President Biden pardons son Hunter Biden, reversing promises not to

WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter on gun and tax charges despite previous promises that he would not do so, claiming the cases against him were politically motivated and prosecuted to hurt the president politically.

The president released a statement on Sunday evening saying that his son was "singled out" because he was the president's son.

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," Biden said.

In June, Hunter Biden was convicted in Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018, when prosecutors said he lied on a federal form by claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He was initially scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, but the judge agreed to delay the hearing until Dec. 4 after Hunter Biden's lawyers said they needed more time to adequately prepare.

He faced up to 25 years in prison for the weapons charges but was expected to receive a far lesser sentence or serve no jail time at all as a first-time offender who did not use the gun for a violent crime.

The president's decision to pardon his son is a sharp reversal from months of vows from the White House and Biden himself that he would not use the power of his office to benefit his family. After his son was convicted in his gun case, the president said he would "abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.”

The announcement brings an end to a whirlwind legal saga that dated back to the Trump administration that has been rife with accusations of political bias and interference on both sides of the aisle. House Republicans have held up Hunter Biden's legal troubles as evidence of a "two-tiered justice system" as the investigations into him took years to pursue and nearly resulted in a plea deal that would have allowed him to avoid jail time before collapsing at the last minute in front of a judge.

They were subject to multiple congressional hearings in front of the Republican-led House that also used his overseas business dealings as evidence to support an impeachment inquiry into the president that never came to a full House vote. Whistleblowers from the IRS also testified before the House about the investigation into Hunter Biden was allegedly slow-rolled due to political concerns.

“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 said in a statement. “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.”

The Biden administration retained David Weiss, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, and named him special counsel to give him more autonomy over the case amid outcries from Republicans in Congress about a politicized justice system.

Biden's full statement:

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. 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. 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.

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. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – 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.

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.

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.

Executive Grant of Clemency

Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

President of the United States of America

To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:

Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto

ROBERT HUNTER BIDEN

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.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.

Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.