A Tale of Two Pardon Stories

The mainstream media’s bias once again took center stage as ABC, CBS, and NBC dedicated a whopping 46 minutes to President Trump’s recent pardons of January 6 defendants.

Meanwhile, these same networks gave less than four minutes to former President Joe Biden’s preemptive pardons for his family—a glaring double standard that didn’t go unnoticed, as reported by The New York Post.

In his final hours in office, Biden issued preemptive pardons for several family members, including James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden.

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The move raised eyebrows among critics, who questioned why such action was necessary. On the same day, Trump issued pardons for more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol protests.

According to a Media Research Center analysis, flagship morning and evening newscasts from January 20 (Inauguration Day) through January 22 revealed that Trump’s pardons dominated coverage, while Biden’s actions barely got a mention.

• ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “World News Tonight” spent over 15 minutes dissecting Trump’s pardons, offering just 34 seconds for Biden.
• CBS aired 16 minutes on Trump, allocating a mere 64 seconds to Biden.
• NBC’s programs devoted over 14 minutes to Trump’s pardons, while Biden’s received less than 2 minutes.

This glaring discrepancy highlights the media’s priorities: amplify anything Trump does while sweeping Biden’s questionable actions under the rug.

Trump, true to his campaign promises, defended his decision to pardon January 6 defendants. In an exclusive Oval Office interview with Sean Hannity, Trump explained, “They were in there for 3-and-a-half years, a long time, many in solitary confinement… treated so badly. They were treated like the worst criminals in history.”

He further emphasized that these individuals were protesting what they believed to be a flawed electoral process, which he argued was their right.

While Hannity acknowledged that no one should “invade the Capitol,” Trump pointed out that most incidents involving police during the protests were minor. He insisted these individuals had already served harsh sentences for their actions.

In contrast, Biden’s preemptive pardons for his family drew little scrutiny from the media. Critics have questioned the necessity of such pardons, yet networks barely touched on the issue.

Biden himself had previously criticized the idea of preemptive pardons, calling it a troubling precedent. Back in 2020, he told CNN’s Jake Tapper, “It concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice.”

The media’s selective outrage is as transparent as ever. Their obsession with Trump and their protection of Biden highlight the ongoing erosion of journalistic integrity.