In Final Seconds, Biden Issues Final Second Preemptive Pardons for His Family Members

On his way out the door, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for several family members Monday, an unusual move that arrived just moments before Donald Trump took the oath of office in the Capitol rotunda.

The pardons covered Biden’s brother James, James’ wife Sara, his sister Valerie, Valerie’s husband John, and his other brother Francis. According to a White House press release, the decision to issue the pardons was made to protect his relatives from what Biden called “baseless and politically motivated investigations.”

Biden took pains to emphasize that the pardons “should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt.” Still, the timing of the move—just as the Republican-controlled Congress gears up to investigate the Biden family’s business dealings—guarantees it won’t go unnoticed.

James Biden, in particular, has already been in the GOP’s crosshairs for his alleged role in various business ventures, which critics claim benefited from proximity to his brother’s political career. While the pardons shield the family members from prosecution, they do nothing to prevent congressional investigations, and Republicans have already signaled their intention to dig deeper into “Biden Inc.”

For Biden, the pardons may be less about legal protection and more about shielding his family from prolonged political drama. But the optics of a president pardoning multiple relatives on his way out of office are bound to raise questions, especially as Trump’s inauguration promises a new era of partisan scrutiny.

The move leaves Trump unable to undo the pardons but likely ensures they’ll feature prominently in the GOP’s efforts to paint the Biden family as ethically compromised. For now, Biden’s final act as president sets the stage for more political fireworks