ewOn 1st December, in an unprecedented move, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden. Notably, Biden has only 51 days left in the office as President-elect Donald Trump will resume office on 20th January. He claimed that the prosecution of Hunter was politically motivated and described it as a miscarriage of justice.
The pardon absolves Hunter of offences committed between 2014 and 2024, including the charges brought by Special Counsel David C. Weiss.
President Joe Biden signed a pardon for his son Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing this month on gun crime and tax convictions; claims that his son (Hunter Biden) was selectively and unfairly prosecuted pic.twitter.com/mi8kcNDfjC
— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2024
In a detailed statement issued from the White House, President Biden defended his decision and emphasised that Hunter was unfairly targeted due to his familial connections. “No reasonable person can conclude otherwise,” Biden stated, alleging that political adversaries had instigated charges to undermine his presidency and electoral prospects.
The charges against Hunter stemmed from allegations of tax irregularities and a disputed firearm application. Biden argued that such cases are generally resolved without criminal trials, especially when defendants have addressed outstanding taxes with interest and penalties. President Biden further criticised the “collapse” of a plea deal Hunter had negotiated with the Department of Justice, attributing it to political interference.
He stated, “For my entire career, I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded.”
“I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” he added.
Biden claimed the decision was deeply personal and used Hunter’s struggles with addiction and his five and a half years of sobriety as evidence of his resilience. He further claimed that the pardon was a “necessary step” to restore fairness.
