President Biden pardons son, Hunter, breaking previous promise not to
President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on criminal charges in California and Delaware.
President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on criminal charges in California and Delaware.
President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on criminal charges in California and Delaware.
President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, Sunday night, reversing a long-held promise to stay out of his son's criminal cases.
"I'm extremely proud of my son, Hunter. He has overcome an addiction. He is one of the brightest, most decent men I know," Biden said as his son faced trial earlier this summer. "I am satisfied that I'm not gonna do anything. I abide by the jury decision. I will do that, and I will not pardon him."
But in a stunning reversal, Biden said it was clear his son was "selectively and unfairly prosecuted," including by his political opponents.
"In trying to break Hunter, they鈥檝e tried to break me 鈥� and there鈥檚 no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough," the said. "Here鈥檚 the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice 鈥� and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."
Hunter Biden was convicted on charges of lying about his drug use while purchasing a gun in Delaware. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes in California.
A plea deal that would have spared the younger Biden from prison time fell apart last year when a judge raised concerns. President Biden called the deal a "fair, reasonable resolution" had it gone through.
The pardon spares Hunter Biden from possible prison time in both cases and any offense committed up to a decade ago.
Presidents are likely to issue pardons near the end of their term. Some have done it for family members and friends, including President-elect Donald Trump during the final weeks of his first term.
Trump pardoned multiple allies for conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election. He also pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for tax evasion and illegal campaign donation charges.
Charles Kushner is Trump's nominee for U.S. ambassador to France during his incoming term.
President-elect Trump to the news of Hunter Biden's pardon, calling the decision "an abuse and miscarriage of justice." He raised more concerns over the convictions of Jan. 6 rioters.