Former Democratic chief counsel Julian Epstein appeared Wednesday on Fox Business to criticize former President Joe Biden’s recent pardons, suggesting they are part of a broader influence peddling scheme rather than acts of judicial mercy.
During an appearance on “The Evening Edit,” Epstein said that these pardons provide “oxygen to the Republican argument that this matter is worthy of further investigation.” Epstein said the issue lies in what appears to be a systematic cover-up, aimed at shielding family members from accountability while simultaneously preserving the Biden family’s financial interests.
“Not just is it a smudge on his legacy, whatever legacy is left. Because Biden lied about the pardons of his family members. It exposes the sanctimony of the Democratic rhetoric on rule of law as hollow. But ultimately what the pardon of the family members does is it gives oxygen to the Republican argument that this is worthy of further investigation because what the pardon suggests, Liz, is a cover-up of an influence peddling scheme,” Epstein said.
The on-air discussion delved into Biden’s preemptive pardons. Epstein then discussed Hunter Biden’s engagements with foreign entities, his involvement with Burisma and alleged attempts to broker deals benefiting the Ukrainian energy company.
“There is nothing that stops Congress from doing investigation, and there’s nothing that stops the Justice Department from doing an investigation as to whether the pardons themselves were part of a cover-up scheme. I mean, just two examples in 2015, the State Department was warning the White House about Hunter Biden on Burisma being a major conflict of interest and an impediment to policy in Ukraine. In 2016, Hunter Biden went back to the State Department, according to the New York Times, and looked for the State Department to arrange a sweetheart deal between the Italians and Burisma,” Epstein added.
Epstein said that the former president was often seen in the company of his son’s business associates and he may have been indirectly embroiled in these dealings.
“So, at a minimum, this is suggestive of an influence peddling scheme of which we don’t know the details, but of which President Biden, who claims to be a very caring father, was at the elbow of his son while he was doing this,” Epstein said. “All the while, he was living this high-flying lifestyle that we all know, that we didn’t know all too well. What the pardon has done, Liz, it has added smoke to a set of circumstances that I think the Republicans have more credibility now in arguing that there should be further investigation. So I think this has made the situation much worse for Biden.”
In the waning hours of his presidency, Biden on Monday issued preemptive pardons to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, and members of the Jan. 6 committee, saying his intent was to protect them from “unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions.” Biden, who had hinted at pardoning Fauci and others, said his decision was influenced by President Donald Trump’s second-term appointments.
Biden on Monday also granted pardons to family members, including his brothers Frank and James, James’ wife Sara, his sister Valerie Owens, and her husband John Owens.
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