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From CBS News: President Biden announced late Sunday that he signed a pardon for his son Hunter Biden, in a major reversal in the final weeks of his presidency.
Mr. Biden repeatedly pledged not to pardon his son, who was convicted in June of three separate felony charges related to his purchase of a revolver in 2018 when he was battling an addiction to illegal drugs, which he lied about on paperwork to obtain the gun, and pleaded guilty to nine tax evasion charges in a separate case September.
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. 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,” Mr. Biden said in a statement Sunday night.
The president argued that “Hunter was treated differently” than others under similar circumstances, claiming that the charges were brought after “several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.”
Below is Biden’s full statement after he signed the pardon for his son Sunday night: [emphasis added]
Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter.
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.
Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given noncriminal resolutions.
It is clear that Hunter was treated differently. 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.
Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the courtroom — with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.
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. For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded.
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.
Executive Grant of Clemency
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President of the United States of America
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto: ROBERT HUNTER BIDEN A Full and Unconditional Pardon…
For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.
Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.
Reactions to the announcement are pouring in…
TeamDML.com founder and podcast host Dennis Michael Lynch wrote, “Joe, once again, lies to We the People — this time it’s by way of pardoning his son. Why are We not shocked.”
Joe, once again, lies to We the People — this time it’s by way of pardoning his son. Why are We not shocked. pic.twitter.com/pIzSWdMQCE
— Dennis Michael Lynch (@TrustDML) December 2, 2024
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) pointed out, “Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry. If that’s the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?”
Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry.
If that’s the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) December 2, 2024
Many are pointing out that Joe Biden and the White House press secretary have repeatedly claimed he would not pardon his son.
“No. No. It’s a no. It will always be a no. Biden will not pardon his son Hunter.”
Guess what? THEY LIED. pic.twitter.com/tClxjSiyLJ
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 2, 2024
For years Joe Biden’s administration assured you Joe would never pardon Hunter. It’s really extraordinary how blatantly they lie. pic.twitter.com/RO3AdRbmVX
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 2, 2024
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) wrote, “Hunter Biden broke gun laws, he broke the FARA Act, and worst of all, he broke the Mann Act by sex trafficking women across the country. This pardon is Joe Biden’s admission that Hunter is a criminal.
“Biden tried to throw President Trump’s sons in jail, but he lets his son off free even though he’s a convict. His FBI and DOJ raided Barron’s bedroom and Melania’s closet at Mar-a-Lago. Joe Biden is a liar and a hypocrite, all the way to the end.”
Hunter Biden broke gun laws, he broke the FARA Act, and worst of all, he broke the Mann Act by sex trafficking women across the country.
This pardon is Joe Biden’s admission that Hunter is a criminal.
Biden tried to throw President Trump’s sons in jail, but he lets his son off… pic.twitter.com/QoV3lqfMFe
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 2, 2024
Former NYC Mayor and lawyer Rudy Giuliani, wrote, “Biden,who will not even meet with his grand daughter Navy, didn’t pardon his son because he’s a good father. He did so because, as his son admits on the Hard Drive, for 30 years Hunter has given half the millions he’s collected to the Boss of the Crime Family- Joe Biden.”
Biden,who will not even meet with his grand daughter Navy, didn’t pardon his son because he’s a good father. He did so because, as his son admits on the Hard Drive, for 30 years Hunter has given half the millions he’s collected to the Boss of the Crime Family- Joe Biden.
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) December 2, 2024
Political strategist Greg Price pointed out, “Truly incredible that Joe Biden pardoned Hunter starting in 2014 — the year he was appointed a board member of Burisma. You can’t make it up.”
Truly incredible that Joe Biden pardoned Hunter starting in 2014 — the year he was appointed a board member of Burisma.
You can’t make it up. pic.twitter.com/N3ytE0nOzU
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 2, 2024
Author Peter Schweizer wrote, “Six years ago we were the first to expose the Biden family business dealings via Hunter. Most MSM ignored. Now Joe has pardoned him.”
Six years ago we were the first to expose the Biden family business dealings via Hunter. Most MSM ignored. Now Joe has pardoned him.
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) December 2, 2024
“Look for Jim Biden to be pardoned next. Remember: the family was still under investigation under FARA as the pardon comes down. Might have implicated Joe,” Schweizer added.
Look for Jim Biden to be pardoned next. Remember: the family was still under investigation under FARA as the pardon comes down. Might have implicated Joe
— Peter Schweizer (@peterschweizer) December 2, 2024
CNN admitted that Biden pardoned his son out of fear that the incoming Trump administration would bring further prosecutions.
🚨 NEW: CNN just ADMITTED Biden pardoned Hunter for ALL crimes for the past 11 years out of fear that his family would be investigated by the Trump administration
THIS WAS ONE BIG COVERUP. pic.twitter.com/AJOaWVDKqs
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 2, 2024
BREAKING: Joe Biden WILL pardon his son Hunter, NBC confirms, despite previously RULING OUT a pardon. pic.twitter.com/My0baMElZY
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 2, 2024
Former Rep. Joe Walsh voiced his outrage, saying, “This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is. ‘Nobody’s above the law,’ we’ve been screaming. Well, Joe Biden just made clear his son Hunter is above the law.”
JUST IN: Joe Walsh turns on Joe Biden after he pardoned Hunter, says he is “deflated” because he spent years saying Trump was the “threat.”
“This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is.”
“Nobody’s… pic.twitter.com/4lHW6L6iIR
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 2, 2024
Except Hunter Biden. pic.twitter.com/7rsQ9QOP07
— Ian Haworth (@ighaworth) December 2, 2024
Law professor Jonathan Turley released the following statement in a series of posts on X:
Joe Biden: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Americans may have a more difficult time understanding how a president could repeatedly and adamantly deny that he would issue this pardon when he was running for reelection.
Joe Biden: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Americans may have a more difficult time understanding how a president could repeatedly and adamantly deny that he would issue this pardon when he was running for reelection.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) December 2, 2024
…It is also notably that, after insisting that these cases were politically motivated, Biden also pardoned for ANY crimes that may have been committed ” from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 1, 2024…
…That is precisely the type of sweeping immunity grant that the federal judge balked at in the hearing when the earlier sweetheart deal feel apart. The judge asked the prosecutor if he had ever seen such a deal and he admitted that he had not…
…That is precisely the type of sweeping immunity grant that the federal judge balked at in the hearing when the earlier sweetheart deal feel apart. The judge asked the prosecutor if he had ever seen such a deal and he admitted that he had not…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) December 2, 2024
…Hunter Biden is hardly the poster child for a victim of over-enforcement of federal laws. He was given a free pass on allegations that he was an unregistered agent and was the personification of influence peddling in Washington…
…His call to a Chinese businessman hardly speaks to being an innocent hounded by over-zealous prosecutors: “I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight. And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.”
…His call to a Chinese businessman hardly speaks to being an innocent hounded by over-zealous prosecutors: “I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) December 2, 2024
Here is Joe Biden bragging about how he leveraged aid to force Ukraine into firing prosecutor Viktor Shokin.
Shokin was investigating Burisma.
Hunter worked for Burisma. pic.twitter.com/LgtwyAJftx
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) December 2, 2024
Column’s up: We always knew Joe Biden would pardon troubled son Hunter — it’s totally on brand for the president to break another promise to the American people https://t.co/rs6uH5P1Op
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) December 2, 2024
Hunter’s pardon is the most recent reminder that Joe Biden has been an unrepentant liar for 50 years and is completely devoid of any ethics whatsoever
— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) December 2, 2024
Over Thanksgiving weekend, President Biden did the thing he and his White House repeatedly, categorically pledged for months he would not do — pardon his son. https://t.co/zFg5vPLhTr
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) December 2, 2024
Read about the deep state coverup of Biden corruption in my new book: #TheBigGuy: How a President and His Son Sold Out America. The same unaccountable, faceless cabal who protected Joe Biden are propping up Kamala Harris. They want a president they can control.… pic.twitter.com/90w6WqhSoZ
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) September 29, 2024
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