Biden announces blanket pardon for his brother James, burying family influence-peddling probe for good | 20 Jan 2025 | Outgoing President [sic] Biden on Monday issued a slew of pardons for more kin, including a broad, 11-year granting of clemency for his brother James -- effectively killing any chance of repercussions for the first family's influence-peddling. The 11th-hour move -- on the heels of Biden's previous unprecedented sweeping pardon of son Hunter -- brought widespread condemnation, even from hardcore liberals. "It's just unseemly," said CNN's John King during a live broadcast after Monday's announcement mere hours before Biden left office. "If you’re going to do it, have the courage to do it in the light of day and explain it to the American people."