WASHINGTON: Like prior lame-duck United States presidents, Joe Biden has been racing to finish unfinished enterprise in an try and bolster his legacy – and shield his signature insurance policies – earlier than handing over the keys to the White Home.
With archrival Donald Trump returning to energy, Biden’s work to guard his administration’s official actions, and his personal repute, has taken on added impetus, specialists say.
“Departing presidents usually attempt to each accomplish as a lot as they’ll previous to leaving workplace and likewise form public opinion of their administration,” Robert Rowland, a College of Kansas communications professor, instructed AFP.
“There are numerous examples of intense lame-duck durations”, significantly when energy modifications from celebration to celebration, stated Julian Zelizer, a historical past professor at Princeton College.
Biden, whose uncommon public appearances have proven him visibly bodily diminished, is not any exception to the rule.
His current choice to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 federal demise row inmates triggered the wrath of his Republican adversary.
In response, Trump has vowed to hunt to have much more defendants sentenced to demise.
“Biden is scared by what he fears President Trump might do,” stated Rowland.
“That worry is making him particularly forceful in making an attempt to restrict the agenda of the incoming Trump Administration and to solidify his administration’s accomplishments,” he stated.
The outgoing president had beforehand granted 39 presidential pardons and commuted sentences for practically 1,500 folks, with the White Home hailing it as “the most important single-day grant of clemency in trendy historical past”.
“All presidents use their energy to pardon or commute sentences on the finish of their presidencies,” Wendy Schiller, a Brown College political science professor, instructed AFP.
Zelizer stated the judicial actions could also be motivated by Biden in search of to “honor a number of the guarantees he made throughout his marketing campaign on prison justice”.
Considered one of his most notable choices, nonetheless, was to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who he stated had been subjected to unfair therapy by the courts and prosecutors.
The transfer provoked robust criticism from Trump and Republicans, but in addition from shut Democratic allies.
Rowland stated the pardon has “undoubtedly had a serious unfavorable influence” on Biden’s repute, including impetus to his last days’ work to form public opinion of his outgoing administration.
