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At 11:45 a.m. Monday, the media finally felt the scorpion's sting. The statement came from President Joe Biden, who shattered any pretense of principle in pardoning families implicated in influence-spreading corruption scandals.
According to an old fable, a scorpion persuades a wary frog to cross a river by telling him he can't sting him because he'll drown them both. On the way, a scorpion attacks them, and the frog asks why they are destroying them. The scorpion replied, “I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist the urge. It's my nature.”
For those of us who have been writing about corruption in the Biden family for decades, the pardon was surprisingly predictable. The president could not resist the urge.
President Biden pardons brother just before leaving office
In a city where corruption is a cottage industry, the Biden family has long maintained its own operations, from nepotism to influence peddling to illegal lobbying.
The influence-spreading scandal has virtually tangibly generated millions of dollars from foreign sources.
There were luxury hotel rooms, diamonds, sports cars, and large payments called “loans.” In the summer of 2019, a Chinese businessman wired $250,000 to Hunter Biden, using Joe Biden's Delaware home as the recipient address.
In the shakedown communications, a sense of absolute impunity appeared. For example, one WhatsApp message to a Chinese businessman openly threatened to displease Joe Biden if he did not hand over the money without delay. In his message, Hunter warned:
“I'm sitting here with my father and we want to understand why the promise wasn't fulfilled. Please tell the director that we want to resolve it now before it gets out of hand. I mean. That means tonight. And Z, are you, Mr. Zhang, anyone else involved in this? If you receive a call or text message from me, I will confirm that between the man sitting next to me and everyone he knows, I will no longer be able to hold a grudge against you forever. You'll regret it, I'll be sitting here waiting on the phone with my father.
That sense of impunity was due to the mainstream media forming a protective shell around the family. Despite Hunter Biden's laptop and clear evidence of spreading influence, the media refused to pursue the scandal.
In 2020, CBS News' Leslie Stahl literally mocked then-President Donald Trump for holding up Hunter Biden's laptop and what it revealed about the Biden family. (Stahl has recently expressed confusion and alarm that people are abandoning traditional media for new media.)
Reporters assured the public that the laptop was a putative “Russian disinformation.” Analysts at MSNBC and the Washington Post still insisted last year, even after the media belatedly acknowledged the truth.
After House Republicans detailed the multi-million dollar payments, the media began to claim there was no real scandal unless it was shown that Joe Biden actually received the funds directly. This was a ridiculous argument because courts have long treated money sent to family members as a criminal offense, just like money sent directly to the person.
The media continued to defend Biden, with evidence showing that he repeatedly lied about not meeting with Hunter's clients and not knowing about Hunter's overseas dealings.
As media reports continued to fall apart, Biden stuck to his promise never to pardon his son, evidence that the president intended to leave the criminal justice system alone.
It was later revealed that Biden had lied about the pardon promise. After being forced out of the election, Biden signed a pardon for his son's crimes committed over a decade.
The media mumbled “dissatisfaction'' and continued talking. Many said it was a natural thing to do as a father whose son battles drugs.
Now, in the final minutes of his presidency, Biden pardoned other family members allegedly involved, including James Biden, Sarah Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John Owens, and Frances Biden. did.
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James Biden previously faced criminal charges for lying under oath to Congress as part of an investigation into a corruption scandal.
The pardon was clearly timed to avoid media scrutiny and questions. He described the act as part of his “conscience,” but it was an almost mocking act of corruption.
Oddly enough, it passed as an honest moment in Biden World. There were no claims to support his addicted son or to deal with any pending cases. It was done in the final minutes because it was raw and obvious. No pretentiousness or apology. Just good old Biden style corruption.
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It was as honest a moment as Biden telling a friend, “Nobody cares about Biden.” Nothing was revealed about Biden in this. He could shrug his shoulders and say, “That's just my nature.” Instead, the media, which had been trusted not to further undermine Mr. Biden with such an unethical and shameful final act, became the targets of criticism.
What's interesting is that Biden crossed the river. He boarded the last flight with his family (and himself), protected by an abuse of presidential power. However, when I looked out the window, I saw my media allies slipping dumbfounded beneath the surface.
Click here to read more about Jonathan Turley
