On Sunday, President Joe Biden pardoned his only living son, Hunter Biden. Hunter was convicted, earlier this year, of three felonies associated with buying a gun while in the throes of addiction. The prosecution of Hunter Biden was always intended as a political attack on his father, and while Hunter absolutely had/has issues, very few in the legal and law enforcement community actually believed that Hunter should be imprisoned for years for these felonies, which is what would have happened. Now that Donald Trump is the incoming president and Joe Biden is going to retire to Delaware, Biden changed his mind. He said back in June that he wouldn’t pardon Hunter. That was before he was squeezed out of his reelection campaign. That was before Trump “won.”
President Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon of his son Hunter on Sunday night after repeatedly insisting he would not do so, using the power of his office to wave aside years of legal troubles, including a federal conviction for illegally buying a gun and for tax evasion.
In a statement issued by the White House, Mr. Biden said he had decided to issue the executive grant of clemency for 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 Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024.”
He said he made the decision because the charges against Hunter were politically motivated and designed to hurt him politically. “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,” Mr. Biden said in the statement. “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.”
He added: “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.”
It was a remarkable turnaround for a man whose presidency and five-decade career was built in part on the idea that he would never interfere with the administration of justice. In 2020, he made the case that former President Donald J. Trump should be ousted from office to restore that kind of independence in America’s democracy, and he argued the same in 2024. But in his statement, Mr. Biden sought to make the case for interfering after all, accusing his political enemies of going after his son in ways that anyone else would not have been. He said that he still believed in the justice system, but added, “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.”
The “I thought you believed in the justice system” line of attack is so stupid, as is the line of “he made the case that former President Donald J. Trump should be ousted from office to restore that kind of independence in America’s democracy.” One man incited an insurrection on the nation’s Capitol, another man pardoned his son after a malicious political prosecution on gun charges. They are not the same. And Americans clearly wanted the insurrectionist anyway. Speaking of, the Times does note that Trump has made a lot of noise about even more retribution and revenge against the Biden family for his second term. I do not blame President Biden at all for pardoning his son. Apparently, Pres. Biden told Hunter about his plans to pardon him over the Thanksgiving holiday. It would not surprise me at all if Biden made the final choice to pardon Hunter right after he went to church on Sunday.
Anyway, Trump has promised pardons for all of the January 6th insurrectionists. In his first term, he pardoned many of his biggest political allies, some of the biggest nutjobs in the country – Joe Arpaio, Dinesh D’Souza, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Stephen K. Bannon, and George Papadopoulos, just to name a few. If you’re mad about Hunter Biden’s pardon, keep that same energy for all of these f–kers.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
-
- United States President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and grandson Beau Biden Jr. arrive at Fort Lesley J. McNair Featuring: Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Beau Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 25 Jun 2023 Credit: Julia Nikhinson/POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
-
- Hunter Biden arrives at Fort Lesley J. McNair Featuring: Hunter Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 25 Jun 2023 Credit: Julia Nikhinson/POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
-
- United States President Joe Biden, First lady Dr. Jill Biden, and family watch fireworks on the Blue Room Balcony during a Fourth of July event on the South Lawn of the White House. President Biden is hosting the event for military and veteran families, caregivers, and survivors to celebrate Independence Day. Featuring: Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Hunter Biden, Beau Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 04 Jul 2023 Credit: Ting Shen/POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
-
- Hunter Biden and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, seen leaving the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building, 2024, after a second day of Hunters trial on charges of illegally possessing a handgun and lying about his drug use when purchasing the weapon in 2018. Opening arguments are expected to begin today. Featuring: Hunter Biden, Melissa Cohen Biden Where: Wilmington, Delaware, United States When: 04 Jun 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages **NO Daily Mail. NO New York or New Jersey Newspapers**
-
- Hunter Biden and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, arrive at the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington, Delaware for the fourth day of his trial on allegedly illegally possessing a handgun and lying about his drug use when he purchased the weapon in 2018. Featuring: Hunter Biden, Melissa Cohen Biden Where: Wilmington, Delaware, United States When: 06 Jun 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages **NO Daily Mail. NO New York or New Jersey Newspapers**
How I wish that it was Kamala doing this next month! But I am very glad that Joe pardoned him.
Happy he did.
Me too! I saw this headline elsewhere and the first thought that came to mind was: good. Haven’t paid attention to this at all but no drug/gun charges should equal 25 years in jail and when a felon holds the highest office in the land, who cares??
Time to stop playing by the rules. The traditional pro-corporatist attitude that has dominated Washington for decades has been replaced by a money-grubbing MEMEME regime in which anything is available to the highest bidder. It’s every man for himself, especially at the expense of women.
So pardon your son, man. Get what you can and take what you can while it’s still there. Eke out a little justice…God knows it’ll be a long time before we see any more.
Is “Trump doesn’t pass his taxes, why should I?”, going to stand up in court? If he can get away with everything so should the rest of us.
Should have also expanded SC, packed it with democratic leaning justices, etc. The high road is not a good route when fighting compromised, corrupted and arrogant people like Trump and his cohort. Too bad none of this was done
I commend President Biden on that.
The majority of Americans have given the finger to the justice system, Biden and his VP Harris by electing DT. I can’t blame Biden for giving the finger back. I also wouldn’t want my son in federal prison during a Trump administration.
We all know what happened to Jeffrey Epstein while he was in federal prison during the first Trump term.
Good on him , after all he has been through as a father .
As a parent you would do anything for your children .
This. It’s not a great look for Biden but given the circumstances, who can blame him?
How is this not a great look for Biden when the Republicans have ACTIVELY been lying & going after Hunter to destroy him for YEARS even BEFORE Biden became POTUS…please miss the UNIVERSE with that stance.
It is a good look for Joey B b/c he is standing up for his son. They did try to break him, and Joe has already buried 2 children and his first wife. Those republicans are hateful people.
“Not a great look?”
🙄
Exactly how is it not a great look for Biden? Please spare me this bullcrap, prosecuting Hunter Biden was a political witch hunt of the highest level. Republicans like bleating on and on about Hunter Biden and blah blah blah, while in the same breath they elect a rapist, insurrectionist, thief.
I’m glad President Biden pardoned Hunter, let all them Rethuglicans and all their minions and everyone else that voted for and elected that rapist thief back into the WH eat sh!t.
The idea that this looks bad compared to the absolute daily horror of anything the Orange one has ever done is laughable.
I think it’s a great look for Gorgeous Joe. Protecting his son from the deviant dictator wanna be governing is a win in my book.
Great job Joe 👏 next president is a convicted felon 😈
It is an amazing look for Biden. He has the cajones to say FU to the maga trash.
A bad look is pardoning / commuting a laundry list of Republican fraudsters and undeclared foreign lobbyists, including Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, Elliot Broidy, Hillel Nahmad (ran a gambling ring out of Trump Tower for the Russian mob), Al Pirro (Jeannine’s husband), Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Charles Kushner. No shame.
@sunny, I agree. While it is understandable that Biden did this it is not a good look for him. And, those that are deriding you for this opinion apparently have placed the bar at Trump’s level, i.e., in hell. Biden repeatedly stated that he would not pardon Hunter, the perennial f-up, but it’s okay if he goes back on his word because Trump is worse? Because Hunter was targeted by Biden’s political foes? Remember, it was Hunter’s own fault he was in this mess and, combined with Biden’s going back on his assurance that he would only be a one-term President (thus hobbling Harris) Biden risks being remembered as a doddering liar.
MayP, one President will be remembered as a doddering liar and it sure as heck won’t be Biden. He shouldn’t have been so bold to say he wouldn’t pardon him earlier this year but that hardly makes him a liar. Circumstances changed and he needed to do what he could to protect his son. That’s recalculating. Not lying. See the orange turd for examples of lying. “They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats.”
I agree it’s not a great look. To be fair, I would do the exact same thing he did, but Repubs can easily use this pardon to justify 1) further punitive measures against the Bidens and 2) pardoning of those who have committed crimes that absolutely deserve prison time. Again, I would do the same, but it’s definitely sacrificing some moral high ground and leading with the chin in a way that Rs will not be able to pass up.
The Republicans went after Biden’s son solely because he was Biden’s son. I’m glad he pardoned him. I think it’s been adequately demonstrated now that playing by the rules & taking the high road has been utterly ineffective when up against the republican thugs playing f*ck politics.
Sorry, but it’s a GREAT look for Biden. I am so sick of Democrats who are still playing by the old rules and traditions. Acting like everything is normal. It’s time to go scorched earth.
Biden always meant to pardon his son or have the next democratic president do it.
Yeah, I am with @SOMEBODY. Unless Biden charged his son $2M and then made him an ambassador, I really don’t want to hear any complaints. The majority of this country have made it clear they WANT a country where it’s every man/woman/child for himself. We all understand the rules now, so be it. I hate that I have become this way, but I plan to only protect me/mine/actual allies. If you are an actual ally, run to me for safety, if not…kick rocks.
AMEN!
I support this 💯 %👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼..
Me to.
Same.
Me too, I’m absolutely not mad about it. Hunter was very troubled, especially after Beau died. Yeah, he broke the law but the scammy Republicans went after him in such a horrible way. I hope he’s doing well in his recovery from addiction.
Good
Yup. My reaction as well. Fuck them all at this point. They wanted lawlessness and voted for trump with all his convictions. I don’t want to hear shite now about this.
I’m glad Joe decided to protect Hunter on his way out. And Trump absolutely has a retribution list for his “political enemies.” I hope Biden decides to preemptively pardon the Clintons, the Obamas, Harris, and Fauci on his way out the door.
Presidential power doesn’t extend to pardons for crimes that have not yet been charged and/or committed.
It extends to acts already committed that “may” be chargeable. He can absolutely pardon them all, as any “crimes” alleged will relate to their time in office or running for office (in Hillary’s case). According to Ex Parte Garland, 71 U.S. 333 (1866), the President’s authority to pardon is unlimited except in cases of impeachment, extending to every offense known to the law and able to be exercised either before legal proceedings are taken, or during their pendency, or after conviction and judgment.
That’s why he backdated the blanket pardon 2014-2024. Hopefully Hunter has learned from his past. And will just be a quiet law abiding citizen going forward. And Trump and his evil elves will not be able to come up with some fake charges in the future.
The pardon of Richard Nixon indicates otherwise
As preparedness for retribution, I can see why Biden would pardon the Clintons, Harris and Fauci, but they didn’t do anything wrong to warrant a pardon.
This ☝️..
I follow and actually like a lot of never trumpers. Their hair was collectively on fire last night and I’m sure this morning and who knows for how long over this.
He’s ruined his legacy! He’s as bad as trump! He gives trump cover for all the pardons he will do! But the constitution! But the rule of law! But he promised he wouldn’t!
It was…a lot.
As I saw posted several times by others last night, the NTs are busy rearranging the deck chairs as the Titanic sinks. They’re adding fuel to the tiniest of fires so I hope they get it out of their collectives systems today and move on to more important issues because we don’t need this drama.
I saw a video by Tim Miller who I usually agree with on matters concerning democracy and the rule of law. Not this time. I don’t get how Miller can be outraged by this pardon if he has all the facts about how Hunter Biden was targeted going back to the Trump administration and his AG, Bill Barr.
Yep, same.
He was definitely one of them.
I understand their point, I really do. And part of me somewhat agrees.
But my gawd, the pearl-clutching is over the top. Spare me the outrage right now.
Decorum doesn’t matter when pardon power has been abused since Ford pardoned Nixon. And Trump knows Hunter is Biden’s Achilles heel so there is no way Hunter wasn’t at risk. He attacked him during the debate and that’s when Biden started to freeze up.
And I don’t care about the pardon covering everything since 2014 because we all know they would bring up Burisma and Ukraine all over again. Despite Kushner and his Saudi cash payout, they would target Hunter non stop.
Tim Miller is horrible and is just as pathetic as the Pod Douches and Ezra Klein and a bunch of other nonsensical stooges.
@Nic919: Biden’s debate performance is very much related to the treatment of Hunter. As I said below, we don’t know everything.
It’s not a good look because it makes Biden not a man of his word. I would pardon my son too but I would just say that I would not pretend that I wasn’t. Trump says he would pardon the the Jan 6 people and at least he is keeping his word as wrong as it is.
“He gives Trump cover for all the pardons he will do”? First of all, Trump has never needed “cover” to do anything. Second of all, he was already president! He already pardoned a bunch of reprobates who he was allied with. Good grief, never Trumpers.
The Jan 6 people were getting pardons. Trump already said so. Why is anyone even pretending that Trump wasn’t going to abuse the pardon power when he did it the last time he was in office.
I think the real scandal is that, despite Biden’s protestations to the contrary, the American justice system is rigged—and he knows it. His pardon of Hunter gave the game away.
Yes! Good for Joe, standing up for his kid.
I get that Trump does this all the time, but I thought Biden was better. I guess not…
Inge, Yeah, I hate this. Lifelong Democrat here. I totally agree that Trump 2.0 is going to be much worse and an absolute sh!tshow. I understand from a father’s point of view the desire to pardon his son. Politically, I think it was dumb.
Hunter Biden was so awful to his exwife Kathleen, that the Obama’s had difficulty with it back in 2016. He’s spent money on prostitutes. Had an affair (among others) with his brother’s widow. Is a tax evader. The weapon. Was doing shady business abroad. Owes his ex millions of dollars in alimony…I’m pretty sure there are a lot of other people more deserving of a pardon, and Biden just gave a ton of Republiscums an own-goal gift. Especially when he pledged not to and we’re facing a fascist takeover! When your political party is in trouble and is having difficulty with voters, do NOT help the other side.
I would ordinarily be right there with you. And HB was an influence peddler for years during his father’s lengthy political career. I believe President Biden and his family spoiled both his boys rotten during their childhoods after the accident which took their mom and sister. Having said that, nothing justifies a political persecution like this. It was just evil. The law should never be used to punish moral failings of which Hunter Biden has a sh*t ton. Btw, he purchased the gun to end it all. That’s why Beau’s widow tossed it in the dumpster. And why he lied on the form.
How does this help the other side? My husband said something along those lines. The orange one was talking about lining political opponents up against the wall and ending them. And I think he actually meant it, as far as really doing it if not stopped by his enablers. He’s going to pardon violent dip sh*ts that he didn’t care about until this campaign. His daughter got 2 billion from the Saudis, straight up as a bribe. Go wail about it in the backyard and then get over it, no one will remember this after a week.
Lucy, I’m really worried, so it’s fair to blame some of this on my fear, I guess? The far right is a huge threat in Europe, where I live. They are at their most effective when they convince people step by step to move towards demolishing democracy. I personally think that the Electoral College needs at the very least a revamp to make it more representative of voters, or better yet, needs to disappear altogether. The pardon system of governors and presidents, is I feel (and I realize most of you think otherwise), something that can be misused. I live in a country with a king, but you can’t just pardon people for crimes. Clinton and Trump were the only presidents who had done this for family members up to now, and that was unpopular when they did. I think Hunter Biden inhabits a grey area and pardoning him is going to be excellent propaganda as well as an excuse for atrocities to come. What is Trump’s endgame and how can he use the Democrats’ words and actions to get there? He’s going to equate Hunter with all sorts of creeps, and Hunter does have some overlap. Plus, Biden is on record saying he wouldn’t do it and has now done so. I understand why he did as a loving father, but I think it’s damaging politically. It goes without saying Trump is going to be terrifying.
Politically it doesn’t matter at all. Biden is not running for reelection, he has nobody to impress. Hunter is clearly no Boy Scout and has messed up a lot. We all know this. He clearly is no father/husband of the year and is a recovering addict. He’s been a mess for years and a thorn in his father’s legacy but yet despite all that Joe Biden still loves and supports his son. I don’t know much about Hunter’s business dealings but to go after him for this stupid gun charge was not just political, it was personal. We know plenty of people have lied on gun forms, let’s be real. The tax stuff he should be held accountable for but does Hunter deserve to go to jail for 25 years for it? No he does not.
And Joe’s had enough of his political opponents exploiting his family’s weakest link for their own revenge purposes. I think any of us in his position would have pardoned Hunter.
Trump completely misused the pardon power. but its one of those things where I am over demanding that the Dems be better than the Republicans. Biden didn’t pardon members of his cabinet who committed crimes or didnt pardon people who engaged in an insurrection against the government (as Trump has said he is going to do.)
He pardoned his son who has been used as a political punching bag for years now, with the sole point to attack Biden. There isn’t a Republican in congress who cares what Hunter “actually” did. They care they could use him to make Biden look bad.
And Biden said “eff you, you’re not using my son like that against me anymore.”
Good for him.
@ML, 💯💯💯
He should not have said that he would not pardon him to begin with. Like he said he would not run for a second term then he did.
“In June, Biden told reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.”
In July, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: “It’s still a no. It will be a no. It is a no. And I don’t have anything else to add. Will he pardon his son? No.”
Now trump is comparing this to his upcoming pardoning the J6 prisoners.
Ok, I agreed with you up until 5 minutes ago. But I just read in the Boston Globe that Hunter had the possibility of facing a combined 42 years of prison time (for lying on his gun application and not paying taxes) and that the judge who was determining the sentencing was appointed by Trump. (The max time is 17 for tax charges and 25 years for the gun charges.) Most likely he would not have faced that prison time, but it was a possibility.
I’m sure there are some good people with good judgment who have been appointed by Trump, but those people don’t make the news.
When a mob boss seeking vengeance is going to take on power, you need to protect your own. A pardon is a minor thing for a bs charge that would never have happened had his last name not been Biden.
💯💯💯
This prosecution was completely political and thats why I think the pardon is completely justified.
No one says you have to be a model citizen, a perfect husband or father, or anything else to receive a pardon.
This prosecution was political from the start and was egged on and enabled by Republicans solely as a way to hurt Joe Biden. If anything you would think republicans, the party of small government and limited government spending, would be upset at the waste of government resources in this case.
(I mean, lets laugh together at that last line…..)
Biden should’ve said I’m pardoning my son just like bill Clinton pardoned his loser brother. Most people have a loser relative in the family so he should’ve just been honest in the first place since people can relate to that.
I’m torn on this – I totally expected it, but hoped it wouldn’t happen. I get that it’s Biden’s right as president and that he loves his son, but there are thousands in prison right now for having committed felonies while in the throes of addiction. They didn’t have a father’s influence to get them jobs and bail them out of trouble. They didn’t get to write memoirs and be fawned over on national television. But, like all messy political issues, it can only end in a messy way. I hope Hunter appreciates what his father has done for him and tries to lead a cleaner life from now on.
Man, all this handwringing about Biden protecting his son from a politically motivated witch hunt white Trump has already pardoned thugs like the people that were on capitol hill trying to murder lawmakers and stop from certifying a Biden win!! I swear Dems always go the hardest on their own, while they give freaking passes to people of other parties!!!! Joe needed to pardon his son, period and nothing else. If Joe Arpaio, Paul Manafort, etc, etc can walk free, please so can Hunter Biden
I don’t see the Democrats giving passes to “other parties.” It’s just that the “other parties” don’t give a crap what anyone thinks.
@eurydice, I agree and @Lawrenceville, if you think this is okay because Trump has done worse, as I said above, the bar truly is in hell.
The f*ck??? Yes, Biden is a better person, better president, better politician than trump! What on earth are you on about? Have you completely ignored the last 8-10 years?
This purity test bs is what lost the last election. It is normal for a father to protect his son from a witch hunt. The media has made a double standard against Biden for his age and now this. Trump hasn’t faced any pushback on his awful pardons. Patel has openly said he was targeting Hunter. Let’s wake up here. Rule of law isn’t the issue. Biden has this power and he can actually justify it.
Oliver North and the contra people got pardoned by Bush Sr. They caused so many deaths in Latin American and helped set up osama bin laden and we know how that played out. But no one brings this up for bad Republican pardons.
Let’s be real. Decorum is dead and democrats don’t have a high moral ground and didn’t have one well before Joe protected his son.
Thank goodness! The prosecution of Hunter was nothing but retribution against his father.
Great news!!!
GOOD FOR HIM. The prosecution of Hunter was absolutely politically motivated and designed to hurt Joe Biden both politically and personally. This is exactly what the presidential pardon is for, in my opinion.
This shows how much President Biden has been betrayed mostly by his own party. I think he looked at what this nation has become and decided to help his kid. 💙💙
@k
I couldn’t have said it any better , thank you 💙
Medias Touch posted what someone posted on Reddit: “Joe Biden letting his son rot to stand up for a principle that no one in America cares about would have been idiotic”
Correct
Thank you for that post. I totally agree. I was hoping Biden would pardon Hunter and I’m so happy he did. The country gave a big F-U to the rule of law when they elected a fascist 🍊🤡 who’s out to destroy what’s left of democracy. As a parent, I would have done the same thing and not offer my child up on a silver platter for a principle the majority of voters no longer believe in. And the mainstream media can miss me with their performative outrage.
Thank you for sharing that – it’s clear a majority of this country doesn’t give AF about the rule of law, accountability, and justice since they elected a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist into the White House. Trump’s new administration is filled with pardoned criminals and felons, and he plans to pardon J6ers who violently beat up police officers at the Capital. So, I could care less about their faux outrage over Hunter Biden’s pardon.
I agree with this 💯 %! Biden knew that his son would be given an outrageous sentence, and then would be subjected to possible horrors in jail. Hunter Biden is no angel, but if he was my son I would have done exactly the same. What loving parent with this power wouldn’t save their son? Also, everyone needs to remember that Trump has pledged to pardon and release all the January 6 thugs currently in jail. You know, the ones who tried to overthrow the government, attacked the Capitol, and were responsible for the deaths of police officers. So, for those throwing fits about this after they support a felon as President, I say look at who Trump already pardoned and who he plans to pardon and shut the hell up.
This +1000. The same people clutching pearls over this pardon would also criticize Joe Biden if he stuck with “decorum” and allowed Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, to further weaponize the justice system against Hunter. Hell, the history books would excoriate him for doing nothing during such hostile political times. So the “I can’t believe Biden would do this” people can take several seats on this one.
Great news, it was the ONLY thing to do in these circumstances, frankly. Hunter is a f–king mess and prison shouldn’t be the go-to for non-violent criminals anyway, whether they’re related to the POTUS or not. The faux outrage on the right (and the center, really) is asinine. If Hunter changed his last name, Junior would be BFFs with him and Trump would intall him as head of the ATF.
Yes! Hunter’s resume qualifies him for Trump’s cabinet.
Hopefully Hunter Biden will keep his nose clean from here on out, the incoming administration will be looking for literally any reason.
The start of this horror regarding Hunter was based on wholesale LIES…so it dosen’t matter if Hunter keeps his nose clean when the dIsgusting GOP power structure.. can and will lie on him…
I believe that part of the problem was that Hunter Biden did, in fact, technically commit the crimes that he was accused of? As much as I (and anyone sensible) agree that he was over-sentenced for them, the fact that he *did* lie about his drug use on a form and he *did* commit some tax fraud crimes remains.
It’s nothing that I wouldn’t believe the Trumps & co also haven’t done every day and twice on Sunday, but that fact doesn’t also mean that Hunter Biden shouldn’t have been punished for it. I just don’t think it should’ve been prison.
That’s not how this BS started…it STARTED with that Burisma Ukraine lying BS
I do think there is a lot to this story that we don’t yet know, especially how this political persecution affected Biden personally all through his presidency. According to Bob Woodward’s book, he felt a lot of guilt over his son’s situation. And during an interview toward the end of her campaign, Kamala Harris hinted broadly that there was more to Biden’s decision to step aside than the bad debate and ensuing pressure. The morning he called her to inform her of his decision, they spoke for an hour. There’s more to this story. It’s a real tragedy.
Look, America voted for Trump because it decided it was “better off 4 years ago.”
Biden was just agreeing and setting things back to 4 years ago for Hunter.
All I gotta say is: GOOD. Hunter’s prosecution was 100 percent politically motivated. It was a like the inverse of nepotism: Republicans only persecuted him because of his last name, nothing more. And we know their outrage is fake anyways because if they actually cared, Nikki Haley would’ve been the Republican nominee, not Trump.
Good. I don’t care. I don’t blame Biden one bit.
We are clearly a nation that doesn’t care about laws, rules, or doing what’s right, who doesn’t reward good people who help others, so good for Biden for doing what he personally wants for a change.
Trump has never played by the rules, which should Biden. Protect your family while you can, I say.
I approve of this, and I am glad that he did!
I totally support Biden on this. HB cheated on his taxes, and paid them with a fine. He bought a gun and lied about his addiction. The trial at which he was convicted should have been a plea bargain.
As Jasmine Crockett remarked, Trump is convicted on 34 felony counts and is about to walk into the Oval Office.
When I saw this my first reaction was I’m not surprised followed by I don’t care. Considering our incoming was indicted and convicted by a jury of his peers, this is nothing. Especially considering the influx of corrupt Cabinet and other officials in this next administration whose sole goal is enriching themselves and creating the US version of an oligarchy? Eh, Hunter is an addict and idiot but I don’t think he was trying to bring down America.
💯
If Kamala won, Joe probably would have let the chips fall where they may with Hunter’s sentence. I don’t think he intended to pardon him. But we’ve seen what happens in Trump’s federal prisons when he has a personal vendetta. No way was Joe going to let that happen — f*ck them! May we never hear about Hunter’s laptop ever again.
If Kamala won she would’ve pardoned Hunter. She didn’t win so daddy had to do it.
All Trump has done since his re-election is give cushy jobs to friends and families. Or if they are handsome. He is doing everything that you are not supposed to do since day one. And the MAGAts cheer him for it. He pardoned his son in laws Father himself.
And it’s generally believed one of the first acts Trump will do. Will be to pardon all the January 6th insurrectionists.
Joe did what any good father did. He was in a position of power to protect his son. Who struggles with drug addiction. The democratic party turned their back on him. America turned their back on Kamala Harris. It was his last opportunity to help Hunter and he took it.
Do I love he said for years he would not pardon Hunter. No, but that was before everything went to hell in a handbasket for the Democratic party. And what they did to President Joe Biden.
We all know Trump is going to use his power to punish his enemies. And turn the office into as much of a dictatorship as possible. Good luck to everyone, I hope we make it through the next four years as best possible. And God knows what is next.
Please spare us the outrage about how “this looks.”
The American people decided that the law does not matter on November 5th.
Trump and Kash Patel (if confirmed) are going to try and turn the FBI into the Stasi.
Biden did what he had to do to protect his child. Each of you would have done the same.
It’s about to get a whole lot worse, so toughen up.
👆THIS.
I am really done demanding that Democrats follow rules and norms that Republicans don’t even acknowledge exist. If the mainstream corporate media jumps all over this, that just proves that there is nothing “fair and balanced” about any of them, and I am right to be done with them too.
Agree. There are genuine horrors ahead. This is like taking shelter in a bunker after the nuke has been launched. Bare minimum sanity.
Great job Joe, we have a convicted felon as next president 😈
Joe didn’t vote for him. Millions of stupid Americans did. The rest of the world isn’t going to separate the fools from the decent people because the entire world suffers thanks to MAGA. If they couldn’t see how bad shitler was the first time that’s on the American people not Joe Biden.
Very glad President Biden pardoned Hunter.
As Biden said:
“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.”
“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.”
Good for President Biden. Idgaf about the rules and impartiality, etc., anymore. Fudge all of them. Right off to hell.
Dude’s a straight up criminal. If Biden wants to pardon him, fine, but let’s not pretend there was no fire where he was concerned.
And what does being his only son have to do with anything?
😂😂😂
Everybody who gets pardoned is a criminal, that’s how it works.
Your next president is a criminal rapist so who the fuck cares about a guy who lied on a gun form?
Hunter isn’t going to destroy the current world order. Let’s get a fucking grip.
Good, I’m glad. And I don’t give a damn about the “whatabouts” or these ridiculous purity tests. To paraphrase Van Jones, Trump/republicans can be lawless but democrats must be flawless is full of sh*t.
When we the people elected a convicted felon for President of the USA they should free all the prisoners in jail. Obviously with a felon running the show means that the justice system doesn’t mean a thing! Empty all the prisons.
I completely agree.
Glad he did it! All the handwringing in the press while Trump nominates a clown car of. unqualified incompetence, including people he pardoned like Ivanka’s father in law. I hope he pardons a lot more people than Hunter. F*ck the double standards and hypocrisy.
Let’s be honest, the goal of Trump & his supporters for the past five years was to push Hunter to relapse, overdose, die, and totally destroy Joe emotionally. For that very reason, we know that there is no way Hunter Biden would survive federal prison during a Trump administration. Joe Biden is saving his son’s life.
This. Exactly this. It was a vendetta against Joe Biden, to amplify the pain Biden suffered with the loss of his wife and daughter along with Beau’s death.
Objectively, the guy is a convicted felon, there should be consequences.
In this political #$%*&( we have right now though, I could not be more thrilled to see the GOP screaming, crying and throwing up about it. What’s even better is that if they try to change the laws to stop it from happening, Trump can’t do it either. So they’ve not only gotten the GOP mad they’ve also taken away the ability for them to retaliate the way they normally would.
This legal snark is a thing of beauty in an I-want-to-leave-this-country-now-because-the-legal-system-is-so-broken kind of way.
Say what you will, for the average American this pardon just reinforces for the nth time that justice in this country is all about how much money you have and who you know. I would feel better about it if he was issuing blanket pardons to everyone who has a conviction for the same crime, rather than just his son.
💯💯💯
Joe Biden has had more than enough grief in his lifetime. If I had the power to save my child from a known predator who gleefully enacts revenge for every perceived slight, and I was someone he would want to hurt in any way including hurting my kids, I would do the same.
We are about to see another four years minimum of the pandemonium we experienced 2016-2020 on an even more terrifying scale. Buckle up.
He is within his legal rights as president to do so. Trump did the same last time. Fair’s fair.
I don’t blame Joe at all, the incomers are a bunch of vindictive extremists boasting about wreaking vengeance on the Bidens, and with the MAGA judges to do so. I would do everything I could to avoid putting my recovering addict child in their hands. And then the BBC headline is ‘presidents do things differently these days’. Struggling to think of any major precedent busting that Biden has done before this. Trump on the other hand used the ‘rule book’ as toilet paper.
Trump pardoned Charles Kushner.
I believe Joe decided that after years of Hunter standing by his dad, staying sober, facing the multiple monsters going after him for “crimes” no other President’s child (and virtually no other citizen) would be pursued for (i.e. denying drug use while applying for a gun licence… I mean, think about it…) that it was HIS turn to take the flak.
That Hunter’s life and future was more important to him than sucking up to the moaning and bitching of hypocrites.
At least Biden is looking after his son. Unlike King Charles who basically threw his away. A good father is Joe. The American president showing British royalty how it’s done.
Sorry to burst the bubble but this is mot a good look for Biden or Democrats at all! Their whole shtick was that they’re different from the fascists. Doing this shows his mistrust in the system/his sons ability to prove his case..et , am side eyeing those justifying this by saying Trump did it first!! As if that makes it OK. Also, why does it matter that hunter is his “only son”?!! No one should ignore/bend the rules for anyone. It’s tragic how as a society we’ve normalised compromising our moral, ideological..et beliefs. We’re supposed to aspire to be better not worse or same as than others
@Ovejoy…
Blindly adhering to a previous avowal, especially when the ground game has changed, is not living in the present reality. It is no different from the literal, textual interpretation of the Constitution so favored by many so-called conservatives.
Yes, Biden said he would not do it, but then a lot of things happened. Even Democrats did not have Biden’s back as they should have during the campaign. There are many levels of moral codes…there are no absolutes. In this constantly shifting world, we have to make the best or better decision when confronted with misdoing. And what they did to Hunter Biden was misusing the justice system to attack his father through him. And what Biden did was to redress the balance through the only option open to him.
If Hunter messes up again, he’s on his own, I imagine.
@ovejoy, 💯💯💯💯💯
Lest we forget, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner after he had already pled guilty to massive tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. But wait, there’s more…after Kushner found out his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation into his crimes, he hired a prostitute to lure him in, then secretly videotaped them having sex in a New Jersey motel and sent the tape to his own sister, the man’s wife. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering.
Hunter’s crimes were small change compared to Kushner’s, and unfortunately committed when he was under the influence of addictive drugs. But the rethuglicans went after him with a vengeance to make Joe and Hunter look like mafia overlords. Biden had every right as a sitting president to pardon his son after all the insults, pain and humiliation Hunter suffered from overzealous MAGAts trying to take his father down. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
@Ovejoy…oh no! A bad look for the Democrats!! FFS, a convicted felon will be president next month.
Will this pardon cause people to lose faith in democracy and the justice system?? What f*cking faith?? That ship sailed, and sank, Nov. 5.
Good for Biden for protecting his son against Kash Patel, who is obsessed with prosecuting Hunter.
Joe doesn’t care. His son’s life is at risk and no decent parent who let him be vulnerable to a group of monsters who would imprison him and place his life as risk.
Optics are ridiculous at this point. This upcoming facist regime is really going to force people to wake up big time.
FWIW, I think it’s important to note that Hunter and the prosecution had a signed plea deal for 2 years probation. The Trump appointed judge threw out the deal (after all parties agreed to the terms), leaving Hunter, with the rug pulled out from beneath him, suddenly on the hook for the full 42 year prison sentence. I’m glad Joe pardoned him. And we all know that Trump will do whatever he wants regardless of what Joe Biden does or doesn’t do.
I love how there’s people in the comments crying about Biden saving his son. Like, y’all wouldn’t do the same damn thing if it was your child. There’s a 34 count convicted felon entering the WH, bringing the horrors of an apocalypse with him, and it would be in your best interest to figure out how you’re going to get through the next 4+ years. Trump’s reign of terror is starting on DAY ONE. Focus on that.
Not sure if I would ” do the same damn thing.”. I don’t think it’s the role of the parents to cover up for or pardon the misdeeds of an adult child, particularly if they have repeatedly, like Hunter, broken the law. Honestly, Hunter is so f-up and entitled, I probably would have washed my hands of him as a parent long ago.
Letting Hunter go to federal prison where the people can kill him is not what an actual parent does. Wake up. There is a Stasi forming and they have openly announced it. I guess some people are gonna learn. Good thing Joe isn’t that dumb.
Sorry @nic but some people just don’t see as many shades of Gray when it comes to the law and what they believe to be ethically and morally wrong. Yes, the Stasi is coming but even the first time around there were people that were brave and chose to not lower themselves to the level of the Stasi. Biden has just lowered himself to Trump’s level.
I am glad he did.
Maybe if this country hadn’t just elected an out and proud of it felon, I’d care more but alas. I’d do the same in his position since it’s obvious law and order have gone out the window around here.
Biden sacrificed himself for his son. He knew that a firestorm of politically motivated outrage would certainly happen. “What greatest love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”. I’m not a Bible study person, but this quote immediately came to mind.
Didnt supreme court say president’s are immune from prosecution… I say Biden should just wild out.
I wish he would.
Good!
You have an incoming POTUS felon pardon himself and ALL his cases being dropped. I (as well as many Americans) expected Biden to pardon his son.
Those who say otherwise are just Hypocrites.
He saved his son’s life. And the fact that he made this move tells me the current admin knows how bad it is going to get under the next admin.
When your enemy throws out the rule book – you play dirty or you die .
It would take years of terrible behaviour for Biden to approach trump’s subterranean level. “Well my son is in prison for 30 years but at least I didn’t pi*ss off Fox News”? Nope. If it was anything like a ‘normal’ incoming administration I might be critical of Joe. But it’s not so I’m not.
Too bad Biden can’t pardon the guy(s) who tried to off the orange one.