Photo: Reuters
The White House announced on Monday that President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter, partly to shield him from further political attacks by his opponents. However, this decision sparked intense criticism, with some Democrats arguing that it undermined public confidence in the rule of law. Biden, a Democrat whose term concludes on January 20 when Republican President-elect Donald Trump assumes office, granted an unconditional pardon to Hunter Biden on Sunday, stating that he felt his son had been unfairly targeted by political adversaries. In the past, Biden had repeatedly stated that he would not pardon his son, including a firm 'yes' to ABC News in June when asked if he would rule it out. This unexpected move was condemned not only by Republican opponents but also by Democrats who felt it weakened trust in the judicial system, a principle Biden and his party had often used to criticize Trump.
Hunter was prosecuted for tax offenses and firearm possession charges after years of being targeted by Republican members of Congress who accused him of leveraging his father's name for business deals, though no concrete connections were established. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre defended the president's action on Monday, asserting that Biden believed Hunter would continue to face harassment from his political rivals. Jean-Pierre, who had previously stated that Biden would not pardon his son, explained that the president's decision was partly due to the perceived unwillingness of his opponents to move on from the issue.
Jean-Pierre emphasized that this was not the first instance of a president pardoning a family member, citing examples such as Bill Clinton pardoning his half-brother Roger and Trump pardoning his daughter's father-in-law, Charles Kushner. She reiterated that Biden believed in the Department of Justice despite his view that his son's legal process had been politicized. Jean-Pierre declined to elaborate on the reasons behind Biden's change of heart or whether the recent election results influenced his decision.
Republicans accused Biden of dishonesty, while Democrats were divided, with some, like Colorado Governor Jared Polis, suggesting that Biden prioritized family over country. Former US Attorney General Eric Holder, however, argued that the pardon was justified. Black Lives Matter expressed hope that Biden would extend the same compassion shown to his son to millions of people incarcerated for non-violent offenses. The New York Times reported that Biden was concerned about the potential impact of the trials on his son's sobriety, noting that a full pardon seemed to be the only consideration. Hunter Biden pleaded guilty in September to federal tax charges and was due to be sentenced on December 16. A jury found him guilty in June of making false statements on a gun background check, with sentencing scheduled for this month. Biden stated on Sunday that his son had been selectively prosecuted and treated differently than others in similar situations, arguing that Hunter was targeted solely because he is his son.
Late on Sunday, Hunter Biden's attorney filed a motion to dismiss the indictments against him.
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