By Robert Nowinski
Recently, the current President, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. pardoned his son, Robert Hunter Biden. He had faced sentencing for federal tax and gun convictions. According to a copy of the executive grant of clemency, it’s a “full and unconditional pardon.”
According to the man himself, “I am satisfied that I’m not going to do anything — I said I’d abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him.” The White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also said at least seven times—over more than a year—that Biden would not pardon his son. However, due to recent events, it’s obvious that Biden did not follow this plan.
Hunter Biden has been pardoned of any other potential crimes, as well. He has faced backlash for controversial business dealings with places in China and Ukraine, and Trump thinks that he should be prosecuted for those crimes overseas.
President Biden himself felt that his son had been targeted, and that the republicans were trying to break Hunter. According to Jeffrey Crouch, who is a leading expert on pardons and teaches at American University, “As sympathetic as Hunter Biden’s circumstances might be, a pardon from Joe Biden would still be an abuse of the clemency power. Presidents should not use clemency to help out their friends, family and allies in order to further their own personal interest.” With even an expert knowing it’s wrong, why would Biden do it?
Biden has also said, “No one is above the law,” which was met with a community note on Twitter/X pointing at the hypocrisy of the pardon. With all of this happening, it will be interesting to see how Biden’s last months in office will go.
beniciapaw.com 