Biden Pardons Son, Sparking Political Firestorm
In a move that has sent shockwaves through Washington, President Joe Biden granted his son, Hunter, a sweeping federal pardon, effectively ending a gun case that had been looming over the president’s son for months. The pardon, issued just before Hunter Biden was due to be sentenced, wiped away convictions on three felonies related to falsely stating his drug use on a federal gun purchase form.
The White House’s decision to pardon Hunter Biden has ignited a fierce political debate, drawing criticism from both sides of the aisle. Many Democrats, alongside Republicans, have expressed concern about the precedent set by the president’s intervention in a case involving his own family member.
"A pardon should not wipe away the case ‘as if it never occurred’," prosecutors had argued in court documents opposing the pardon’s issuance.
The Justice Department’s special counsel also voiced opposition to dismissing a separate California case against Hunter Biden, who is accused of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes. A federal judge in Los Angeles has yet to rule on that case.
The president’s decision throws a cloud over his legacy as he prepares to leave office on January 20th. He had previously indicated his unwillingness to pardon his son, but ultimately went against those earlier pledges.
“[Insert Image: President Joe Biden with his son Hunter Biden on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington in July (Susan Walsh/AP)]”
The gun case stemmed from Hunter Biden’s 2018 purchase of a firearm in Delaware. At the time, he was battling addiction, a fact he has openly acknowledged, and falsely claimed on the purchase form that he was not a drug user. While he could have faced up to 25 years in prison, as a first-time offender, it was likely he would have received a lesser sentence or avoided prison altogether.
Last year, a plea deal was reached between Hunter Biden and prosecutors that would have spared him prison time. However, the agreement unraveled when the presiding judge, Maryellen Noreika, raised concerns about some unusual aspects of the deal.
The pardon comes as the Justice Department’s special counsel is also pursuing a separate case against Hunter Biden in California. The fate of that case, and its potential implications for the president, remains to be seen.
