In a surprising turn of events, Democrat Rep. James Clyburn has voiced support for a presidential pardon of former President Donald Trump, advocating for President Joe Biden to facilitate this controversial decision.

Clyburn's endorsement aligns with the suggestion of Independent Sen. Joe Manchin, highlighting a unique bipartisan moment in modern American politics, something which follows dismissal requests by special counsel Jack Smith in his federal cases against Trump, as Newsweek reports.

The requests to dismiss came shortly after Trump's triumph in the November presidential election, triggering a wave of legal reassessments from both Trump's legal team and federal prosecutors.

This includes a critical movement in New York where Trump’s lawyers have urged a judge to discard his conviction on hush money charges, an appeal strictly associated with state, not federal law.

Clyburn Aligns with Manchin on CNN

During a CNN interview, Clyburn echoed Manchin's sentiments regarding a pardon, which initially seemed to suggest a full pardon for all charges Trump faces.

However, Clyburn clarified his stance, noting his focus was solely on federal charges, not state-level accusations which are currently the basis of Trump’s legal troubles.

“Well, I've said to people that I'm in that category as well. I did see what Manchin had to say,” he mentioned.

Clyburn further elaborated by emphasizing that Trump’s federal actions during his presidency should be the focal point.

He expressed strong agreement with the Supreme Court’s indication of a broad, preemptive pardon concerning presidential duties, thus supporting a protective umbrella over Trump's federal actions while in office.

Manchin, on the other hand, proposed a more general pardon strategy on CNN, arguing it would help the country move forward by alleviating ongoing political and legal battles, thereby allowing Biden to govern without these distractions. “Rather than going through all these court cases... just clean that slate up. Let's get this behind us and move forward,” Manchin stated.

Implications of a Presidential Pardon

While the Department of Justice maintains a policy against prosecuting sitting presidents on federal charges, former presidents are exempt from this protection once they leave office.

Trump's potentially facing charges post-presidency makes the discussions of pardons more pivotal. Additionally, Biden’s own controversial decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, for federal felonies related to guns and taxes, has intensified debates over presidential pardons and their implications.

Trump himself has not remained silent on these issues, invoking the pardon granted to Hunter Biden in a call for similar mercy toward participants in the Jan. 6, 20201 Capitol unrest, branding their treatment as unjust through his platform on Truth Social.

A Trump spokesperson sharply criticized the Department of Justice, accusing it of partisanship and bias, thereby supporting the need, according to Trump's camp, for major reforms to ensure justice and due process for all Americans.

“The failed witch hunts against President Trump have proven that the Democrat-controlled DOJ and other radical prosecutors are guilty of weaponizing the justice system,” stated Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump.

Response From Political and Legal Arenas

All entities involved, including the White House, Clyburn's office, and Trump's spokesperson, were approached for comments by Newsweek, though they were contacted outside of normal working hours.

Meanwhile, the legal landscape remains attentive to these developments, with Smith's motion to dismiss a separate federal case regarding classified documents further complicating the ongoing legal narratives.

The dialogue about whether or not Biden should pardon Trump is set against a backdrop of legal, political, and moral questions, challenging the boundaries of presidential powers and the precedent such a pardon might set.

As the situation evolves, the nation watches closely, waiting to see if Biden will heed Clyburn’s and Manchin’s advice, or chart a different course entirely.