Hunter Off the Hook: Biden Pardons Convicted Son

Entering the final act of his presidency, Joe Biden’s family drama continues, with the patriarch issuing a full pardon for his son, Hunter, on Sunday. The pardon clears him of any crime he may have committed since 2014 when he joined the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden announced. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”

Earlier this year, Hunter was convicted of three felony counts for lying about his drug use on a gun form to purchase a revolver. Three months later, he pleaded guilty to nine additional federal charges for tax crimes, including tax evasion, filing fraudulent tax returns, and failing to pay taxes. His lawyer claimed, “Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation.”

According to the president, “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.”

Biden’s opponents blasted him for the sweeping pardon, emphasizing his dishonesty toward the American people regarding his involvement in the case.

“President Biden insisted many times he would never pardon his own son for his serious crimes,” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson pointed out. “But last night he suddenly granted a ‘Full and Unconditional Pardon’ for any and all offenses that Hunter committed for more than a decade!”

“Trust in our justice system has been almost irreparably damaged by the Bidens and their use and abuse of it,” he added.  

“Joe Biden has always been a venal liar who utilized his political power to pursue familial gain,” reacted commentator Ben Shapiro. “So of course he's pardoning Hunter. He was always going to pardon Hunter. Hunter was the bagman.”

“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,” Hunter responded. “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.”

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.