Biden hopes Americans will understand son’s pardon
President Joe Biden has granted a full pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing sentencing for two criminal cases, despite having previously ruled out such an action.
In a statement, President Biden asserted that his son had been “singled out” and described the cases as “a miscarriage of justice.”
Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to tax charges in September and was convicted in June for being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm. This made him the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime.
In response to the pardon, President-elect Donald Trump questioned whether it extended to those involved in the January 6th Capitol riots, calling it “an abuse and miscarriage of justice.”
The pardon comes after President Biden had initially stated he would not offer clemency to his son. Just months earlier, in September, the White House press secretary confirmed Biden’s position of not issuing a pardon. However, on Sunday evening, the president explained that while he respected the justice system, “politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”
“I made a promise when I took office that I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word, even as I watched my son being unfairly and selectively prosecuted,” Biden said. He added that he had struggled with the decision but felt it was right to make it without delay. “Once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” he stated.
Biden expressed hope that Americans would understand why a father and president would make such a decision.
In a statement of his own, Hunter Biden said that his past mistakes, particularly during his addiction, had been “exploited to publicly humiliate and shame” his family for political purposes. The 54-year-old, who has been sober for five and a half years, added that he would not take the clemency for granted and would dedicate himself to helping others who are still suffering.
This is not the first time a U.S. president has pardoned a family member.
Bill Clinton pardoned his younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, for a 1985 cocaine-related offence in 2001.
In 2020, Donald Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of his daughter Ivanka. President-elect Trump has recently announced Kushner as ambassador to France in his new cabinet.
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine counts of federal tax fraud in September, for which he had been facing up to 17 years in prison.
He was also convicted of three felonies in connection with a gun purchase in June, for which he had been facing up to 25 years in prison.
Sentencing for these cases had been scheduled for 12 and 16 December.
His legal troubles had been a dark cloud over his father’s presidential campaign, which came to an end in July after Biden pulled out of the election race.
Biden endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to succeed him as the Democratic candidate, who lost the election to Republican Donald Trump in November.
Trump is set to take over the Oval Office from Biden on 20 January 2025 – Inauguration Day.
