President Joe Biden signed a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, on Sunday ahead of Hunter’s sentencing hearings in December. This means that the 54-year-old will not be sentenced or go to prison for his crimes. The president has argued he granted the clemency because his son was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” Moreover, the decision cannot be rescinded by President-elect Donald Trump when he takes office in the White House next year.
Earlier, President Biden had pledged that he would not use his authority to pardon his son or commute his sentence. CBS News reported that in June, Hunter Biden was convicted of three separate felony charges related to purchasing a revolver in 2018 while battling drug addiction and lying about it on the paperwork to purchase the gun. Hunter also pleaded guilty to nine tax evasion charges in a separate case in September.
Joe Biden’s son Hunter won’t be sentenced for his crimes
According to CNN, the “full and unconditional pardon” has been given from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024. This means the grant not only secures clemency for Hunter Biden’s existing cases but also for any other potential crimes he may have committed during this period. Moreover, Joe Biden argued in his statement that he signed the pardon because his son was “treated differently” from the ones who have committed similar crimes. The statement also claimed that Hunter Biden was “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”
Joe Biden stated, “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.” The president further claimed, “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.” The statement added, “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.”
Hunter Biden’s sentencing hearing for the gun case was scheduled for December 12. Additionally, he was also set to be sentenced for the tax case on December 16. It is likely that the hearings will be canceled now.
