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The White House on Monday defended President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden, amid mounting criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Reuters Reported
Biden unconditionally pardoned Hunter on Sunday, citing concerns that the younger Biden would be unfairly targeted by political opponents even after the president leaves office.
The move has sparked backlash in the political arena, with many saying it threatens public confidence in the rule of law.
In his announcement, President Biden said his son was “selectively prosecuted” and unfairly targeted because of his political connections. Hunter Biden was under investigation for tax and gun crimes, the charges stemming from years of investigations by Republican lawmakers.
Although Hunter’s business dealings have long been a focal point of Republican claims of corruption, no clear evidence has emerged linking his actions directly to his father’s political career.
White House press secretary Kirin Jean-Pierre explained Monday that the pardon was necessary because Biden believed Hunter would continue to face “grief” from his political opponents after the president’s term ends.
Jean-Pierre, who previously said Biden would not pardon his son, explained that the decision was made because it appeared political opponents would “move on” from going after Hunter. “It didn’t look like they were going to let him go,” she said during the flight to Angola.
Jean-Pierre also pointed out that this is not the first time a president has pardoned a family member. He cited Bill Clinton’s pardon of his half-brother, Roger Clinton, and Donald Trump’s pardon of his son-in-law, Charles Kushner.
Despite the political backlash, he maintained that Biden still believes in the integrity of the Justice Department, even though he sees the charges against his son as politically motivated.
“Two things may be true,” said Jean-Pierre. “The president believes in the justice system, and he also believes that his son was singled out.”
The decision has been heavily criticized from both sides of the aisle. Some Democrats worry that this undermines the rule of law, a principle that is central to Biden’s platform, especially compared to former President Trump’s actions.
Meanwhile, Republicans continue to accuse the Biden family of corruption. The controversy is further complicated by the fact that Hunter Biden faces convictions in federal court for tax violations and gun charges.
Hunter Biden’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the charges on Sunday, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal saga.
Despite the polarization, President Biden is steadfast in his belief that his son’s prosecution was politically motivated.
“No reasonable person looking at the facts of Hunter’s cases could come to any conclusion other than that Hunter was fired simply because he was my son,” he said.
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