Biden Admin Warned J6 Defendants Accepting Trump Pardon Was 'Confession of Guilt' Month Before Pardoning Multiple Family Members

Just weeks after telling Jan. 6 defendants that accepting a pardon was akin to a "confession of guilt", former President Biden issued a series of preemptive pardons to family members, members of Congress, and former public servants.

Back in December, Politico reported that the justice department sent out a message to defendants related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

"[A] pardon at some unspecified date in the future", the message stated, "...would not unring the bell of conviction," federal prosecutors argued in a Jan. 6 case before U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. "In fact, quite the opposite. The defendant would first have to accept the pardon, which necessitates a confession of guilt."

The website stated that the justice department was trying to salvage some of its legacy in the nearly 1,600 criminal cases it brought related to the incidents of Jan. 6, 2021.

ABC News reported that President Trump is considering pardons for non-violent offenders and commutations for others sentenced as part of the investigation. Currently, there are about 470 ongoing criminal cases that could be impacted by Trump's election.

The legal impact of a pardon has been the source of debate, Politico reported, noting that the Supreme Court has stated that pardons can carry an "imputation of guilt."

The website reported that many Jan. 6 defendants have hoped to get "pardons of innocence" and have claimed that Trump can effectively wipe their slate clean.

In the case of Biden pardons on Monday, those were given to people not even charged with a crime. Biden specifically addressed the question of guilt in his statement regarding the pardons: "The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense. Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country."

Previously, Biden gave a blanket pardon to his son Hunter for a 10-year period from about 2014 through 2024. However, Hunter had already been convicted on federal gun and tax charges, CNN reported.