Biden dropped all criminal charges against his son Hunter. What the media is saying
U.S. President Joe Biden, whose powers expire in January, on the eve of the decision to pardon his son Hunter. He was accused in two criminal cases: non-payment of taxes and possession of weapons. It was reported that the son of the head of state lied about not using drugs when buying a gun. About how the White House denied the possibility of a pardon, why Biden changed the decision and how President-elect Donald Trump reacted - in the digest of "Izvestia".
CNN: Joe Biden prioritizes family over presidential legacy
In a statement, Biden Sr. said he hoped Americans would understand why he - a father and head of state - came to this decision. He also noted that he decided on this measure during the Thanksgiving weekend. Now, journalists emphasize, the pardon of his son will forever remain in the history of the Biden presidency.
CNN
For Biden, family has long been paramount. His adamant promise not to pardon his son was made before he declined to run for a second term, so it remained an open question, despite the White House's denial, whether he would fulfill his promise or choose to protect his son
Thus, Joe Biden had less and less time to maneuver - the trial on the illegal gun possession case, in which the jury had already found Hunter guilty, was scheduled for December 12, and the hearing on the tax charges, to which the president's son himself pleaded guilty, was scheduled for December 16. Regardless, Biden Sr. believes Hunter was prosecuted unfairly, simply because he is his son. The pardon, which can't be overturned by President-elect Donald Trump, eliminates the possibility that Hunter Biden will be convicted of his crimes.
CNN: Biden's decision has undermined faith in American justice
Biden Jr.'s pardon was a stunning development for Americans and has exacerbated the controversy surrounding the rule of law, undermining confidence in the country's judicial system, a decision that came after all criminal charges against Donald Trump over election meddling and hiding classified documents were dropped.
CNN
Taken together, the legal wrangling raises questions about the fundamental principle at the heart of the justice system in the United States that everyone - even presidents and their families - is equal before the law
Politically, the pardon of Hunter Biden could be seen as a stain on his father's legacy and credibility. It will be another point of inglorious end to the president's term, just like Joe Biden's failed performance in the debate with Donald Trump in June. So, the Republican Party can turn the Democrats' traditional accusations against themselves - they used to condemn Trump for politicizing the country's judiciary, now Biden has done the same to protect his family.
Fox News: White House press secretary denied six times the possibility of pardoning Hunter Biden
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has asserted six times that President Biden will not pardon his son's felony convictions. The first time a presidential spokeswoman said this was in July 2023.
Fox News
Many months later, Biden himself said he would not pardon his son and accept the results of his son's federal trial during an interview with ABC News' David Muir. After the interview, Jean-Pierre reiterated that Biden has no intention of pardoning his son and she has not spoken to the president on the matter.
Jean-Pierre has responded negatively to reporters time after time when asked about a pardon for Biden Jr. Both before Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential election and afterward. She emphasized that the topic had been discussed more than once and the White House's answer would not change.
TMZ: Hunter Biden knew about his father's pardon months before he made it official
Joe Biden was ready to pardon his son Hunter on two court cases long before he signed an official executive order. According to sources, the head of state had no involvement in the proceedings against his son until a judge rejected a plea deal in June 2023.
TMZ
Sources connected to the White House said Biden had been planning this (pardon. - Ed.) for more than three months
At the same time, the interlocutors note that Hunter could have won a trial in California on all nine counts of tax evasion. However, the president's son pleaded guilty because he realized the president would pardon him.
ABC News: Trump calls pardoning Biden's son Hunter a miscarriage of justice
In a post on the social media network Truth Social on Sunday, Trump called the sitting president's decision a miscarriage of justice, recalling those imprisoned for rioting at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He questioned whether the pardon extends to them as well.
ABC News
Trump's reaction comes months after he signaled that a pardon for Hunter Biden could be a consideration if he returns to the White House for a second term
Prior to that, in October, Trump claimed that Hunter Biden, even unlike his father, was always a "bad boy," as evidenced by the contents of his laptop "from hell."
Axios: Republicans furious over Hunter Biden pardon
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, said President Biden lied from start to finish about his family's activities, using his powers to his advantage.
Axios
Hunter has been a central figure in Republican Party investigations, and Republicans in the House have largely based their investigation into the president's impeachment on his son's business dealings. Many Republicans are concerned about Biden's previous statement that he would not pardon Hunter or commute his sentence.
Comer added that Biden Sr. should have recognized his own longstanding violations of the law, rather than doing everything he could to make sure his family members get away with their crimes.
Axios: Democrats meet Hunter pardon with disapproval but understanding
Democrats reacted to Hunter's pardon with restraint. One of the anonymous interlocutors of the publication, representing Democrats in the House of Representatives, believes that the Biden family, including Hunter, has "suffered enough" and has already paid the price. Another Democrat speaking to reporters noted that President Biden has already lost one son (he died in 2015 due to cancer) and will now do everything not to lose another.
Axios
For the past two years, Democrats have chosen the tactic of cautiously opposing Republican Party investigations into the president, largely avoiding openly defending his son who was under investigation.
At the same time, some Democrats openly criticized President Biden's decision, stressing that it sets a precedent that the next heads of state can use. Thus, the representative from Arizona Greg Stanton emphasized that the investigations against Hunter were not politically motivated - the president's son really committed crimes, which was confirmed by the jury.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
