Biden Issues Last Minute Pardons for Family Members, Fauci, Milley in Final Act of Presidency
By Space Coast Daily // January 20, 2025
pardons come amid ongoing scrutiny of the Biden family’s business dealings

WASHINGTON, DC – In a dramatic conclusion to his presidency, Joe Biden issued a sweeping series of unconditional pardons, including several for members of his own family.
Among those pardoned were individuals linked to controversies involving alleged foreign business dealings and Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, whose pardon covered over a decade of potential legal troubles.
Hours before the family pardons, Biden issued clemency for other high-profile figures, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, members of the January 6 committee, and D.C. Metro Police officers who testified before the committee.
The move, seen by critics as an effort to shield political allies, has drawn a sharp backlash.
The 82-year-old former president, who faced low approval ratings during his tenure, made the announcement shortly before leaving office.

The pardons extended to his brothers Francis and James Biden, his sister-in-law Sara Biden, his sister Valerie Biden Owens, and his brother-in-law John Owens, covering any nonviolent federal offenses committed since January 1, 2014.
“My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics,” Biden said in a prepared statement.
He justified the sweeping pardons as a necessary defense against what he described as politically motivated investigations.
Biden, whose administration was often accused of targeting political opponents, argued that investigations, even when baseless, could “irreparably damage” reputations and livelihoods.
“Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can wreak havoc on their lives, safety, and financial security,” said Biden.
The pardons come amid ongoing scrutiny of the Biden family’s business dealings, including allegations that James and Sara Biden were involved in laundering funds linked to a Chinese associate allegedly tied to the communist regime. Despite these accusations, Biden insisted the pardons “should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing.”
The sweeping nature of the pardons further complicates Biden’s legacy, with critics alleging that he has undermined the moral high ground held by Democrats in their criticism of former President Donald Trump’s clemency decisions.
As Biden exits the political stage, the unprecedented scope of his final pardons ensures that debates over their justification—and their implications—will continue to shape his controversial legacy.