[UNITED STATES] US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday (December 1) that he has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of making false claims on a weapons background check, illegally carrying a handgun, and pleading guilty to federal tax charges.
The pardon, which comes as a surprise to many, has sent shockwaves through Washington and reignited debates about the extent of presidential powers. Legal experts are divided on the implications of this decision, with some arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent, while others maintain that it falls within the President's constitutional authority.
"Today I signed a pardon for my son Hunter." "From the day I took office, I promised not to interfere with the Justice Department's decision-making, and I kept my word even as I watched my son be selectively and unfairly prosecuted," he said in a White House statement.
The White House had frequently stated that Biden would not pardon or reduce the sentences of his son, a recovering drug addict who became a target of Republicans, including President-elect Donald Trump.
This sudden reversal of the administration's stance has led to speculation about the factors that influenced the President's decision. Some political analysts suggest that the approaching end of Biden's term may have played a role, as presidents often use their pardoning power more liberally in their final days in office.
"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," according to Biden. On Wednesday, Hunter Biden was scheduled to be sentenced for making false statements and having gun offenses.
In September, he pleaded guilty to federal accusations of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while lavishing money on drugs, prostitutes, and luxury items. He was scheduled to be sentenced in that case on December 16.
The timing of the pardon, just days before Hunter Biden's scheduled sentencing, has raised eyebrows among legal observers. Critics argue that this move undermines the judicial process, while supporters of the President contend that it prevents what they see as politically motivated punishment.
"I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction - mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport," Hunter Biden said in a statement on Sunday, adding that he had been sober for more than five years.
"In the grip of addiction, I squandered numerous possibilities and benefits... I will never take the mercy I have received today for granted, and I will devote the life I have rebuilt to assisting others who are still ill and suffering."
The president, whose son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015, claimed that his opponents tried to break Hunter through selective prosecution.
He stated that people were nearly never tried for felony charges based on how they filled out a firearms form, and that others who were late in paying taxes due to addiction but paid them back with interest and penalties, like his son, had "non-criminal resolutions" to their cases.
The President's comparison of Hunter Biden's case to other similar situations has sparked debate among legal scholars. Some argue that the circumstances surrounding Hunter Biden's case are unique due to his high-profile status, while others contend that the President's assertions highlight systemic inequalities in the justice system that extend beyond this particular case.
"It's apparent Hunter was treated differently. The allegations in his cases were brought only after several of my political opponents in Congress incited them to attack me and undermine my election," Biden stated. "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 says he made the choice over the weekend. The president, his wife, Jill Biden, and their family, including Hunter, spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Nantucket, Massachusetts, before returning to Washington on Saturday night.
During a trip around Nantucket shops on Friday afternoon, one supporter yelled at the president from across the street to pardon his son.
The public's reaction to the pardon has been mixed, with supporters praising Biden for standing by his family and critics accusing him of abusing his presidential powers. Social media platforms have been flooded with opinions from both sides, reflecting the deeply polarized nature of American politics.
"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," stated Vice President Biden.
"I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."
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