Why do something: Why? Why not? Upside is guaranteeing family members would not have to lawyer up to stay our of jail or court on charges trumped up or real, with or without evidence, so he took them off the criminal liability table. Downside is if called as part of an investigation, they have limited or no 5th Amendment protections to avoid answering truthfull or face prosecution for lying under oath.
I don't blame him from a personal standpoint. MAGA was out for their asses, one way or another, rightly or wrongly, no matter.