In the final minutes of his presidency, President Joe Biden issued pardons for several members of his family, including his brother James Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens, and other relatives. The pardons were announced about 15 minutes before Donald Trump was set to be sworn in as the 47th president, as Biden and Trump stood together in the Capitol rotunda.
Biden granted pre-emptive pardons to his brother James, his sister Valerie, her husband John T. Owens, James’ wife Sara Jones Biden, and his younger brother Francis W. Biden. The pardons covered all “nonviolent” actions dating back to 2014. Biden emphasized that these pardons should not be seen as an acknowledgment of any wrongdoing by his family. He explained that the pardons were issued in response to relentless attacks and partisan political motives against his family.
James Biden, in particular, had been involved in a House Republican investigation into allegations of wrongdoing, though the investigation had not resulted in any charges. Despite this, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer called the pardons a sign of corruption, accusing the Bidens of using their influence to enrich themselves, particularly through foreign dealings. He criticized Biden’s actions as abuse of office.
Biden also issued other pardons, including for figures like General Mike Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and former Rep. Liz Cheney, among others involved in the investigation of the January 6th Capitol riot. Notably absent from the list of pardoned family members were Biden’s wife, Jill, and daughter, Ashley.
Earlier in December, Biden had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, despite initially vowing not to. Hunter was facing sentencing in two criminal cases at the time.
