In his final act, Biden pardons Fauci and more family members. 
Last-Minute Pardons
The Wall Street Journal reports Biden Issues Last-Minute Pardons to Family Members, Fauci
The White House said the president had issued pardons for retired Gen. Mark Milley, Dr. Anthony Fauci and members and staff of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, as well as police officers who testified before the committee.
In the waning minutes of his presidency—in a statement released as Biden was attending Trump’s inauguration—the White House said the outgoing president had pardoned his sister, Valerie Biden Owens, and her husband John T. Owens, and his two brothers, James B. Biden and Francis W. Biden, along with James Biden’s spouse, Sara Jones Biden.
While past presidents have issued controversial pardons to protect allies and donors, Biden’s moves were unprecedented in sweep.
“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics,” Biden said. “But these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.” He also said that the pardons shouldn’t be seen as an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Biden’s decision “risks weaponizing clemency and repurposing it into a shield for political battles,” said Jeffrey Crouch, author of “The Presidential Pardon Power” and an American University professor.
What’s Biden Shielding Them From?
“I wonder what criminal activity Biden is concerned they need a pardon from?” said Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) on X.
Hypocrisy oozes from Biden’s statememts.
The ultimate response to this is that Trump should pardon all of humanity forever.
That way we see what a farce this concept has become. Why bother being selective any more? Just pardon everyone, including the dead and those yet to be born!
Hypocrisy is not the only thing that oozes from Biden.
Back in the 1980’s Fauci was on talk shows propagating lies that AIDS can be transmitted through the air, obviously with no scientific evidence. He’s a useless corrupt government politician who’s priority is personal financial gain.
Viruses jump species all the time. Dunno why it’s so critical to find some other explanation that ‘that is life’.
But if the evidence can be found it is a great story of intrigue, subterfuge and supposed enemies conspiring to destroy humanity.
Personally I suspect the lizard people.. or the Pangolins.. I get confused which is which.
I believe the explanation will be found in “Follow the money”.
Money is the ultimate virus, which is why the Democrats are infected with it.
The appetite among MAGA appointees for holding Fauci accountable hasn’t been particularly vocal. But former Senate investigator Jason Foster, who now runs the whistleblower nonprofit Empower Oversight, says that Biden’s pardon creates new legal jeopardy for Fauci. Sen. Rand Paul has vowed to continue investigating the COVID origins question, and sources tell RealClearInvestigations that Sen. Ron Johnson and House Republican investigators plan to do so as well. When testifying in those inquiries or answering written depositions, Fauci will be unable to dodge questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination. “They can ask him if he lied before, replough old ground,” Foster said. “And if he lies about any prior lie, he can be prosecuted for that or held in contempt.”
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/01/20/despite_biden_pardon_fauci_still_faces_legal_perils_here_they_are_1085875.html
Biden also pardoned Mary McCord – Queen of the Deep State.
I probably don’t understand this, but isn’t murder a state crime? Why don’t the red states indict Fauci for murder, one state at a time? He would probably be convicted, but he would surely be drained of his ill-gotten gains.
Still can’t lie under oath and there is no pleading the 5th. I doubt Trump pursues any of it but he should make an example out of Fauci. Bleed his finances and wreck his life just how he wrecked the lives of millions globally. Destroy him with extreme prejudice.
In political matters it has long been this way. “If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.”
Cardinal Richelieu
According to a Supreme Court ruling, to accept such pardons is an admission of guilt.
The pardons will not prevent the investigations. Throwing these criminals in jail would have been justice serviced, but at least the public will know the truth after the investigations.
Where does this crap come from? Which SC ruling declared all people with pardons are guilty? (Republican) Nixon got a pardon but was never charged with a crime, technically (although he was a crook). Please cite an actual case or at least a news article covering it.
If you want investigations, great. But you don’t have to make up stuff to validate your own personal POV.
Many pardons are for reason of innocence.
You must be thinking of the newly pardoned, cop bashing insurrectionists, most of whom pled guilty.
If I was Fauci I’d absolutely refuse a pardon. I’m sure he’d welcome the chance to tell whatever kangaroo court he winds up in front of to get stuffed. Sort of like the Bill Murray’s Ghostbuster line “Back off man, I’m a scientist’. Possibly (well, pretty much for sure) he overreacted to covid but he didn’t make govt policy nor was it his call to tank the economy.
Fauci approved gain of function grants to EcoHealth Alliance which ran the Wuhan Labs. Fauci paid for the developement of Covid19.
He created the virus via funding and overseas labs.
His wife was the Ethics co-ordinator for the NIH, the one who approved whether the science was “ethical”.
Therfore a man made virus and an MRNA mystery elixir (which was later called a vaccine to get the public to take it) were considered “ethical” and valuable science.
He will win the court cases but have to pay a fortune in legal defense fees.
“I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics,” Biden said.
By his action, Biden just proved his comment to be false.
Biden is the head of a crime family. Innocent people don’t need pardons.
Can you be pardoned for something for which you have not been convicted?
All the Supreme Court has to do is rule that pardons can only be given for convicted crimes.
Otherwise, logically, pardons could be given for future crimes as well……
yes the predicate for a pardon is a crime must be committed and a person convicted of said crime. No crime, no conviction, no pardon.
you cannot pardon an innocent person, only a criminal.
You need to go back to law school. This is not true. And has not been true for a long time (Ford pardoned Nixon without him being even charged with a crime, much less convicted)
Was Nixons pardon tested in a courtroom or did it just happen and that was that?
That’s right. Ford pardoned Nixon, basically, to get rid of him.
No one wanted to see him in the news anymore. The pardon did the trick, he was gone.
but as suggested above. it was never tested in court as everybody was glad to see him gone. the CIA orchestrated the coup to get rid of tricky dick.
No one from DOJ appealed the pardon or brought suit to contest it.
Was it legal? Well it was never ruled illegal, is the current reasoning. That of course does not make it legal.
What? Are you a sophist now? So all laws that have ever been passed in the US are not legal if they have never been declared illegal? What twisted logic.
Why can’t you just admit you’re a LazyBoy wanna-be lawyer that said something silly and can’t back it up with any real legal opinions? Maybe we’d be more likely to listen to your opinion then?
many things can be done, that does not make them legal. Action and law are 2 different things.
Ford pardoned Nixon (action) this does not imply legality, since it was a blanket pardon with no crime specified, since nixon was never convicted of any crimes.
He was railroaded out by the CIA. Ford probably acted at the CIA’s behest to close the chapter so no one would dig too deeply into what really happened, as would surely come out in the discovery process of any trial.
Who cares.
Your comment under your name = chef’s kiss irony
Wrong, the purpose of a pardon be it by a governor or president is to right a miscarriage of justice. That power should exist and should be used sparingly.
Most of the J6 crowd should be pardoned is an example of a good use of a pardon as only a tortured misuse of the law got them convicted. The father in law of one of Trumps kids is an example of a bad use. Same with Hunter and all of Bidens grifter family being a bad example.
a “miscarriage of justice”, cannot occur, before justice is rendered. Therefore a pardon can only exist if there is a conviction (justice rendered)
BTW, Mish, or anyone – the j6 event was not a riot. Not an insurrection. It was an operation to weaponize and terrorize anyone who dares to do ANYTHING the left doesn’t like. Feds in the crowd dressed in MAGA gear, Feds lobbing flash bangs and smoke bombs into the crowd to rile them up – Ray Epps types yelling “We gotta go into the Capitol!” Watch the War on Truth miniseries. https://hisglory.tv/the-war-on-truth-mini-series-part-1/
Hey Mish, I know you probably can’t give a Tin Foil Hat Award for the day with all the ZH-lite commenters here, but this guy definitely deserves it IMO
God bless you, John Andrew; I wish you well
People Don’t Really Care About Democracy
It Was Saved In 2020 And People Hated It
165.5MM Or 63% Of 262MM Eligible Voters Either Did Not Vote Or Voted For Trump
Only 28% Cared If The US Remained A Democracy
Biden announces blanket pardon for his brother James, burying family influence-peddling probe for good
Biden previously issued an unprecedented pardon on Dec. 1 spanning 11 years of his son’s conduct — stretching back to 2014, when Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian gas giant Burisma Holdings — heading off sentencing on gun and tax evasion convictions and potential additional charges.
https://nypost.com/2025/01/20/us-news/biden-pardons-his-brother-james-biden/
It was his son! Of course he pardoned him. What kind of father would you be? What kind of brother would you be?
No big deal.
One morning soon Fauci will wake up to 1000 beagles defecating in his mouth FOREVER.
Unlike the left who were all about punishing Trump but not interested in investigating his ‘crimes’, WE THE PEOPLE are not as concerned about punishing the Biden and DNC syndicates, but are extremely interested in investigating, exposing, and broadcasting ALL of their crimes and names for history and public SCRUTINY. It was OUR SCRUTINY that saved this election from theft, restored democracy, and will reveal EVERYTHING. Our scrutiny must never lapse if we are to remain a free nation.
Is this even constitutional?
Ford pardoned Nixon before he was charged with any crimes. So I guess so?
Under your perverted logic murder is not a crime either unless one I caught and charged.
Unfortunately the Constitution is a little vague on pardons.
The definition of a pardon is clear from a legal perspective:
An offense is determined via a court of law. Therefore, Nixon, and Biden’s family, were pre-emptively “pardoned”. A non-sensical act that was NOT in line with the common-sense and legal definition of a pardon. Congress chose not to pursue prosecution. A pardon for supposed crimes is no pardon at all. A pardon only applies for convicted crimes…after the fact, not before. Anything else makes the idea of “justice” comical. The idea of setting “precedence” by these actions involves a lack of common sense as well. “Two wrongs don’t make a right”.
Thanks for your “definition of a pardon is clear from a legal perspective.”
Can you link the statute or case law that specifically defines a pardon as you enumerated above? That helps everyone discussing this issue.
Or is this your own personal definition? And a pardon has not been defined specifically as you proposed within a legal statue or adjudication?
This is a disgrace. It now becomes possible to commit any crime as long as you have a connection to the sitting President. You can scam millions and split it with your pal in the White House.
Personally, I agree. But it’s always been this way. Remember Nixon from so long ago?
I remember Gerald Ford, who pardoned him.
I thought the exact same thing, Cyrano. If Biden would have just pardoned his family, I would not have been happy about it, but it was the lesser of two evils as this nonsensical use of the criminal justice system to prosecute political opponents has to stop.
But when Biden pardoned members of the J6 committee, Fauci, and General Miley, I was just like, Ron Johnson,, Okay, what crime did these people commit that they needed a pardon?
The presidential pardon was supposed to be an escape hatch for when the judicial system failed or screwed up. Biden has turned the legal system into allowing crime to be committed and people walking away Scot free. So in one sense, I am glad that he did this. Like most Biden legal tactics, like using the DOJ to go after Trump, this is going to back fire. I think it makes prosecution of Miley, Fauci, and J6 conspirators more likely.
So now Trump SHOULD go after these people and force this to go to the Supreme Court which will rule that they can be prosecuted. If this were just limited to the Biden family, I do not think the Supreme Court would hear the case. Now they have to.
Correct. Trump will do the same in 4 years for his family and the rest of his connected friends.
The real problem is that it’s going to no longer be possible to clean up any corruption from a prior administration. One the reasons it’s important to swap back and forth between Republicans and Democrats every few years is so that the other side can be investigated for the corruption that always happens (see California for an example of what happens when one party remains in power for 20+ years).
Now with undefined blanket pardons those responsive for the corruption will never be charged so expect to see worse corruption than ever before.
We gotta think bigger.
Can Trump pardon all republicans forever? And all the fouls that will make the New York Knicks?
It’s only been two hours, and Trump’s staff is already leaving:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vivek-ramaswamy-leave-doge-announce-run-ohio-governor/story?id=117892309
Hes not staff. Unpaid volunteer.
He wanted the open Senate seat in Ohio. But DeWine selected his Lt. Governor Husted. Expect Vivek to run for Ohio governor when Dewin’s term ends in Jan 27.
Your thoughts on the criminal pardons done today?
As President, it’s Trump’s prerogative to pardon and commute the sentences of those convicted of crime from the January 6th Capitol storming four years ago.
I don’t know how many Americans think that’s appropriate or fair to do so, but that does not matter. Once he’s President, he has that option. Personally, I pray for the Capitol officers who went through this trauma four years ago and now have to see their attackers ‘go free’
Read Steven Sund’s book, Courage Under Fire. He was the Chief of the Capitol City Police. You will discover what really happened on the 6th and why Pelosi had to get rid of him. btw Biden just pardoned the officer who shot and killed the unarmed Ashley Babbit.
That’s crazy! I watched J6 A True Timeline and it clearly shows a ton of Capitol police officers running inside because some rogue copy was firing tear gas after he was told to stop. When his last cannister blew it back into the faces, they bolted inside. Then you see this copy saying we were f’ing setup by being told they couldn’t bring their gas masks.
It was a complete setup. Very please Trump overcame all of the bullsh!t that was thrown at him, attempting to stop his re-election.
“rogue cop” aka undercover fed.
Welcome to armed America!
Yeah, that was Biden probably just showing support for the beat-down Capitol police. That officer was never charged, nor would be.
I – like so many other Americans – live in a red state with loose gun control laws. Ever hear of the Castle Doctrine? If someone like that came at me, I could easily shoot that person in my home, on my sidewalk, or in a public parking lot. And I would not be charged either (and I’m just some random dude with a $200 concealed handgun). We get to defend ourselves against perceived harm.
Welcome to armed America! MAGA
Your post proves you do not know the law.
What state do you live in?
Just because you live in a red stayed doesn’t mean you have the right to carry a handgun especially one that is concealed.
The Capitol Police were armed and their lives were threatened why didn’t they use deadly force to protect themselves? Maybe because the insurrectionists were white?
I was an Army MP and part of the security force at Nixon’s 2nd inauguration had this occurred then I can assure you that my .45 would have been used. We watched as war protestors burned the flags around Washington’s Monument but they stayed there and shouted, chanted and made speeches but never attacked the police or military or tried to stop the ceremony. Big difference.
It’s my opinion that the Capitol Police were derelict in their duty on Jan 6th. Not only did the have the responsibility to protect the Capitol but also one another, they failed.
Not sure your read the rest of the thread above?
The Capitol Police were threatened and did use deadly force that day to protect themselves and their fellow officers. That’s why Babbit is dead.
So your comment seems to read they should have done more of that to be less derelict in their duty? Different folks with have different opinions. But if you believe that, you should be excoriating about 75% of the commenters on here about what happened on J6 and whether those ‘protesters’ should have been pardoned or sentences commuted
Gee those poor sorry police that have to see criminals go free. Never happened before in the history of the US. Must be some weak cops that should have never joined the police in the first place.
How about praying for Ashli Babbit and her family She was killed by a cop without justification. Now her family sees her killer pardoned by Biden?
Or how about praying for all those people murdered during the BLM
riots? Gee those killers were never charged.
Gotta be a record for revolving door action. One minute he’s a big game hunter, and just like that, he’s part of the beast he was supposedly after.
He was never Trump staff.
I know; that’s what so funny to me!
Trump never even got the chance to Apprentice and fire him. Vivek got 15 more minutes of fame (the American Dream!) and didn’t need the money. But once he saw Trump’s and Elon’s actual plans, he split.
Want to make a friendly wager in how many others will be gone from
Trump’s hand-picked wonders within the first 6 months? X and TikTok only appeal to short time attention spans, so I’ll wager many more ‘staff’ will leave once they can create their own meme coin
Trump wants to discredit Fauci and disprove that injecting bleach is a bad idea.
It’s not bleach, it’s MMS/CDS/CHLORINE DIOXIDE…and it works safely. It takes a little thinking.
Sodium hypochlorite is not chlorine dioxide. Did you go to public school? Thank a teacher!
doesn’t mean there can’t be an investigation and testimony. they can no longer plead the 5th
First, take it to the Supreme Court.
Second, call every one of those people to testify and ask all the questions that need to be asked. If they don’t answer then hold them in contempt of Congress or obstruction of justice if in civil court.
They no longer have the right to not answer questions as they can no longer incriminate themselves.
Biden will go down in history as the most corrupt President ever.
You must be too young to remember Richard Nixon.
are we now a banana republic?
what stops trump announcing today that he will be issuing blanket pardons to all his family, staff, and administration?
we need to change things to make a pardon be after a crime and trial.
He’s not going to change it.
What do you think he’s going to do 4 years from now for his family and friends.
Biden is simply widening the divide between the politically connected class and the rest of us. It’s not much different than feudal times when Barons/Dukes etc were immune from the laws that applied to the commoners.
It goes much farther. Pardoning the J6 committee and staff. Which includes Mary McCord who has been at the tip of the lawfare and is already spearheading Resustance 2.0.
However, there are numerous SCOTUS cases that apply. A prosecutor can still bring an indictment against someone who has been pardoned. The individual must then raise the pardon as an affirmative defense. Which then brings the proscription issue to the fore.
There is also US v Throckmorton. 1878 SCOTUS decision affirming that fraud vitiates Res Judicata decisions. While it does not specifically address pardons, that doesn’t mean it can’t.
A proscriptive pardon is an issue of first impression in terms of POTUS issues. Let’s see what happens.
Is this the same kind of legal advice for why Matt Gaetz was guaranteed to be Attorney General?
Maybe you can pay him to do a Cameo to agree with your opinions
Biden can only pardon them from federal crimes. Now it’s up to the states attorneys general to go after all of these people. State prisons work just as well as federal prisons for me.
Correct
“No one who was just pardoned will be able to refuse to testify in a civil, criminal, or congressional proceeding based upon the 5th Amendment.”
I also believe they are still libel for civil suits. This may especially apply to Fauci and his cronies.
Biden is a funnel for evil. The most evil president even if he is just a puppet for other forces of evil
Fauci should be swinging. But here is the problem. If there is no system that renders justice, then the only route to justice is vigilantism
In my favorite book ever, a book on Geology, David Love, Wyoming USGS geologist tells the story of his family homesteading in Wyoming in the late 1800s. A known criminal passing through their area stops at their homestead where they are obligated to host him for dinner. During dinner they talk about other figures who are criminals but remain free because there is no official state system of justice in place.
One of these criminals had been taken out by vigilantes. The guest makes the remark “Some people just need killin’ ”
That is where we now are with the destruction of the system of justice in the US by Biden and his handlers
Yes. And those that mete out punishment will be lionized like Mangione.
It’s only ok when we do it. How dare he!
Nice shout-out to President McKinley today. GM should change the name of their truck.
I wonder how President Denali feels about it? Maybe GM will hyphenate? There is a certain semantic value to those in the income bracket targeted by GM for the new 2025 Mckinley-Denali, to possess and use hyphenated words, perhaps an artifact of their shattered mental facilities, forced to hold simultaneously 2 divergent thoughts, their minds fracture allowing the propaganda to immerse them into a new world, but not the real world.
The McKinley-Denali, driving you into the future safely and quite madly…now with inclusive pronouns, drop by your GM dealer today, back to you Chet…
I heard that inquiries can still move forward to determine if/extent of criminal behavior, just no legal action may taken against them. If this happens and if criminal behavior is found (which one would think has to be the case for some), the court of public opinion will be the only repercussion. Someone correct me if this is wrong.
if they can’t be prosecuted do they still have the protection of invoking the 5th amendment? use it against others or just reveal wrongdoing?
They can’t plead the Fifth Amendment, either. Lies = perjury.
I also believe they are still libel for civil suits in the same way OJ was after beating his murder rap.
It appears Vindman did not get pardoned and his Mrs. feels betrayed. Ha Ha Ha….
51 signers of Hunter Biden Russia disinformation letter are supposed to get their security clearances revoked. Ha Ha Ha ….
Let the heads roll. You peons do not count. You are there just to take bullets.
Sooner or later one of those peons is going to speak up because their livelihood has been destroyed to protect their superiors. That’s when it will all come out even if they are pardoned.
The most destructive President ever. From start to finish an epic disgrace.
Biden did not pardon himself. Since he’s the “10% for the Big Guy” in the Hunter emails, he needs to be immediately arrested and prosecuted for acting in the interests of a foreign power against the United States.
Supreme Court ruled otherwise … do keep up.
No tax on tips. Biden will keep the 10% change.
Replying to President Musk… They probably can’t get him for what he did while “President”, but he’s wide open while VP, Senator, civilian, 2016-2020 ….and I really wish Trump would follow through and go after this guy. It’s not retribution, or lawfare, It’s “Justice” for America’s Law Abiding Citizens.
No time for that nonsense, there’s grifting to be done!
If there is a non-zero chance your post is factual, then I’m sure Biden will be under investigation, so long as Trump GAF about justice, as opposed to saying the right thing to get elected and then just enriching himself LIKE HE JUST DID. See what I did there?
No, not really. Your post was completely garbled — much like Brandon’s speeches.
Little known is that Biden also pardoned the four persons responsible for assassination attempts on Trump.
Just kidding.
Trump declares an emergency at the southern border even though there’s patently no emergency at the moment.
Trump reinstates “Remain in Mexico,” but can he do that without Mexico’s cooperation?
He’s going to tell everyone in his administration to bring down prices. Um, sure.
He’s declaring a national energy emergency. What emergency?
The Green New Deal is dead.
Trump lies yet again that tariffs are a tax on foreign nations.
No more government censorship! Not that there ever was.
Law and order! But crime is at a historic low already.
No more pronoun nonsense. We have men, women, and nothing in between.
He’s seriously planning to change “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.” Also, Denali will be renamed back to Mt. McKinley. And Panama is treating us unfairly so we’re going to take the canal back. This comes minutes after saying his deepest wish is to be known as a unifier and peacemaker.
From this day forward America will be a free and sovereign nation. What?
The Green New Deal is dead.
Good. It was dying anyway.
Not sure it was ever alive to begin with.
“DEAL” i think you misspelled SCAM..
Apparently you are seriously misinformed. There is an EXTENSIVE system of government censorship now in place, which Biden and his handlers put in place and the SCOTUS essentially affirmed as i wrote about angrily in my bangpath substack
And crime is NOT at an historic low. The numbers have been proven to have been seriously fudged even after the FBI was forced to change them because it was such an obvious lie
I believe our national crime statistics as much as our official economic numbers….
Got it, you don’t believe in reality, only what Trump and Musk tell you is true.
He’s my lil’ wugums!
Goodbye Robbie. Your TDS renders you unreadable
That’s it, my minion… censor any opposing idea to show your love for me!
Our minions love to be angry and afraid… we’re just giving them what they want.