Posted on 12/04/2024 9:11:31 AM PST by SeekAndFind
President Joe Biden issued a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, claiming that he was unfairly prosecuted for political reasons. He issued the pardon on Sunday despite repeated claims by him and his White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that he would never do so.
In a statement released Sunday, the president argued that his son was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” due to his connection to the Democratic commander-in-chief.
While Biden’s move drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, it’s only the latest in a long, bipartisan line of controversial presidential pardons. Here's a list of four other controversial presidential pardons.
Widely considered one of the most significant and controversial moments in U.S. political history, Nixon resigned from the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974, in the wake of the Watergate scandal.
On Sept. 8, 1974, just one month after Nixon's resignation, his successor, President Gerald Ford, issued a full and unconditional pardon to Nixon for any crimes he might have committed during his time in office. Ford explained that his decision was made in the interest of national healing, contending that the country needed to move past the divisive Watergate scandal.
Nixon never faced criminal charges, and the pardon ensured he would not be prosecuted for any crimes related to Watergate.
However, the pardon significantly damaged Ford’s political standing, and many believe it contributed to his loss in the 1976 presidential election to Jimmy Carter.
As one of his first major acts, President Jimmy Carter in 1977 granted a full pardon to men who had avoided the military draft during the Vietnam War by fleeing the country, going into hiding, or refusing to serve. This group is often referred to as "draft dodgers."
Proclamation 4483, also known as the Granting Pardon for Violations of the Selective Service Act, also extended to those who had left the United States to avoid the draft, especially those who had fled to Canada or other countries, as well as those who had resisted the draft by refusing to report for duty.
While Carter intended the pardon to help heal the nation’s post-Vietnam political divide, some saw it as a betrayal of those who had served in the military during the war.
Hours before leaving office on Jan. 20, 2001, President Bill Clinton pardoned international financier and commodities trader Marc Rich, who was indicted on charges of tax evasion, fraud and illegal oil trading with Iran during the 1979-1981 hostage crisis.
Rich had fled the U.S. in 1983 to avoid prosecution and moved to Switzerland. His pardon was considered controversial because it came after Rich's ex-wife, Denise Rich, made significant political donations to the Democratic Party, including to Clinton’s presidential library fund.
While critics accused Clinton of granting the pardon in exchange for political contributions, Clinton defended his decision, claiming it was based on the recommendation of Rich's legal team and his desire to address the injustice of Rich’s prosecution.
Clinton also pardoned his younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, for a 1985 cocaine-possession and drug-trafficking conviction.
President Barack Obama commuted Bradley Manning’s sentence after the former U.S. Army intelligence analyst was convicted in 2013 for the unauthorized disclosure of classified military documents to WikiLeaks.
After leaking the documents, Manning later said he did so "out of a love for my country and sense of duty to others," as he questioned the morality of U.S. occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also said he decided to leak 700,000 U.S. security documents to the website WikiLeaks because he felt that the U.S. had "consciously elected to devalue human life both in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obama commuted Manning's 35-year sentence in 2017, reducing it to seven years, which led to Manning's release after serving about seven years in prison.
In 2013, Manning underwent a U.S. Army-approved and taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgeries and identified as Chelsea, a move which conservative activist Tony Perkin said was a key factor in Obama’s decision to pardon Manning.
What about the pardons the MSM were sure Trump thought about...?
Ana Navarro says don’t forget about the controversial pardon of Hunder deButts by President Woodrow Wilson.
Whoever wrote this article should be criticized for using the “hysterical present tense.”
Joe Biden - father from hell...was 'pardoning' himself...
The “ most controversial” presidential pardons…are the ones made the day of or even the hour before, a new president is inaugurated. Because they know it stinks.
Bill Clinton: Marc Rich. This was the inception of the Clinton Foundation. Where did the big money come from to start? Hmmm. What did Denise trade for the favor? Hmmm.
Buraq Obama: General James Cartwright. Compromised covert intel collection op vs Iran nuc program to US media source….and lied to FBI about it. Obamas favorite General. Pardoned Jan 17 2017 ( along with a bunch of drug dealers and money launderers, real uprights)
The fact that these shootings at the Capitol building were pardoned by Carter but don’t make the list speaks volumes.
The shooters were unrepentant.
Clinton also pardoned Marc Rich’s partner Pincus Green, who was also a fugitive from justice just like Rich. Clinton made these pardons in his last hour in the White House.
Clinton also pardoned F.A.L.N. terrorist Oscar Lopez responsible for bombings here in the 70’s and 80’s.
BUMP
4 of the most horrific murders of all time:
Jack the ripper, and 3 others.
Bidens pardon, and 3 others.
My understanding is that Manning was not pardoned but had his sentence commuted to time served.
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