09 Dec Pardunter, Pardonald, Pardinsurrectionists, Pardon’t
In light of recent events in the White House, my wife and I might have a talk with both of our adult daughters and their husbands, all of whom engage in international business. The first thing we could say is, “When you are doing business around the world, do not be peddling political influence based on the Wittrock name.”
We realize the whole conversation would be a bit of a stretch, given that Wittrock may not be quite as famous as say Bush, Clinton, Trump, or even Biden (despite Principle Based Politics and my not-so-glorious congressional campaign). This talk also would be unnecessary, as our daughters no longer bear the Wittrock name and – of course – never would do anything wrong anyway.
Nevertheless, we could add this in an abundance of caution: “You also need to know that if you reap grift-gotten gains to become tax evaders and drug-addicted, lying gun buyers, don’t look to either of us to grant you a federal pardon if we ever become President of the United States.”
Pardon Him, Pardon Me
“Pardon?” Hunter Biden and other supposed political victims might ask. “Pardon’t,” I would answer. It is bad precedent and wrong on so many levels.
A Delaware jury found Hunter Biden guilty of three felonies because he submitted a false form to buy a handgun. Later, he pled guilty in California to a second felony of intentionally submitting false returns to evade income taxes. Hunter had yet to be charged with influence pedaling, drug charges, or other offenses he also appears to have committed.
Joe Biden, while running for the presidency in 2020, originally denied that his son had done anything wrong at all. Then he (Joe) denied having any knowledge of it. Next, he (Joe again) denied that he had any involvement in his son’s activities. Finally, he (Joe) claimed that he received no financial benefit from it. After Hunter’s convictions, President Biden claimed the prosecution was politically targeted – even though it was done by his own Justice Department to benefit his own campaign by making it look like the Bidens were not getting favored treatment when compared to Donald Trump.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we seek to deceive.
A lame-duck Joe Biden now has granted his son an open-ended pardon and immunity for all crimes committed over nearly 11 years, including ones for which he has yet to be charged (such as attempting to influence U.S. policy for the benefit of his foreign clients). This despite the elder Biden repeatedly stating during his second presidential campaign that he would not pardon Hunter.
This is all simply wrong.
Donald Trump pardoning himself will be even wronger, to invent a word. Even though Joe Biden erred by pardoning his son, that will not make it right for Donald Trump to exploit that mistake to justify letting himself off the hook, too.
But we all know that he will try it. During his first term, President Trump pardoned 150 people – including 143 on his last day in office. I find it hard to believe there are even five (any?), let alone 150, who he thinks were more unfairly prosecuted than he was.
Mr. Trump undoubtedly is a pusher of legal boundaries. He was the first former president charged with a felony, he was the first to be found guilty by a jury, and he will be the first to pardon himself if Joe Biden doesn’t do it for him before leaving office.
So much for holding criminals accountable for their actions. And for nobody being above the law. I’m talking about both presidents. “Everyone does it,” is never a good excuse. The ubiquity of the unprincipledness is the problem, in my opinion.
Pardon Them
As long as we are inventing words and phrases, let me conclude by saying that pardoning the “J-6 Hostages” (as Donald Trump calls them) would be wrongest of all.
He is referring to the 1,500 or more individuals charged with or convicted of offenses committed on January 6, 2021, when they stormed the U.S. Capitol Building while the 2020 election results were being certified in Congress. On the campaign trail and since, Mr. Trump has pledged clemency to all but a few of the 1,500.
Many of these rioters have been convicted of seditious conspiracy, which is a very serious felony. Many others physically attacked police with weapons that day. All were supporting then-outgoing President Trump’s effort to stop the peaceful transfer of power to the then-incoming Joe Biden. It was an outrageous, shameful mass crime against our country, our property, our institutions, and our law enforcement. There is no amount of Biden or Democrat wrongs that would make right pardoning these zealots.
Now-incoming President Trump’s pledge to free the J6ers is another instance of him saying something that Americans must only hope was another lie.
Written by Quentin R. Wittrock, founder of Principle Based Politics.
Look for his posts each week, as this blog will explore and promote the idea of principle in politics, both as to individual elected leaders and our federal government as an institution.
Principle Based Politics does not endorse or support any particular political candidate or party.
Anonymous
Posted at 12:53h, 10 DecemberI’ll start the comments with a provactive viewpoint. I agree that the pardoning of everyone should be restrained. But, as to January 6–this protest/rally/riot has been blown all out of proportion–mostly due to the pro-democrat-anti-republican media narrative. Those convicted for rioting on Jan 6 have been in prison for years…huh? There were riots–yes riots–all over the country–starting right here in Mpls–due to the demonic killing of George Floyd, etc. Rioters burned down large parts of Minneapolis–and did the same in cities all over the nation–and very few were ever arrested or prosecuted. Plus, back to Jan 6, nobody should trust the official “investigation” of that riot. Speaker Pelosi was offered the National Guard by Trump and refused the help. Our democracy was never in jeopardy due to the rioters on Jan 6–and there are many false narratives about that bad day that may soon be revisited with new investigations. Was Jan 6 evidence of bad behavior by Trump and rioters? Yep–but was it anything close to the disaster that the media and the dems ranted about–nope. Killers, assaulters and rapists sometimes don’t spend as much time in jail/prison as the rioters from Jan 6. We need to look at what happened honestly–and yes–release many of those in prison. Following precedent, maintaining balance and ensuring fairness for all is needed from our justice system.
Quentin
Posted at 13:09h, 10 DecemberThanks, Darren, for getting the discussion started. I do hope others chime in. Quentin
Lynn Nehring
Posted at 13:20h, 10 DecemberThis does not surprise me that Biden would pardon his son. I expected it. I wonder if he will pardon his brother too? It will be interesting to see how Biden fares in the history books. I want to read Bill O’Reilly’s latest book, “Confronting the Presidents” where he rates them all. I heard that none of the modern presidents made the “best” list and only one made the “worst” list, and that is Joe Biden. As for Trump, I think he’s very unfairly been targeted.
James Loerts
Posted at 14:26h, 10 DecemberFirst I think that all Americans can now agree that Biden is the most corrupt president to ever occupy the Whie House. Second, regarding J6 for God’s sake Quentin let it go! I watched it happen that day live as CNBC cut away from the stock market and had some camera feeds from the Captial. It was a big nothing burger. Both boys happened to be at home that day because of longer Covid breaks and we were literally laughing about it because it was so lame. Overzealous prosecutors and far left judges have badly abused all norms of law and justice. The American people recently rendered a verdict by the score of 312-226. It’s over. The only people still obsessed with J6 are the mainstream media, leftist radicals, and for some reason RINOs. Let it go. Enjoy all the great things life has to offer and let go of the past. Eat pray love and heal or whatever the name of that book was. You will feel better. I promise.
Quentin
Posted at 14:31h, 10 DecemberI feel better already, Jim. Thanks! To clarify, are you saying Trump should pardon everyone convicted of January 6 offenses at the Capitol?
James Loerts
Posted at 16:01h, 10 DecemberIn reply to my long-time friend since high school Quentin I never like tying myself to the word “all.” I would say definitely almost all of the defendants should be pardoned. I honestly have not followed the individual cases at all so depending on the facts perhaps a few of them do not deserve a pardon. The little I have read about these cases some of the sentences seem quite steep to me. I don’t like violence by BLM people or Trump supporters. Walking around, however, is not an act of violence. Burning down a police station is. I also believe justice needs to be applied equally to all people. I don’t think sentences should vary, in any setting, based on skin color, political ideology, or the size of one’s bank account.
Quentin
Posted at 16:06h, 10 DecemberAs my buddy (also a former lawyer) Jim is indicating, facts matter.
Michael David Madsen
Posted at 16:23h, 10 DecemberJames Loerts – I can only ask what planet do you live on? Are you such an inveterate Trump homer that you can’t see what’s right in front of your eyes? A big nothing burger? Really? This was an attempted coup (albeit a very poorly organized and executed one) in the most powerful democracy in the world! I never thought I would see something like this in my lifetime.
All of the perpetrators of January 6th (including Trump) are guilty of sedition and should not be pardoned IMHO. However, I can only imagine the horror some of the rioters must have felt when they realized that their efforts (and subsequent incarceration) were all the result of a lie.
Mike Madsen
Posted at 16:39h, 10 DecemberQuent – I think this is the true “fair and balanced” commentary that this country needs. As you point out, I agree it was a terrible decision for Biden to pardon his son. My theory is that Joe has coddled his son for the bulk of his life and, thus, you see the inevitable results (as with pretty much all spoiled children). He has never made him accountable for his misdeeds and the pardon is just the latest in that trend. As for Trump and the January 6th rioters, you rightly point out the seriousness of the crimes perpetrated. January 6th was not a joke, or a “big nothing burger”, it was a serious attempt to overturn the will of the people. These perpetrators should never be pardoned.
Russell Weaver
Posted at 17:18h, 10 DecemberThe biggest laugh I had when the Trumpers equated the insurrection at the capitol, where people died and now it looks like Trump will pardon them. Hunter Biden’s crime was he possessed a firearm for eleven days when he was addict. His other crime avoided paying taxes on his income.
I suspect Joe Biden changed his mind about his son’s “crimes” when Trump bragged about revenge and retribution when he takes over the office. If Biden hadn’t pardoned Hunter, what would have happened when Trump’s DOJ and the FBI came into power? I think Hunter would have served at least four years of a possible seventeen years in prison for his “heinous crimes.” In the meantime I wonder wharf Trump’s apologists thought of the concept of character and morally when they voted for trump.
Russell Weaver
Posted at 17:45h, 10 DecemberMy previous post’s first sentence was in error.
What I meant to say was: “the biggest laugh I had was when Trumpers equated the insurrection at the capitol, where people died, with Hunter Biden’s “crimes”.
Trump speaks often of revenge. I read a quote from Juvenal, a Roman Poet which sums up Trump: “Indeed, revenge is always the pleasure of a paltry, feeble, tiny mind”.
Wayne Johnson
Posted at 19:16h, 10 DecemberUgh! I am in complete agreement with your sentiments regarding pardons. That being said, the voters do not seem to care about accountability, unless it is for those with differing political opinions. Politicians are motivated by votes, and the voters are getting what they rewarded. Corruption is akin to the rules of sports. You play to the limit that the referees (voters) allow. Hand checking in basketball or holding in football are examples.
Regarding Biden – I am very disappointed in the pardon for his son, and it was the wrong thing to do. That being said, what is Biden’s personal risk to extending this pardon? The “right” will hate him even more? I don’t think that’s possible. Will Trump be emboldened to pardon his favorite criminals? Trump was going to do that, anyway.
None of this is right in a principled world, but it is rational in our current environment.
Steph Getty
Posted at 00:49h, 11 DecemberWith Trump calling for retribution and the “Republicans” obsessed with Hunter Biden, The President had no choice but to pardon his son. Wrong, yes.
But with the incoming Retribution team it was the right thing to do, or he would have been hit with a heavier than deserved sentence. Go look at the criminals (much more serious crimes than Hunter) that Trump pardoned at the end of those long 4 years. Even one of those pardoned has been named to be an ambassador!! Those crimes committed on January 6th were a clear attack on democracy. And any pardons for the J6th criminals would be an injustice. But then again, the incoming administration is loaded with deeply unethical people, many of whom are billionaires with a control of congress and the courts. They kiss the ring, yet unqualified. For James Loerts to call Biden the most corrupt President ever—just wait for the next 4 years. And to say “get over January 6th” that nuts! Trump is still saying the 2020 election was stolen!!! You cannot say get over January 6th if Trump keeps saying the election was stolen. So many conflicts of interest. Trump and company only care about themselves.
DKnight
Posted at 04:48h, 13 DecemberFollow-up post that nobody will likely read–today it was revealed that the FBI had 26 informants amongst the Jan 6 rioters……what? Yep. FBI director ducted this question previously by stating that there were no “FBI” agents embedded–but they didn’t admit that they had paid informants in the protester/riot group. The Director was intentionally deceptive–and he just announced his resignation–right before this news was reported. There really is a deep state–and the FBI has done so many things that raise issues of distrust and corrpution–since the beginning of the FBI. So, before we make final decisions about Jan 6–and pardons related thereto–let’s get the real story–not the government or media narrative. We need a government that serves the public–and is not served by the public. Reform is needed everywhere.
Quentin
Posted at 12:58h, 13 DecemberThe Inspector General’s report to which you are referring said the informants were NOT instructed by the FBI to be there and did NOT incite any of the violence at the Capitol. By the way, if they infiltrated criminal activity to gather evidence, isn’t that a good thing? That’s what informants do.