Clyburn says he’d support Biden pardoning Trump

Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) signaled he would support President Biden if he were to offer clemency to President-elect Trump in his legal cases, days after Washington was rattled by the president’s pardoning of his son Hunter Biden.

“Remember that Trump has not been convicted of anything in the federal realm,” Clyburn told CNN’s “Laura Coates Live” on Tuesday, specifically highlighting the president-elect’s New York hush money case. “Those convictions are state convictions.”

“So, I’m not talking about state here, I’m talking about things that could impede our federal government,” he continued, referencing outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin’s (I-W.Va.) similar sentiment earlier this week, when he too called for the president to pardon Trump.

“And so, I believe that Manchin may be on to something there,” the South Carolina Democrat added.

Asked by CNN’s Laura Coates if he would support Biden pardoning Trump for his other federal charges, Clyburn said “Yes.”

“Yes, I could, absolutely, because the Supreme Court has pretty much made it very clear that he is preemptively pardoned of anything he may do as president,” Clyburn said in response, pointing to the high court’s presidential immunity ruling. Both federal cases, overseen by special counsel Jack Smith, were dismissed following Trump’s election victory last month.

Biden’s decision to pardon Hunter Biden of his federal gun and tax charges invited scrutiny from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Democrats in both chambers. Many pointed to consistent vows by the president and White House that they would stay out of the younger Biden’s legal cases.

The South Carolina Democrat, however, said he was “OK” with the move, adding that he urged him to make it happen. 

“Yes, I did, because I know he was targeted,” Clyburn said. 

“We all know that but for the fact he was Joe Biden’s son, he would never have been taken through these gyrations,” the veteran lawmaker added, saying he last spoke to the president two weeks ago. “And so, I told him the last time I talked to him.”