe Biden pardoned several of his relatives on Monday in the final minutes of his presidency.
“My family has been subjected to relentless attacks and threats motivated solely by a desire to harm me. This is partisan politics of the worst kind,” Biden said in a statement. “Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe these attacks will end.”
“That is why I am exercising my constitutional authority to pardon James B. Biden, Sarah Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Frances W. Biden.” he continued. “The issuance of these pardons should not be misconstrued as an admission that they have committed any wrongdoing, nor should the acceptance of a pardon be an admission of guilt for any crime.”
Five pre-emptive pardons were granted to Joe’s brother, James Biden. Sarah Jones Biden, James’s wife. Valerie Biden Owens, Joe’s sister. John T. Owens, Valerie’s husband. and Joe’s brother Francis W. Biden.
Biden announced the preemptive pardons for his siblings and in-laws as he sat in the Capitol Rotunda to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“I believe in the rule of law and am optimistic that the power of legal institutions will ultimately trump politics. However, baseless and politically motivated investigations are a serious threat to targeted individuals and their families. Even if an individual has done nothing wrong and is ultimately acquitted, the mere fact that he or she has been investigated or prosecuted can wreak havoc on the life, safety, and financial security of a person. “This could cause irreparable damage to our reputations and finances,” Biden said.
“The issuance of a pardon should not be misconstrued as an admission that they engaged in any wrongdoing, and the acceptance of a pardon should not be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any crime,” Biden said. .
First Lady Jill Biden, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and President-elect Doug Emhoff line up at the White House prior to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, 2025 in Washington.
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This comes after Biden pardoned his controversial son Hunter Biden in early December on tax evasion and federal gun possession charges. Biden has repeatedly said he has no intention of pardoning Hunter.
James Biden, 75, has faced particular criticism from Republicans.
Congressional Republicans are pressuring the incoming Justice Department to indict James Biden for lying to Congress as part of an impeachment inquiry into the outgoing president and his family.
Paul Fishman, an attorney representing James and Sarah Biden, said in a statement to ABC News: “Jim and Sarah Biden have never committed a crime, which is why we are granting this pardon. I did not ask for it, but for the reasons stated by the president, I accepted the pardon.” . ”
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer sent a letter to Attorney General-elect Pam Bondi on Friday, saying, “Joe Biden has misled Congress regarding his participation in promoting family influence and is not under federal law.” He called on James Biden to be held accountable.
Comer and his Republican colleagues have already criminally referred James Biden to the Justice Department. Comer reacted to Biden’s preemptive pardon for his family, saying it would be a “confession of corruption.”
The pardon order, signed on January 19th, enjoins James Biden and other family members from committing crimes committed or in which they may have participated in the United States during the period between January 1, 2014 and this pardon date. It exempts all non-violent crimes against criminals. . ”
These are the second preemptive pardons issued by the outgoing president on Monday, and are not unusual for outgoing leaders. He also granted pardons to potential targets of the incoming Trump administration, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of Congress who served on the House Jan. 6 committee.
“Our nation depends on dedicated and selfless public servants every day. They are the lifeblood of our democracy,” Biden said in a statement. “However, shockingly, public servants continue to be threatened and intimidated for faithfully carrying out their duties.”
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
