In a stunning act of corruption, President Joe Biden pardoned his own son, Hunter Biden, after lying to the American people that he would not. He issued an unconditional and sweeping pardon covering the entire time period from 2014-2024.
Reaction was swift with even some Democrats – like the governor of Colorado – condemning the act. “I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country,” Gov. Jared Polis wrote.
The sweeping nature of the pardon makes it clear it’s not just about the gun charge Hunter was about to be sentenced for; it also covers Hunter’s activities in Ukraine, with China, potential bribery accusations, and any criminal activities with the “big guy” – Biden himself.
That raises the following questions:
Will Biden preemptively pardon himself? After all, some have now pointed out that Hunter can no longer plead the 5th Amendment to prevent answering questions about his dad, as he can’t face legal jeopardy.
Will Joe Biden pardon other relatives, like his brother?
Might he resign to make Vice President Kamala Harris the first female/black/Indian president in exchange for a preemptive pardon of himself?
Will he preemptively pardon other politicians/people who might theoretically face criminal investigation by the new Trump investigation – say, Hillary Clinton (for allegedly camouflaging the dossier payment as legal fees and deleting emails) and prosecutor Jack Smith?
What is now clear is that anything is on the table.
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. 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 have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” Biden said.
Whistleblowers have argued the opposite, of course – that the Justice Department went easy on Hunter Biden because the trail could theoretically lead to his father.
“Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form,” Biden wrote. Again, Republicans have argued that the DOJ focused on the throwaway gun charge to avoid pursuing more damning areas of inquiry that could lead to the occupant of the Oval Office.
“Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently,” Biden wrote.
“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden wrote. Actually members of Congress raised concerns about selective NON-prosecution based on who Hunter Biden is.
“Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the courtroom – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases,” Biden wrote.
Actually, a judge raised questions about the plea deal, describing it as being out of the norm and shielding Hunter from other charges.
“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 – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough,” Biden wrote.
The only reason to try to “break” Hunter would be to see what he knows about other crimes… including any theoretically involving his father.
“For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. 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 and it led to a miscarriage of justice – 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.”
As for the truth, Biden and the White House spokeswoman repeatedly stated that Biden would not pardon Hunter. That was not the truth. It was a lie.
The White House said that Biden was granting his son a “Full and Unconditional Pardon.”
“For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California,” it says.
“IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.”
Some have noted that this meant Hunter could commit any federal crime he wanted until midnight on the 1st.
