Chicago City Wire

Journalist Mark Halperin reported that Bill Daley, a longtime ally of President Joe Biden and former Chief of Staff to Barack Obama, expressed disapproval of Biden's recent pardons. Halperin shared Daley's statement on January 20 in a post on X.

"Super Democrat Bill Daley, who has been close to Joe Biden since his 1988 campaign & was a Biden ally when Daley served as chief of staff to Barack Obama, tells me of the family pardons: "Disgusting -- seems to confirm what was said about the Biden family for the last four years," said Daley, Former White House Chief of Staff.

Halperin stated in his post: "Super Democrat Bill Daley, who has been close to Joe Biden since his 1988 campaign & was a Biden ally when Daley served as chief of staff to Barack Obama, tells me of the family pardons: 'Disgusting -- seems to confirm what was said about the Biden family for the last 4 years.'"

Social Media Post by Mark Halperin on X, Jan 20, 2025 | Mark Halperin

According to ABC News, in the final moments of his presidency on January 20, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons to several family members, including his brothers James and Francis, his sister Valerie Biden Owens, and their respective spouses. Biden stated that these pardons were necessary to protect his family from "unrelenting attacks and threats" aimed at undermining him. He emphasized that the pardons should not be seen as an admission of guilt.

These were not the first pardons issued by Biden to members of his family. According to AP News, on December 1, 2024, he granted a full and unconditional pardon to his son Hunter Biden for all federal offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024.

This comprehensive pardon included Hunter's tax and gun charges and any other potential offenses within that period. In his official statement, then-President Biden said he hoped Americans would understand why both a father and a President would make such a decision. This action marked a reversal from President Biden's earlier commitments not to pardon his son.

Bill Daley is recognized as a prominent American politician and businessman. He served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton and as Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2012. He is part of the influential Daley family in Chicago with deep roots in local politics.

Mark Halperin is editor-in-chief of 2WAY Interactive according to LinkedIn. He is also known as a journalist, author, and political commentator.