It was quite a political day, and I don't mean President Trump outlining all those executive orders coming. It was "banana republic day," and lots of family members got pardoned. What for? What crime did they commit? I don't know, but they got pardoned before a jury got to hear the evidence. Nice work if you can find it, to paraphrase my late father.

Here is the story:

President Biden pardoned his siblings just minutes before leaving office on Monday.

The pardon applies to James Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Francis Biden, the White House announced. The president argues that his family could be subject to "politically motivated investigations" after he leaves office.

"I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics. But baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families," Biden said in a statement.

He said that he believes in the rule of law? Funny way of showing that.

The impact of these last-minute pardons will stain the Biden record like nothing else.

First, it will be a cloud over these family members even if they didn't break the law. People will always ask: Why did he pardon you if you did nothing wrong? That's a bad cloud to live under for the rest of your life.

Second, it devalues the pardon powers. What Founding Father had this in mind when they debated pardons a long time ago? It's disrespectful even if it's totally legal for the president to issue a pardon.

So goodbye President Biden. Enjoy the rest of your life. I wonder what your next family gathering will be like?

We thought that we'd remember President Biden for inflation and a chaotic border. As Steven Hayward posted today:

"Proof that Joe Biden really liked inflation is how he hyper-inflated the pardon power, which the founders intended for rare cases of misjudgment."

Hyperinflating the pardon powers? It's his legacy along with the price of eggs etc.

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Image: AI via Magic Studio