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Trump Describes Biden’s Pardon of Son as a ‘Miscarriage of Justice’


Biden argues that his son has been “selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” claiming that the charges stem from political motivations.

President Joe Biden’s choice to grant a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, for tax and firearm offenses has been labeled a “miscarriage of justice” by President-elect Donald Trump.

This decision faced backlash not only from Republican figures but also from several Democrats.

“Does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter cover the J-6 hostages, who have been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of justice!” Trump remarked in a Truth Social post on Monday.
The term “J-6 hostages” refers to individuals jailed for their involvement in the January 6, 2021 incident at the U.S. Capitol, which transpired while Congress was certifying Biden’s 2020 election win over Trump. As of August, the Department of Justice reported that over 1,488 people have been charged in relation to the breach, according to their records.
On December 1, the outgoing President Biden announced that he had issued “a full and unconditional pardon” for his son, removing any federal charges and their corresponding legal consequences.

The president expressed his belief that his son has been “selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” contending that the allegations against him were politically motivated.

“There has been an attempt to break Hunter—who has maintained sobriety for five and a half years, despite facing relentless attacks and selective prosecution,” Biden declared. “In trying to shatter Hunter, they’ve aimed to shatter me—and I believe this won’t end here.”

Hunter Biden was charged with nine counts of federal tax evasion totaling $1.4 million between 2016 and 2019, which he pleaded guilty to in September. He was also found guilty of federal firearm offenses for unlawfully purchasing a gun in 2018 while struggling with addiction.

Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) publicly disagreed with President Biden’s assertion that Hunter Biden’s prosecution stemmed from “political motivations.”

“I hold a great respect for President Biden, but I believe he is mistaken on this issue,” Stanton remarked on X. “Hunter committed felonies and was tried by a jury of his peers.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) expressed his shock on X regarding Biden’s decision, especially considering the president’s earlier commitment that he wouldn’t grant a pardon or commute his son’s sentence.

Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis stated that Biden’s action could undermine his reputation and set a “bad precedent” for future presidents.

“As a father, I understand President Joe Biden’s natural urge to assist his son through a pardon, but I am disheartened that he put his family above the interests of the country,” Polis noted on X.
Polis emphasized that no one is above the law, “not a President and not a President’s son.”

‘Warranted’

Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asserted in a December 2 post on X that the pardon was justified and that no U.S. attorney “would have pursued this case given the underlying facts.”

“After a five-year investigation, the facts only confirmed this,” Holder stated. “If his name had been Joe Smith, the resolution would have been— fundamentally and more fairly—a declination.”

Hunter Biden was slated for sentencing on December 12 for gun charges and December 16 for tax charges, but these hearings are now expected to be canceled.

Melanie Sun contributed to this report.



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