Firearms, falsehoods, and recordings: How Biden’s family connections might result in another pardon
For years, a Mississippi family entangled in controversy has formed a close relationship with the president. What will be the outcome of this connection?
TroibNews 
**BOONEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI** — In this quiet county seat filled with abandoned brick storefronts, an expansive estate at the southern entrance to town serves as a testament to legal acumen and political influence.
The property, with its extensive brick walls and serpentine paths, embodies the results of years of courtroom battles and clandestine negotiations that elevated Joey Langston to become Booneville's preeminent citizen and a long-standing ally of the Biden family.
The relationship between the Langston family and President Joe Biden has now emerged as a pivotal factor that may determine the fate of one of its members.
Keaton Langston, the scion and grandson of a family of attorneys, transformed his late father Joe Ray Langston’s modest legal practice into the most prosperous and well-connected operation in Booneville.
His rise began in the 1990s when he mingled with a tight-knit group of ambitious Mississippi lawyers who formed close ties with influential judges and legislators, most notably Joe Biden, while amassing wealth through intricate, politically charged lawsuits.
Teaming up with renowned tort lawyer Dickie Scruggs, a brother-in-law to former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Langston established himself as a go-to figure for Biden in Mississippi and became one of several legal allies working with Biden's brother, Jim.
After surviving a high-profile case-rigging scandal, Keaton, now 39, started a new chapter with a local pharmacy and his own gated property, continuing his family’s legacy of proximity to political power.
Keaton Langston made substantial profits in healthcare, collaborating with his father to sustain their involvement with Jim Biden. Along the way, he has allegedly gifted a firearm to a congressman, indulged in luxury items like a gold Rolex once owned by gangster Whitey Bulger, and attended gatherings at the Naval Observatory, referring to himself as Joe Biden’s “godson.”
Thus, when a congressional delegation visited this region of Mississippi in February, it was only natural they made their first stop at the Langston family law office.
By spring, signs of challenge loomed over Booneville. A local television report highlighted Justice Department allegations that Keaton had plotted with an alleged mafia figure to defraud government healthcare programs.
In May, he pleaded guilty in New Jersey federal court to a staggering $50 million fraud scheme, some of which implicated a hospital linked to Jim Biden.
The plea appeared to mark a grim conclusion to the Biden family's long-standing alliance with their Mississippi compatriots.
However, Keaton Langston’s legal journey is still unfolding, and a reviewed audio recording suggests there's more to the narrative.
In the recording, Keaton expresses frustration over plea negotiations, feeling caught in a web involving his father, the Justice Department, and Jim Biden. He claims to have “covered” for his father after reassurances from a figure he refers to as “the senator in Alabama” and admits to not being completely truthful with investigators regarding Jim Biden. He describes his father's belief that a pardon for Keaton was assured: “We have a guarantee that Keaton gets a pardon.”
Neither the president nor Jim Biden responded to requests for comment. In contrast, Joey Langston's lawyer denied any effort to mislead authorities or discussions about securing a pardon from Biden’s administration.
While Keaton’s legal team did not comment, his father's attorney stated, “both Keaton and Joey deny having ever been guaranteed a pardon by anyone.”
As President Biden’s tenure nears its close, the possibility of pardons arises. With Keaton Langston awaiting sentencing, one wonders if the Biden brothers’ longstanding connections with savvy Southern associates will allow this local legal dynasty to influence the outcome of one last case.
The roots of Keaton Langston's ongoing challenges trace back to Washington, where Joe Biden’s career began.
In Biden’s first memoir, he reflects on Mississippi’s Democratic Senators John Stennis and Jim Eastland as influential figures during his initial days in the Senate as a 30-year-old, grieving the deaths of his wife and daughter.
Eastland, a wealthy Delta cotton planter and staunch segregationist, particularly resonated with the junior senator. Their first encounter involved Eastland reprimanding Biden for advocating campaign finance reforms, a threat to incumbents' power.
Despite this, Biden cultivated a relationship with Eastland, learning the dynamics of power and influence in the Senate.
Eventually, Eastland appointed Biden to serve on the judiciary committee — an opportunity that shaped many pivotal experiences in Biden’s legislative career involving justice and the rule of law.
The older senator's influence permeated Biden’s trajectory in less action-oriented ways too.
“Big Jim” Eastland directed a powerful Democratic network within Mississippi and earned the nickname “the Godfather of Mississippi.”
Among those aligned with his network was Steve Patterson, a charismatic politician from near Booneville who later became state auditor and Democratic Party chair. Patterson’s initial connection with Biden emerged in the 1970s through Stennis’s office, leading to a lasting relationship that extended into Biden’s presidential campaign and the contentious tobacco wars of the 1990s.
“That was the beginning,” remarked Curtis Wilkie, a Mississippi journalist, “of Biden’s relationship with all these rednecks from northeast Mississippi.”
Keaton Langston's father gained prominence in the late '90s by overseeing Dickie Scruggs' successful lawsuits against tobacco companies, which sought to recover costs related to public health issues stemming from smoking.
After suffering legal setbacks against tobacco firms, the innovative strategy shifted to sue the tobacco companies on behalf of states like Mississippi, leveraging political connections alongside legal strategies.
“We needed some key people, people with political connections,” Scruggs recalled about the broader movement behind this litigation.
With victories accumulating, Scruggs approached Joey Langston for support. They eventually negotiated a massive, multi-state settlement that required congressional approval and found Jim Biden’s consulting firm involved in the lobbying effort.
In April 1998, payments to the Lion Hall Group totaling around $100,000 highlighted a growing connection between Scruggs' legal pursuits and the Biden family.
Joe Biden’s involvement became evident when he voted to reject amendments they'd hoped would hinder their settlement. After their agreement, Scruggs, Langston, and their associates emerged with staggering financial rewards, making Langston a local figure of wealth and influence.
Following his triumphs in the tobacco litigation, Joey Langston gained a reputation akin to local aristocracy. His mansion in Booneville and an extravagant Colorado residence marked a stark contrast to the modest surroundings of Booneville.
Langston’s newfound prominence within Prentiss County, traditionally known for its criminal element, fluctuated between acclaim and envy.
As he mingled with members of the Biden family, one notable occasion arose when the Bidens attended a football game at Ole Miss, where Langston showcased the renowned tailgating event at “the Grove.”
Years later, Langston hosted the Bidens at his vacation home on Pickwick Lake, fortifying the family’s ties.
Langston’s closeness to the Bidens bolstered his status in Mississippi, heightening his influence within Washington as well.
Beyond tobacco litigation, Bobby Langston facilitated a legislative move to assist victims of Cuban government actions, drawing upon his relationships to earn a successful verdict.
Joey Langston’s prominence in the realm of legal servicing continued to escalate until a significant scandal cascaded through Mississippi, eventually impacting his son’s trajectory years later.
The FBI’s 2007 raid on Scruggs’ law office ignited a corruption probe revealing a broader fixation on the state’s political dealings. Langston’s entanglement in the scandal resulted in his disbarment and a plea agreement with the Justice Department.
As the investigation progressed, the spotlight emerged on P.L. Blake, an equally obscure figure in Mississippi politics whose association with Scruggs created ripples of scrutiny.
Though Blake evaded formal charges, the cloud of Joey Langston’s conviction lingered, prompting him to sever ties with Biden even as his relationship with Jim Biden grew.
Keaton Langston, opting against a legal career like his father’s, entered the healthcare world, capitalizing on his family's connections.
Throughout his adult life, Keaton navigated both business ventures and political circles, forming alliances up the political ladder.
Clusters of activity emerged during the latter years of the Obama administration, as Keaton and Joey Langston partnered on healthcare-focused initiatives involving Jim Biden.
Yet soon after, the weighty consequences of their actions caught up with them. Americore, which had engaged in questionable billing practices that raised flags among insurers, filed for bankruptcy in late 2019, triggering federal investigations into systematic fraud.
Not long after, the spotlight turned on Keaton Langston during inquiries about his dealings, ultimately leading to his guilty plea involving a massive healthcare fraud that netted him close to $10 million.
As the dust settled over Booneville, local voices remained tight-lipped about the ongoing scandal, their connections leading them to tread carefully around the Langstons.
Joey Langston’s legal office hinted at his presence, but the former lawyer avoided public commentary, providing a stark contrast to the tumult surrounding Keaton’s fate.
With Keaton waiting for his sentence, he faces the repercussions of his actions and the uncertainty of whether his family’s previous connections within the political landscape can ultimately shield him from the looming consequences of his crimes. The Langston family’s once-sterling ties to the Bidens may no longer hold the same leverage in a changing political environment.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
The property, with its extensive brick walls and serpentine paths, embodies the results of years of courtroom battles and clandestine negotiations that elevated Joey Langston to become Booneville's preeminent citizen and a long-standing ally of the Biden family.
The relationship between the Langston family and President Joe Biden has now emerged as a pivotal factor that may determine the fate of one of its members.
Keaton Langston, the scion and grandson of a family of attorneys, transformed his late father Joe Ray Langston’s modest legal practice into the most prosperous and well-connected operation in Booneville.
His rise began in the 1990s when he mingled with a tight-knit group of ambitious Mississippi lawyers who formed close ties with influential judges and legislators, most notably Joe Biden, while amassing wealth through intricate, politically charged lawsuits.
Teaming up with renowned tort lawyer Dickie Scruggs, a brother-in-law to former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, Langston established himself as a go-to figure for Biden in Mississippi and became one of several legal allies working with Biden's brother, Jim.
After surviving a high-profile case-rigging scandal, Keaton, now 39, started a new chapter with a local pharmacy and his own gated property, continuing his family’s legacy of proximity to political power.
Keaton Langston made substantial profits in healthcare, collaborating with his father to sustain their involvement with Jim Biden. Along the way, he has allegedly gifted a firearm to a congressman, indulged in luxury items like a gold Rolex once owned by gangster Whitey Bulger, and attended gatherings at the Naval Observatory, referring to himself as Joe Biden’s “godson.”
Thus, when a congressional delegation visited this region of Mississippi in February, it was only natural they made their first stop at the Langston family law office.
By spring, signs of challenge loomed over Booneville. A local television report highlighted Justice Department allegations that Keaton had plotted with an alleged mafia figure to defraud government healthcare programs.
In May, he pleaded guilty in New Jersey federal court to a staggering $50 million fraud scheme, some of which implicated a hospital linked to Jim Biden.
The plea appeared to mark a grim conclusion to the Biden family's long-standing alliance with their Mississippi compatriots.
However, Keaton Langston’s legal journey is still unfolding, and a reviewed audio recording suggests there's more to the narrative.
In the recording, Keaton expresses frustration over plea negotiations, feeling caught in a web involving his father, the Justice Department, and Jim Biden. He claims to have “covered” for his father after reassurances from a figure he refers to as “the senator in Alabama” and admits to not being completely truthful with investigators regarding Jim Biden. He describes his father's belief that a pardon for Keaton was assured: “We have a guarantee that Keaton gets a pardon.”
Neither the president nor Jim Biden responded to requests for comment. In contrast, Joey Langston's lawyer denied any effort to mislead authorities or discussions about securing a pardon from Biden’s administration.
While Keaton’s legal team did not comment, his father's attorney stated, “both Keaton and Joey deny having ever been guaranteed a pardon by anyone.”
As President Biden’s tenure nears its close, the possibility of pardons arises. With Keaton Langston awaiting sentencing, one wonders if the Biden brothers’ longstanding connections with savvy Southern associates will allow this local legal dynasty to influence the outcome of one last case.
The roots of Keaton Langston's ongoing challenges trace back to Washington, where Joe Biden’s career began.
In Biden’s first memoir, he reflects on Mississippi’s Democratic Senators John Stennis and Jim Eastland as influential figures during his initial days in the Senate as a 30-year-old, grieving the deaths of his wife and daughter.
Eastland, a wealthy Delta cotton planter and staunch segregationist, particularly resonated with the junior senator. Their first encounter involved Eastland reprimanding Biden for advocating campaign finance reforms, a threat to incumbents' power.
Despite this, Biden cultivated a relationship with Eastland, learning the dynamics of power and influence in the Senate.
Eventually, Eastland appointed Biden to serve on the judiciary committee — an opportunity that shaped many pivotal experiences in Biden’s legislative career involving justice and the rule of law.
The older senator's influence permeated Biden’s trajectory in less action-oriented ways too.
“Big Jim” Eastland directed a powerful Democratic network within Mississippi and earned the nickname “the Godfather of Mississippi.”
Among those aligned with his network was Steve Patterson, a charismatic politician from near Booneville who later became state auditor and Democratic Party chair. Patterson’s initial connection with Biden emerged in the 1970s through Stennis’s office, leading to a lasting relationship that extended into Biden’s presidential campaign and the contentious tobacco wars of the 1990s.
“That was the beginning,” remarked Curtis Wilkie, a Mississippi journalist, “of Biden’s relationship with all these rednecks from northeast Mississippi.”
Keaton Langston's father gained prominence in the late '90s by overseeing Dickie Scruggs' successful lawsuits against tobacco companies, which sought to recover costs related to public health issues stemming from smoking.
After suffering legal setbacks against tobacco firms, the innovative strategy shifted to sue the tobacco companies on behalf of states like Mississippi, leveraging political connections alongside legal strategies.
“We needed some key people, people with political connections,” Scruggs recalled about the broader movement behind this litigation.
With victories accumulating, Scruggs approached Joey Langston for support. They eventually negotiated a massive, multi-state settlement that required congressional approval and found Jim Biden’s consulting firm involved in the lobbying effort.
In April 1998, payments to the Lion Hall Group totaling around $100,000 highlighted a growing connection between Scruggs' legal pursuits and the Biden family.
Joe Biden’s involvement became evident when he voted to reject amendments they'd hoped would hinder their settlement. After their agreement, Scruggs, Langston, and their associates emerged with staggering financial rewards, making Langston a local figure of wealth and influence.
Following his triumphs in the tobacco litigation, Joey Langston gained a reputation akin to local aristocracy. His mansion in Booneville and an extravagant Colorado residence marked a stark contrast to the modest surroundings of Booneville.
Langston’s newfound prominence within Prentiss County, traditionally known for its criminal element, fluctuated between acclaim and envy.
As he mingled with members of the Biden family, one notable occasion arose when the Bidens attended a football game at Ole Miss, where Langston showcased the renowned tailgating event at “the Grove.”
Years later, Langston hosted the Bidens at his vacation home on Pickwick Lake, fortifying the family’s ties.
Langston’s closeness to the Bidens bolstered his status in Mississippi, heightening his influence within Washington as well.
Beyond tobacco litigation, Bobby Langston facilitated a legislative move to assist victims of Cuban government actions, drawing upon his relationships to earn a successful verdict.
Joey Langston’s prominence in the realm of legal servicing continued to escalate until a significant scandal cascaded through Mississippi, eventually impacting his son’s trajectory years later.
The FBI’s 2007 raid on Scruggs’ law office ignited a corruption probe revealing a broader fixation on the state’s political dealings. Langston’s entanglement in the scandal resulted in his disbarment and a plea agreement with the Justice Department.
As the investigation progressed, the spotlight emerged on P.L. Blake, an equally obscure figure in Mississippi politics whose association with Scruggs created ripples of scrutiny.
Though Blake evaded formal charges, the cloud of Joey Langston’s conviction lingered, prompting him to sever ties with Biden even as his relationship with Jim Biden grew.
Keaton Langston, opting against a legal career like his father’s, entered the healthcare world, capitalizing on his family's connections.
Throughout his adult life, Keaton navigated both business ventures and political circles, forming alliances up the political ladder.
Clusters of activity emerged during the latter years of the Obama administration, as Keaton and Joey Langston partnered on healthcare-focused initiatives involving Jim Biden.
Yet soon after, the weighty consequences of their actions caught up with them. Americore, which had engaged in questionable billing practices that raised flags among insurers, filed for bankruptcy in late 2019, triggering federal investigations into systematic fraud.
Not long after, the spotlight turned on Keaton Langston during inquiries about his dealings, ultimately leading to his guilty plea involving a massive healthcare fraud that netted him close to $10 million.
As the dust settled over Booneville, local voices remained tight-lipped about the ongoing scandal, their connections leading them to tread carefully around the Langstons.
Joey Langston’s legal office hinted at his presence, but the former lawyer avoided public commentary, providing a stark contrast to the tumult surrounding Keaton’s fate.
With Keaton waiting for his sentence, he faces the repercussions of his actions and the uncertainty of whether his family’s previous connections within the political landscape can ultimately shield him from the looming consequences of his crimes. The Langston family’s once-sterling ties to the Bidens may no longer hold the same leverage in a changing political environment.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
