Saunders: Biden’s pen paved way for Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons

By Debra J. Saunders / Las Vegas Review-Journal

President Donald Trump got straight to the point when he delivered his Inaugural Address on Monday inside the Capitol. There are things he wants to do in the next four years.

But of course, Trump could not fail to mention his own personal triumph; winning in 2024 after losing reelection in 2020, two impeachments, and being indicted big-ly, sued for defamation successfully, and told many times that he could not win the White House this go-round.

So Trump told America, “I stand before you now as proof that you should never believe that something is impossible to do. In America, the impossible is what we do best.”

Of course, there was stagecraft; Trump signed executive orders on camera and threw signing pens to the cheering crowd.

Nonetheless, the substance of Trump’s first day in office promised the nation a return to normalcy.

With Trump in the Oval Office, U.S. borders will be enforced.

Once again there are only two genders: male and female.

The president no longer will think his job is lecturer-in-chief.

Mount McKinley is Mount McKinley again.

The government is going to get back to work for the American people, not causes.

Trump wants to adhere to the status quo by actually enforcing federal immigration law; instead of pretending laws on the books do not exist.

In the Capital One Arena, Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff put it this way: Trump has a “decisive, pragmatic approach” and Trump’s “clarity of vision ensures that I never have to question what success looks like.”

Then the families of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, appeared on the stage. It was a reminder of what is at stake.

My favorite quote came when Trump observed that we’ve lived with “a government that cannot manage even a simple crisis at home.” He referenced flood-ravaged North Carolina and still-smoldering Los Angeles. “We can’t let this happen,” Trump said. “Everyone is unable to do anything about it. That’s going to change.”

Other changes: Trump wants to re-brand the Gulf of Mexico. He likes Gulf of America better. OK, not so normal.

Ditto planting the American flag on Mars.

There was no mention of “American carnage,” the remark that startled so many in January 2017. So back to normal.

But then New York Times faux conservative columnist David French opined, “The title of Trump’s speech should have been ‘American Carnage 2: Ultimate Carnage.’” So back to normal 2.

“You’re watching the unraveling of our democracy,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., opined as he disapproved of tech titans who made the cut to attend the Capitol Hill ceremony. In case you missed it, the left now thinks it is wrong for Silicon Valley to cozy up to the government.

As I write this on deadline, Trump is signing pardons for Jan. 6 prisoners; details to follow.

Biden, however, issued some last-day commutations, including preemptive pardons for brother James, sister-in-law Sara Jones Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens, brother-in-law John T. Owens, and brother Francis; which Trump noted at the Capitol One Arena.

I could be indignant, but really, the worst Biden out-the-door commutation went to Leonard Peltier, a man convicted of killing two FBI agents. A violent federal cop-killer.

To recap, Biden pardoned his son Hunter after claiming he never would do so. Then Biden commuted the sentences for 1,499 nonviolent felons who had been on home detention during covid. Commuted Peltier’s sentence. Then he issued unconditional pardons for close family. Single-handedly Biden has killed the reputation of the pardon power and made it radioactive for decades to come. Which means Trump can use the pardon power with the same impunity.