Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on federal gun charges and faced sentencing in December. The announcement, made Sunday evening, contradicted previous White House assurances that Biden had no intention of pardoning his son.
In a statement, Biden explained, “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 – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
Earlier this year, Hunter Biden was found guilty of three felony counts related to purchasing and possessing a firearm while addicted to drugs. He also agreed in September to plead guilty to nine tax-related charges, including three felonies. Without the pardon, he faced up to 25 years in prison for the gun charges and 17 years for the tax offenses, along with $1.35 million in fines. Sentencing had been scheduled for December 13 in Delaware for the gun charges and December 16 in California for the tax charges.
The timing of the pardon raises questions, especially given that as recently as November 7—after Donald Trump’s election victory—White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre maintained that Biden would not pardon his son. She declined to comment on potential pardons for others, including administration officials or individuals threatened with legal action by President-elect Trump. Similarly, in a June interview with ABC News, President Biden stated that he would accept the trial’s outcome and had no plans to pardon Hunter.
Hunter Biden, who was recently seen vacationing with his family in Nantucket, expressed gratitude in a statement. “I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction – mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport,” he said. “Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends.”
He continued, “I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”
