Biden pardons Hunter in final act as president
President Joe Biden has issued a full and unconditional pardon to his son Hunter Biden, who faced sentencing this month for federal tax and gun convictions. The unexpected move comes as Biden prepares to leave office, contradicting his previous public promises not to pardon his son.
The comprehensive pardon covers Hunter Biden's existing tax and gun offenses, as well as any potential federal crimes committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024. This timeframe encompasses his controversial tenure at Ukrainian gas company Burisma and his business dealings in China.
The president justified his decision by claiming his son was "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted" and treated differently from others who committed similar crimes. He attributed the charges to political motivations, stating that his opponents in Congress "instigated" them to attack him and oppose his election.
Hunter Biden had been convicted by a jury in June for illegally buying and possessing a gun as a drug user, and he pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offenses involving $1.4 million in unpaid taxes. The cases were prosecuted by Special Counsel David Weiss, who began the investigation in 2018.
The pardon effectively cancels Hunter Biden's upcoming sentencing hearings scheduled for December 12 and 16, eliminating any possibility of prison time. His lawyers have formally notified the judges, requesting dismissal of the indictments "with prejudice."
President-elect Donald Trump responded to the pardon on social media, calling it "such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!" The timing of the pardon appears influenced by the upcoming transition of power, with sources suggesting the decision might have been different had Vice President Kamala Harris won the election instead of Trump.
Hunter Biden acknowledged his past mistakes in a statement, characterizing them as consequences of his addiction that were "exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport."
