President Biden Pardons Son Hunter Amidst Political Controversy.
US President Joe Biden has granted an official pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, who was due to face sentencing this month on federal felony gun and tax convictions. The decision marks a significant shift, as the President had previously stated he would neither pardon his son nor commute his sentence.
Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty to tax charges in September and was convicted in June of being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm, is the first child of a sitting president to be convicted of a crime. Despite his earlier stance, President Biden defended the pardon, citing concerns about political interference. “I believe in the justice system,” he remarked on Sunday evening, “but politics has infected this process, and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”
The move has sparked sharp criticism, particularly from President-elect Donald Trump, who described the pardon as an “abuse and miscarriage of justice.” Trump also drew a controversial comparison, questioning whether similar clemency would be extended to those involved in the 6 January 2021 Capitol riots, whom he has labelled “J-6 Hostages.”
Presidential pardons are not uncommon, particularly during the final months of a presidency. They serve to erase federal convictions, ending all punishment and restoring rights such as voting and running for public office. Trump himself issued over 100 pardons during his tenure, primarily in his last months in office.
As debate intensifies, Biden’s pardon of his son underscores the complex intersection of politics, justice, and personal loyalty in American governance.