House Speaker Johnson calls Biden’s last-minute pardons ‘shocking’ and ‘disgusting’

House Speaker Mike Johnson has spoken out against former President Joe Biden’s last-minute pardons of his family members, calling the actions “shocking” and “disgusting.” Johnson expressed his disbelief during the House Republican leadership’s weekly press conference, stating, “It was shocking. I mean, it was shocking what President Biden did on the way out, pardoning his family for more than a decade of whatever activity, any nonviolent offenses. It was breathtaking to us.”

Johnson went on to criticize the hypocrisy of Biden and other Democrats who previously condemned the idea of such pardons from former President Trump. He pointed out that Biden and other Democratic leaders had expressed outrage at the mere suggestion of Trump pardoning his family members, yet now seem to be applauding Biden for doing just that.

“To us, it is disgusting. To us, it probably proves the point. The suspicion that, you know, they call it the Biden crime family. If they weren’t the crime family, why do they need pardons? Right?” Johnson remarked.

Biden issued the pardons for his siblings just minutes before leaving office on Monday, citing concerns that his family could be targeted by politically motivated investigations after he departs from the presidency. The pardon applied to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden.

Critics of the pardons, including Trump-Vance transition senior adviser Jason Miller, have called them “nonsense.” Former Biden White House communications director Kate Bedingfield also labeled the pardons as a “disappointing move.”

In addition to pardoning his family members, Biden also granted pre-emptive pardons to individuals like Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and those associated with the House select committee investigation on January 6. This move has sparked further controversy and criticism.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed off on releasing more than 1,500 individuals charged with crimes related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

As the debate over Biden’s pardons continues, Johnson emphasized the importance of scrutinizing these actions and holding the president accountable. He stated, “There’s a lot of attention that’s going to be paid to this. And I think that is appropriate. And we will be looking at it as well.”

In conclusion, the issue of Biden’s last-minute pardons has stirred up strong reactions and raised questions about political favoritism and accountability. The controversy surrounding these actions is likely to persist as further details emerge and the implications of these decisions unfold.