Nepotism or justice? Hunter Biden was pardoned by his father Joe Biden on Sunday night, December 1, 2024. Joe Biden reneged on his promises not to use his power of presidency to benefit his family, leaving Democrats fuming.
A jury convicted Hunter Biden in June of 2024 of illegally buying and possessing a gun. After a trial that dove into his drug abuse, he pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offenses that totaled $1.4 million in taxes. Hunter didn’t pay taxes while he spent his money on, “drugs, escorts and girlfriends, luxury hotels and rental properties, exotic cars, clothing and other items of personal nature..” Hunter Biden said to plead guilty as he had been exposed to 17 years in prison and more than $1 million in fines with no clemency.
President Joe Biden issued a full pardon to his son Hunter Biden, who faced convictions on federal gun and tax charges. The decision to pardon Hunter Biden was announced in early December of 2024, which many Democrats called a “hypocritical choice”. Biden’s decision left millions of Democrats disappointed.
Officials who recently worked for Joe Biden were concerned that Hunter’s lawyers would try to use Biden’s Presidential power or White House aides to speak on Hunter’s behalf. They continued to say in recent months that a pardon for Hunter Biden wasn’t an option, and justice would be served. CNN interviewed a former senior aide who said, “Anyone who was even close to the top knew that he was probably going to do this. Why did we pretend otherwise?”
Though it was a controversial decision for Joe Biden to pardon a close family member, it is not an unheard move from a president; like former President Trump has pardoned 114 people. Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son presented a balancing act of being loyal to his family, even if it was hypocritical.
