Back in 2018, when President-elect Donald Trump was in office for his first term, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) appeared on CNN to speak with Don Lemon and take issue with the president's pardon of Scooter Libby on April 13, 2018. Libby was convicted in 2007 for lying to the FBI and obstruction of justice to do with the Valerie Plame scandal. Schiff's comments have since resurfaced in light of President Joe Biden announcing on Sunday that he was pardoning his son, Hunter Biden.
Speaking about legislation he had introduced in response to such a pardon, Schiff explained to Lemon that "what it would do is say that in the event the president pardons anyone in an investigation which the president is a witness, a subject or the target, those investigative files will all be turned over to the Congress."
What Schiff said next is even further relevant to today's current events. "The Congress ought to know whether the president is using the pardon power to obstruct justice. The American people have a right to know."
The congressman argued he thinks his legislation "is clearly constitutional," adding, "it doesn't prohibit him from granting a pardon, even a pardon he shouldn't grant, but it does say we will be able to at least find out whether the president is using this power to shield himself from liability." Lemon and Schiff both agreed such legislation "offers transparency, at the very least."
If the President issues a pardon in a case in which he or his family are implicated, the American people need to know whether it is part of an attempt to obstruct justice. This bill would make that possible and serve as a powerful deterrent. pic.twitter.com/kvIeORqvC3
— Adam Schiff (@AdamSchiff) April 19, 2018
The congressman himself posted a clip of such comments to his X account on April 19, 2018, and the post still remains there today.
Many have since chimed in over X with replies and quoted reposts, and have also reshared the clip to take issue with Schiff's selective concern and double standards,3 as Doug P. at our sister site of Twitchy covered.
If Dems didn’t have double standards they would have no standards at all.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) December 2, 2024
What a good idea @adamschiff
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) December 2, 2024
“The Congress ought to know whether the president is using their power pardon power to obstruct justice.
The American people have a right to know.” https://t.co/2NVBDooUOL
It’s (D)ifferent when we do it
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) December 2, 2024
As of Monday evening, over 24 hours after news of the pardon came out and Biden issued such a pardon for his son, Schiff has yet to comment over X about such a move. The same cannot be said for Biden and Schiff's fellow Democrats, many of who have not only expressed their thoughts on the move, but have taken issue with Biden's pardon.
Schiff's silence on the pardon is even more glaring not merely due to his comments from 2018, but also as he released an unrelated video message on Monday night to do with the problems working people face with automation, artificial intelligence, and "health and retirement security."