President Joe Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, this past week after consistently saying he would not do so. The White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is currently doing damage control after she told the media from day one that the president would not pardon him for his crimes. On December 1, 2024, Biden gave a statement explaining his new stance and reason for his decision. The President is receiving backlash from his fellow party members and his opponents, which was to be expected.
Hunter Biden’s Crimes
The president’s son was convicted in June on federal charges of illegally purchasing a gun, and he also pleaded guilty to nine counts of tax evasion. His sentencing was expected to be this month, but President Biden made other arrangements. A source familiar with the situation told ABC News Monday that the family had a Thanksgiving discussion on whether or not Hunter Biden should be pardoned. According to Karine Jean-Pierre, the president decided on his own over the weekend, which was not an easy decision.
Biden made a statement when pardoning his son, explaining how he believes Hunter was treated differently than others in the same situation. As of 2024, Hunter Biden is five years sober and being punished for the crimes he committed while he was struggling with addiction. When he purchased a gun, he lied on the form, and that somehow constituted a felony charge. When he failed to pay his taxes, he was slapped again with several more felony charges. An Average Joe would have been hit with fines, misdemeanors, and other minor penalties. However, he is being persecuted because he is the president’s son.
Presidential Pardons
The United States Constitution gives the president the power to pardon or grant clemency for individuals from criminal punishment. While the Pardon Clause permits the president to make such a decision, it has limitations. To be granted clemency, the crime must be against the United States, not a state criminal offense and federal or state civil claim. It can also not be issued in cases of impeachment. The clause also allows the President to issue a commutation, which is a reduction in sentencing for a criminal conviction.
According to the Department of Justice, Biden has pardoned 26 people, including his son, and commutated 132 sentences. It is not unheard of for a president to pardon someone. It is quite common. President-elect Donald Trump issued 143 pardons and 94 commutations in his first term. Before both of them, former President Barack Obama granted more commutations than the past 13 presidents combined. Obama also holds the record for granting the most commutations in one day, 330 on his final full day in office. In total, he commutated 1,715 individuals and pardoned 212 during his two terms.
Final Thoughts
Although there are many opinions on President Biden’s decision to pardon his son during his final weeks in office, we can agree that thousands of people out there are more deserving of pardons. There are currently 40 people on Federal death row who could receive pardons and escape death. Or how about the thousands of individuals who are in federal prison on simple marijuana charges?
President Biden believes he is doing the right thing by pardoning his son but is aware it is controversial. He still believes in the U.S. Justice System but that politics interfered in Hunter Biden’s case, leading to an unfair conviction. In the statement issued by The White House, President Biden pardoned his son “for those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted.”
