Outgoing interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin told Daily Caller editorial director Vince Coglianese Monday that he is investigating the last-minute pardons issued by former President Joe Biden.
During the last hours of his administration, Biden issued preemptive pardons for the January 6 Select Committee and members of his family just moments before President Donald Trump was sworn in. Martin said he is looking into possible corruption surrounding Biden’s decision to issue these pardons.
“It looks at least like something that you could be corrupt,” Martin said. “When [former President] Bill Clinton pardoned Mark Rich, and it turned out that Mark Rich had paid a boat load of money to one of Clinton’s friend’s lawyers. That’s not corrupt, it’s not criminal, because the plenary power of the pardon. But in the case of Joe Biden and his pardons, they were so specific. Back 14 years, covering everything you’ve ever done. And when I say specific, they were broad, but they had time stuff on them.”
“And that at least leads to questions, because the plenary power’s true. But the question is what is going on here and I did get responses from some of them and those questions are ongoing,” Martin continued.
WATCH:
Despite stating for months that he would not do so, Biden pardoned his son, Hunter, on Dec. 1 from any possible crime committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024. The pardon relieved Hunter from any potential crime committed in relation to his overseas business dealings, his conviction regarding his illegal gun purchase and the indictment charging him with tax crimes.
A Delaware jury convicted Hunter in June 2024 on counts that he knowingly possessed a gun while suffering from a drug addiction and made false statements on the purchase document in October 2018. He faced nine separate charges in California on allegations that he failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019.
The former president later pardoned his brothers and his in-laws, including James, who was connected to Hunter’s overseas business dealings. His brother Frank, who also received a pardon, used his brother’s inauguration in January 2021 to promote his law firm in Florida in connection to a lawsuit against sugar farmers.
Biden’s preemptive pardon for the January 6 committee granted former Republican Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois broad immunity for their work investigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, which they all appeared to have accepted.
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