The blunt criticism of a sitting president from a federal judge adds to the condemnation by both Republicans and Democrats of President Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden.
The judge who presided over Hunter Biden’s federal tax case in Los Angeles criticized President Biden on Tuesday for pardoning his son this week, saying he misrepresented the facts of his son’s criminal case when he announced the move.
In a brief order, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi faulted Hunter Biden’s lawyers for failing to file a copy of the pardon signed by President Biden and further challenged the president’s explanation for the pardon, saying it maligned federal law enforcement and the judicial system.
The blunt criticism of a sitting president from a federal judge adds to the condemnation by both Republicans and Democrats of the president’s extraordinary decision Sunday to pardon his son for any and all offenses in an 11-year period after saying repeatedly he wouldn’t.
On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom also spoke out against the president for reneging on a promise.
Scarsi, who was nominated to the federal bench by then-President Trump, took issue with the claim of unequal, biased treatment that the president invoked to spare his son prison time in the tax case.
