Judge Questions Legality and Delivery of President Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Biden
A federal judge overseeing Hunter Biden’s tax case has issued a strongly worded rebuke of President Biden’s decision to pardon his son, calling the president’s actions "rewriting history" and questioning the legal scope of the pardon.
Judge Mark Scarsi, appointed by President Trump, expressed his disapproval in a five-page document regarding the breadth and method of execution of the pardon.
"The Constitution provides the President with broad authority to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, but nowhere does the Constitution give the President the authority to rewrite history," Scarsi wrote.
The controversy stems from President Biden’s announcement of Hunter Biden’s pardon via a White House press release rather than through traditional legal channels. "Rather than providing a true and correct copy of the pardon with the notice, Mr. Biden provided a hyperlink to a White House press release presenting a statement by the President regarding the pardon and the purported text of the pardon," wrote Judge Scarsi.
"In short, a press release is not a pardon," he added.
The judge further took issue with President Biden’s portrayal of his son’s legal situation.
“He asserts that Mr. Biden ‘was treated differently’ from others ‘who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions,’ implying that Mr. Biden was among those individuals who untimely paid taxes due to addiction. But he is not.”
The president’s assertion that his son was singled out due to his familial connection was also disputed by Judge Scarsi.
"Two federal judges expressly rejected Biden’s arguments that the Government prosecuted Mr. Biden because of his familial relation to the President," meaning Judge Scarsi believes President Biden is painted himself as “unreasonable.”
The judge concluded by stating that he would proceed with disposing the case as soon as the official pardon documents are received from "the appropriate executive agency," indicating granting a legal pardon does not automically erase a legal case.
Hunter Biden faced up to 17 years in prison for two felonies stemming from possession of a firearm by a felon. His sentencing, scheduled for December 16th, was canceled as a result of the pardon.
This case marks the latest development in a series of legal encounters for Hunter Biden. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to several misdemeanor tax charges.
This decision by President Biden to pardon his son has provoked accusations of preferential treatment and raised questions about the limits of executive power. While the pardon itself is permanent, the judge’s strong language and emphasis on procedural handling add another layer to this political controversy.
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