President Biden Pardons Son Hunter Biden, Citing Selective Prosecution

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of making false statements during a gun background check, illegally possessing a firearm, and pleading guilty to federal tax charges.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son, Hunter,” President Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word, even as I watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”

Charges and Sentencing

Hunter Biden, a recovering drug addict, faced sentencing for the false statements and firearm charges on Wednesday. He had also pled guilty in September to failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending extravagantly on drugs, sex workers, and luxury goods. Sentencing for the tax case was scheduled for December 16.

Hunter acknowledged his past mistakes in a statement on Sunday, expressing remorse and gratitude for the pardon. “I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction,” he said. “I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”

Claims of Political Targeting

President Biden accused his political opponents of orchestrating the charges to attack him and his family. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son,” he said, emphasizing that such charges are rarely prosecuted.

Biden highlighted that individuals with similar tax issues, particularly those recovering from addiction, often resolve their cases without criminal charges. “It is clear that Hunter was treated differently,” Biden said, adding that the cases were instigated by his opponents in Congress.

A Difficult Decision

The pardon decision came after the Biden family spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts. President Biden said he wrestled with the decision but ultimately felt it was necessary to address what he viewed as a miscarriage of justice.

“Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process,” Biden said. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”

The move has already sparked heated reactions, with supporters viewing it as a compassionate act by a father and detractors criticizing it as a misuse of presidential power. Hunter Biden’s legal and political challenges have been a focal point for Republican criticism as President Biden prepares for his 2024 reelection campaign.