THE NEW YORK TIMES: The pardon comes weeks before President Biden leaves office and transfers power to President-elect Donald J. Trump, who spent years attacking Hunter Biden over his legal and personal issues.
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.” » | Michael D. Shear and Zolan Kanno-Youngs | Reporting from Washington | Sunday, December 1, 2024
Read Joe Biden’s Statement and His Grant of Clemency: President Biden issued the statement after signing a pardon for Hunter Biden Sunday night. »
Hunter Biden Faced Prison Time for Tax and Gun Charges: The president’s son had pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges and was convicted of three felony counts for lying on a federal firearms application. »
In Pardoning His Son, Biden Echoes Some of Trump’s Complaints: President Biden complained about selective prosecution and political pressure in a system he has spent his public life defending. »
