South West Illinois News

Monroe County Republicans Chairman Ed McLean criticized President Biden's recent pardons, describing them as a "blatant abuse of power" that highlights an alleged willingness to manipulate the presidency for personal gain. McLean made these remarks to South West Illinois News on January 21.

According to CNN, in his final moments as president, Joe Biden issued sweeping preemptive pardons to critics of former President Trump and members of his own family. This included figures such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and members of the January 6 committee. Critics argue that this unprecedented use of presidential power undermines accountability by shielding political allies and family from scrutiny. The move is seen by some as an attempt to avoid investigations into allegations of influence-peddling and corruption. Biden's pardons, announced just before Trump's inauguration, have sparked controversy over their implications for fairness and justice.

In a social media post on January 20, Taylor Budowich, President Trump's deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel, said that "Joe Biden’s final act as President will go down as the greatest attack on America’s justice system in history." He added that with these pardons, Biden "unilaterally shielded a group of political cronies from the scales of justice," calling it a "dangerous and unreversible erosion of American norms."

McLean has served as Chairman since 2016 and has focused on advocating for conservative values within the Republican Party. A retired engineer and business leader, he resides with his wife on a small horse farm in rural Monroe County.