President Biden asserted that the prosecution of his son was politically motivated.
President Joe Biden granted a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, following his conviction earlier this year on federal gun charges.
Hunter Biden was found guilty in June on three felony counts stemming from his 2018 purchase of a firearm. Prosecutors argued he falsely claimed on the gun purchase forms that he was not a drug user. His sentencing was scheduled for this month.
In a statement released Sunday, the president maintained that his son was subjected to “selective and unfair” prosecution due to their familial relationship. He contended that individuals are rarely prosecuted for felony charges based solely on inaccuracies in gun application paperwork.
“It’s clear Hunter was treated differently,” he stated. The president further claimed the charges were initiated “only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” He blamed Republicans for undermining a “carefully negotiated plea deal” that would have provided a “reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.”
“No reasonable person reviewing the facts of Hunter’s case can conclude that he was singled out except for being my son – and that is wrong,” the president declared. “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.”
This decision marks a departure from Biden’s previous stance; he and his team had repeatedly affirmed their acceptance of any jury verdict and their opposition to a pardon. In Sunday’s statement, Biden acknowledged a change of heart. “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,” he asserted.
Hunter Biden, who has publicly acknowledged past drug addiction, has faced intense scrutiny throughout his father’s presidency. Republicans have alleged his involvement in corrupt dealings with Ukraine and China, claiming he served as his father’s “bagman.”
The president has denied these corruption allegations and consistently defended his son, describing him as “the smartest guy I know.”