The president argued that people are « almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. »
President Biden signed a pardon for his son Hunter on Sunday after the younger Biden was convicted earlier this year on federal gun charges and tax evasion offenses, the outgoing Democratic leader revealed. The 82-year-old president claimed that he took the controversial decision after seeing his son being « selectively and unfairly prosecuted. »
The about-face comes after Biden earlier claimed that he would not grant a pardon to Hunter, 54, despite his own involvement in the Chinese and Ukrainian business dealings linked to the tax case. The decision comes just weeks after The White House dismissed speculation that Biden might take such a step during the final months of his presidency.
Papa Power
As recently as June, Biden publicly said that he would not grant his son a pardon. « 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 in a statement.
The president argued that people are « almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. »
He then added: « It is clear that Hunter was treated differently. »
Biden also criticized « several of my political opponents in Congress » who he claimed made the charges a public spectacle ‘to attack me and oppose my election. »
He said that the plea agreement Hunter reached with the Department of Justice was a « fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.
