President Joe Biden Issues Pardon for Son Hunter Biden, Citing “Miscarriage of Justice”

President Joe Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, late Sunday night, covering a broad range of potential offenses spanning the past decade. The move comes just weeks before Hunter Biden was set to be sentenced in two federal criminal cases.

The pardon, which applies to offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, represents a significant shift for the president, who had previously vowed to let the justice system handle his son’s legal troubles without interference.

“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,” President Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”

Hunter Biden, 54, was convicted earlier this year on federal gun charges related to making false statements while purchasing a firearm. He also pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges in September. His sentencing hearings for the two cases were scheduled for December 12 and December 16, respectively.

The decision to pardon his son is likely to draw fierce criticism from Republicans, many of whom have accused the Biden administration of politicizing the justice system. The pardon is also expected to intensify scrutiny as House Republicans continue their impeachment inquiry into President Biden, with allegations centered on the president’s involvement in Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) condemned the pardon in a statement early Monday morning, calling it “an abuse of executive power.”

“This decision confirms what we’ve been saying all along: the Biden family operates above the law,” Johnson said. “This pardon is a blatant attempt to shield Hunter Biden from accountability and protect the president from political fallout.”

Legal experts are divided over the implications of the pardon. While the president’s constitutional authority to grant pardons is broad, some critics argue that extending clemency to a family member raises ethical concerns.

Supporters of the president, however, view the pardon as an act of compassion and a reflection of his enduring role as a father.

“At the end of the day, President Biden is a father who believes his son was treated unfairly in a politically charged environment,” said David Axelrod, a longtime Democratic strategist. “This was undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions of his presidency.”

The White House has not scheduled a press conference on the matter, but aides say President Biden is expected to address the issue further during remarks later this week.

The pardon ensures that Hunter Biden will face no further legal consequences for federal offenses during the specified time frame, effectively bringing his legal battles to a close.

As the nation reacts, the decision is likely to dominate headlines and debates, both in Washington and across the country, with ramifications for the 2024 presidential campaign and beyond.