Washington DC : US President Joe Biden on Sunday signed a pardon for his son, Robert Hunter Biden, who had been convicted on charges related to gun crimes and tax violations. The pardon ensures that Hunter Biden will not face sentencing for these offences and removes the possibility of prison time.
In a statement, President Biden addressed the charges against his son, arguing that individuals in similar situations--such as those with tax payment issues due to addiction--typically receive non-criminal resolutions. He contended that Hunter's case was treated differently, leading to felony charges despite the absence of aggravating factors.
Biden also stressed his commitment to not interfere with the Justice Department's decision-making, despite his belief that his son had been "selectively and unfairly prosecuted."
"Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. 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.
Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently," the statement read.
Biden explained that the charges against his son were initiated after political opponents in Congress pushed for the case to be brought forward. He added that a plea deal, which had been negotiated with the Department of Justice, unraveled in court due to political pressure.
"The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unravelled in the courtroom--with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter's cases," the statement added.
The President maintained that the charges were politically motivated, asserting that Hunter was targeted because of his relationship with him. Biden concluded his statement by expressing his belief that, while he had faith in the justice system, the legal process had been influenced by politics, leading to a "miscarriage of justice."
"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--and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter, who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. 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 said.
"For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They'll be fair-minded. 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. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision," the statement added.
This pardon marks a significant development following the US presidential elections, as Biden prepares to leave the White House and make way for Donald Trump, who will begin his second term in January 2025. However, the pardon cannot be reversed by President-elect Trump.
According to CNN, Hunter Biden was found guilty in June of illegally purchasing and possessing a firearm, following a trial that examined his drug addiction and family issues. He also pleaded guilty in September to nine tax-related charges for failing to pay USD 1.4 million in taxes while spending lavishly on escorts, strippers, cars, and drugs.