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Donald Trump made hay out of President Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter. In my opinion, he had every right to raise questions. Biden's motivation was understandable--he acted as a father--but a motive isn't an excuse. Setting that aside, we're left with a more troubling pattern: Trump's unprecedented number of pardons and commutations granted to politically connected, indicted, or convicted figures.
Why, for instance, did former Honduran President Juan Hernández--convicted of colluding with traffickers to move 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S.--deserve clemency? Why did Congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife, indicted on bribery and money laundering charges, receive it? Why was ex-Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada, convicted in a public corruption scheme, granted relief? Or David Gentile, a private-equity executive who defrauded veterans, teachers, farmers, and others of $1.6 billion?
The list goes on.
In many cases, Trump's pardons didn't just erase convictions--they wiped out the offenders' obligation to pay victims restitution!
Many of these inexplicable pardons and commutations involved cases that arose during Biden's administration. Is this simply Trump's desire to label everything under Biden as corrupt? Was he rewarding loyalty? Or was there some other quid pro quo at play? History will answer those questions--if truthful history is allowed to survive.
For now, the urgent question is how to stop the abuse of presidential clemency for political gain. The answer is clear: in 2026, voters must remove from office those in Congress who continue to shield Donald Trump rather than uphold the rule of law.
ROSS ADAMS
Boalsburg
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom