Time to Axe the Presidential Pardon

Joe Biden’s final act as president wasn’t a graceful exit; it was a gut punch to American justice. With his bags packed and Donald Trump already sworn in as of January 20, 2025, Biden used his last gasps of power to pardon his entire criminal family, starting with Hunter and reportedly extending to other relatives whose legal troubles magically disappeared. For conservatives, this isn’t just a scandal; it’s the smoking gun that proves the presidential pardon power must go. If President Trump wants to drain the swamp for good, abolishing this relic of unchecked privilege should be at the top of his list.

Let’s cut to the chase: Hunter Biden, a twice-convicted felon, was facing sentencing for tax evasion and illegal gun charges. Evidence of his shady dealings—laptops, foreign cash, you name it—piled up like a rap sheet from a mob flick. Yet, with a flick of his pen, Joe wiped it all clean. And if whispers are true, the pardon didn’t stop there—other Bidens received the golden ticket, too, shielding them from federal accountability just as Trump took the reins. This wasn’t mercy; it was a dynasty protecting its own, leaving the rest of us to wonder: where’s our pardon?

The Founding Fathers granted us Article II, Section 2, which states that Presidents shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment,” yet this was not meant to allow elites to evade the law. What have we received? A president who has turned a constitutional safeguard into a family favor. Now Trump is back in charge, and conservatives are cheering his promise to dismantle the deep state. However, Biden’s parting gift restricts him: a pardoned family immune from federal prosecution, regardless of what dirt surfaces. This issue extends beyond the Bidens; it concerns the precedent. A lame-duck president can gloss over his clan’s criminal record.

Remember Obama? In 2017, he wielded his “automatic pen,” commuting sentences for hundreds of drug offenders all at once, including some major dealers. Critics howled that it was an overreach, and legal scholars like Jeffrey Crouch argued it stretched the pardon power beyond its constitutional intent—mercy for the exceptional, not mass handouts or family favors. Biden’s actions echo this abuse but with an even uglier personal twist.

Any outgoing administration could pull the same stunt, transforming the White House into a revolving door of clemency for the well-connected. The pardon power has shifted from a tool of justice to a weapon of corruption, and Biden is now the poster boy.

Here’s the kicker: these pardons might not even hold. Constitutional experts, like Harvard’s Laurence Tribe, have long maintained that the pardon power isn’t absolute—self-dealing or corrupt intent could render it void. Hunter’s case reeks of both; Joe isn’t concealing the nepotism. Obama’s blanket commutations faced similar complaints—courts never ruled, but the stench lingered. If Trump’s DOJ challenges Biden’s pardons, arguing they’re illegal abuses of power, the Supreme Court could finally draw a line. Imagine the fireworks: Biden’s legacy shredded, Hunter back in the dock, and conservatives cheering as justice gets a rare win.

But why wait for a legal battle? The pardon power is a ticking time bomb. Washington Monthly labeled it a “relic” in 2020, Newsweek questioned its relevance in 2025, and Current Affairs and the Antelope Valley Press have criticized its potential for corruption. They’re right—Biden’s family freebie and Obama’s pen spree demonstrate that it’s a tool for the powerful, not the people. Conservatives are fed up with half-measures like oversight or family bans; those won’t prevent the next person from pulling the same trick. Abolish it. Remove it from Article II and let Congress manage clemency—there’s less room for one man to play king.

The left will squawk, pointing to Trump’s own pardons—January 6 individuals, Roger Stone, and others. Fair enough; those moves ruffled feathers, too. But Trump’s base viewed them as a middle finger to a weaponized DOJ, not a personal bailout. Biden’s play? It’s a dad saving his kid- period. There is no ideology, no higher calling—just nepotism on blast. The double standard burns: if you or I dodged taxes or lied on a gun form, we’d be locked up faster than you can say’ Second Amendment.” But wear the correct name, and you’re golden.

This is why the pardon power needs to be abolished. However, amending the Constitution won’t be easy—it’s a slog. But Trump has the mandate, and conservatives are frustrated. No more half-measures like oversight or family bans—those are merely temporary fixes for a serious problem. We must remove it entirely. Let Congress handle clemency if necessary, but keep it out of the hands of a single individual. The Founding Fathers didn’t anticipate this issue, and we don’t have to endure it.

Biden may be gone, but his pardon spree lingers like a bad smell. Trump is in the driver’s seat now, and conservatives want action. The Bidens may have slipped the noose, but the American people won’t forget. This isn’t about revenge; it’s about fairness. Eliminate the pardon power, Mr. President. It’s time to restore justice to the blind, not a privilege for the powerful.

©2025 Amil Imani. All rights reserved.