WASHINGTON (AP) — In an unprecedented move during his final minutes in office, President Joe Biden issued pardons to five members of his family on Tuesday, citing concerns over potential political persecution from his successor and predecessor, Donald J. Trump.
The pardons, announced with less than 20 minutes remaining in his presidency, were granted to his brother James B. Biden, sister-in-law Sara Jones Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens, brother-in-law John T. Owens, and brother Francis W. Biden. The dramatic action came after Biden had already entered the Capitol Rotunda to attend Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.
In a statement released by the White House, Biden defended his decision, emphasizing that the pardons were not an admission of wrongdoing but rather a protective measure against what he characterized as politically motivated investigations.
“My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics,” Biden stated. “Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end.”
The move follows Biden’s earlier pardon of his son Hunter Biden, raising questions about the president’s previous assertions regarding his confidence in American legal institutions. Biden addressed these concerns in his statement, expressing faith in the rule of law while acknowledging the practical impacts of politically driven investigations.
“Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances,” the outgoing president explained.
In addition to the family pardons, Biden commuted the life sentence of Leonard Peltier, an 80-year-old Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents in 1975. The commutation allows Peltier to serve his remaining time under home confinement, a decision supported by tribal nations, Nobel Peace laureates, and former law enforcement officials.
The president also extended pardons to two Democratic politicians: Ernest William Cromartie, a former South Carolina city councilman, and Gerald G. Lundergan, a Kentucky state legislator.
The last-minute pardons mark a striking conclusion to Biden’s half-century political career, highlighting the deep divisions and personal animosity between the outgoing president and his successor. The decision underscores the unprecedented nature of American politics, where a former president will now succeed his successor, creating a unique dynamic in the nation’s political history.
