Although criminal pardons issued by Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump have received major media attention and criticism, the apparent motives behind these two camps of clemency are quite different.

Those granted by Biden reflect post-election protections of himself, his family and his party from a raft of anticipated criminal indictments attached to current congressional investigations, while those proffered by Trump fulfill a campaign pledge that preceded — and which likely contributed to — his November landslide victory.

Following his party’s White House and congressional election loss turnover, Joe Biden’s blanket pardon parade began with his son Hunter following repeated statements that he would never do so.

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