After President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, South Carolina Democratic Representative James Clyburn weighed in on who Biden should preemptively pardon before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
Biden granted “a full and unconditional” pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, covering federal gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden had been scheduled to be sentenced for his federal gun conviction on December 12 and for his tax case just four days later.
In June, Hunter Biden was found guilty in Delaware on three felony counts tied to his 2018 purchase of a handgun. On the purchase form, he falsely stated that he was not a user of illicit drugs. In September, he pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges in Los Angeles, choosing an “open” plea, which allows a judge to determine sentencing.
The pardon applies to all “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted.”
The GOP—which used Hunter Biden's offenses in a failed attempt to impeach his father—has been up in arms since then, accusing Biden of abusing his pardon power.
But Biden has an opportunity, Clyburn noted, to pardon individuals who would be targets for Trump's retribution. While Trump's supporters have largely dismissed his threats, Trump has made clear he will seek revenge against people like special counsel Jack Smith, who previously charged Trump with election interference, and former Representative Liz Cheney, who has made abundantly clear the threat Trump poses to the nation's democratic institutions.
With this in mind, CNN anchor Laura Coates asked Clyburn the following:
"[There are multiple individuals] likely to be on an 'enemies list' of sorts. If you [make a recommendation] to Biden, do you include the federal employees and prosecutors and special counsel who were actively on these cases to protect them as well?"
Clyburn responded:
"Yes, absolutely. Jack Smith's name is on my list. Liz Cheney's name is on my list. I think that they should all be preemptively pardoned because I think there are people who Trump may bring into this government who will go after these people in a serious way and there's no need to subject them to that."
"Even if they are found not guilty, why put families through that? Why put people through that, that kind of expense, that kind of worry? That should not be."
"I think Liz Cheney is a patriot and I also think there will be a lot of MAGA people going after her."
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Many concurred.
There is no question Trump is already planning to target those he believes have wronged him.
His pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, has already compiled a list of so-called "deep state" officials he believes should be targeted.
In his 2023 book, Government Gangsters, Patel names a wide array of figures in an appendix titled “Members of the Executive Branch Deep State.” The list isn’t limited to Democrats or Biden administration officials but also includes several Republicans and Trump appointees, such as Bill Barr, Rod Rosenstein, Pat Cipollone, Patrick Philbin, and special counsel Robert Hur.
Predictably, Patel also singles out current FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom Trump plans to replace, along with Democrats like White House adviser John Podesta and Vice President Kamala Harris.
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