Flagship newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC spent over 46 minutes masking President Trump pardoning Jan. 6 defendants however barely discovered time to say former President Joe Biden issuing preemptive pardons for his household, in accordance with a brand new examine.
In the course of the last hours of his administration final week, Biden issued preemptive pardons for family members James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden. That very same day, Trump signed off on pardoning greater than 1,500 charged with crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol, shortly after retaking workplace.
The Media Analysis Middle analyzed flagship morning and night newscasts on ABC, CBS, and NBC from Inauguration Day on January 20 by means of the morning of Jan. 22 to find out how the pardons have been coated. Whereas the pair of orders occurred on the identical day, protection was not precisely balanced.
The conservative media watchdog discovered that ABC, CBS, and NBC spent 46 minutes and 32 seconds on the Trump pardons, in comparison with solely three minutes and 32 seconds on Biden’s preemptive pardons.
ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “World News Tonight” spent quarter-hour and 30 seconds on the Trump pardons in comparison with a short 34 seconds on Biden.
“CBS Mornings” and “CBS Evening News” devoted 16 minutes and 32 seconds to Trump’s pardons in comparison with solely 64 seconds on pardons handed out by Biden, whereas NBC’s “Today” and “Nightly News” spent 14 minutes and 30 seconds on Trump and fewer than two minutes on Biden.
Trump beforehand promised that he could be “acting very quickly” on his first day in workplace to pardon the so-called “hostages,” a transfer that angered critics and prompted criticism that he was excusing violence in opposition to police. Biden preemptively pardoning his household was additionally criticized by political rivals, however it obtained solely a sliver of the protection his successor received.
Trump opened up about pardoning the Jan. 6 defendants final week throughout an unique Oval Workplace interview with Fox Information host Sean Hannity.
“Why did they get a pardon?” Hannity requested.
“A number of reasons,” Trump mentioned. “Number one, they were in there for 3-and-a-half years, a long time, and many in solitary confinement… treated so badly. They were treated like the worst criminals in history.”
“And you know what they were there for? They were protesting the vote,” he continued. “You should be allowed to protest a vote.”
Hannity mentioned no one ought to be allowed to “invade the Capitol,” however the president insisted they’ve served their time.
“These people have served, horribly, a long time,” Trump mentioned, claiming many of the incidents with police have been “minor.”
Trump added that he was “very clear” about his plans, whereas Biden beforehand dismissed the thought of preemptive pardons.
Biden was requested in 2020 about stories that then-President Trump was contemplating preemptive pardons for members of his household and even himself.
“Well, it concerns me in terms of what kind of precedent it sets and how the rest of the world looks at us as a nation of laws and justice,” Biden advised CNN anchor Jake Tapper on the time.
Fox Information Digital’s Chris Pandolfo and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
