World
December 3, 2024 18:10
washington - Outrage and criticism have erupted in the US following President Joe Biden's pardon of his son Hunter Biden, with Democrats accusing the president of providing special treatment to his family.
In the US, surprise has turned into anger after President Joe Biden granted a pardon to his own son. Democrats are spewing their anger over the 'special treatment' for members of the First Family, and American media are suggesting that the outgoing commander in chief is tarnishing his legacy.
The Washington Post headlined 'There's no excuse for Biden's pardon' above its editorial on Tuesday. The newspaper argues that the president is circumventing justice with the pardon for Hunter Biden, even before judges in two ongoing criminal cases regarding illegal weapons possession and tax evasion could determine the sentence. The Post also notes that the granted pardon is unprecedentedly broad, covering a period of ten years for all committed offenses, including potential cases that are not currently prosecuted.
The progressive newspaper, which usually directs all its criticism at Donald Trump, cannot resist interpreting the pardon primarily as a green light for the president-elect to install 'radical MAGA loyalists' who will go after political enemies. 'Biden has just given him cover,' snipes the newspaper.
The New York Times states in an analysis that Biden's reputation was already low after Kamala Harris' humiliating defeat on November 5, which is largely blamed on him. Biden delayed making way on time, thereby 'paving the way for Trump'. According to the left-liberal newspaper, the president has exacerbated the anger by not only breaking his repeated promise not to grant pardons but also by attacking American justice. Biden called the prosecution of his son 'selective' and 'unfair' in a statement on Sunday.
The Wall Street Journal gently reminds that at his inauguration in 2021, Biden had spoken weighty words that 'democracy is precious and vulnerable.' Now his own legacy is 'further damaged,' according to the business newspaper, which adds sardonically in a comment that 'we now know what a Biden's word is worth.' The president used to point to this as a sign of trust. He repeatedly swore not to grant pardons because 'nobody is above the law.'
Among Democratic politicians, the clemency has been criticized as 'selfish' and 'short-sighted.' According to Congressman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Biden's action proves that America has a class justice system. 'No family should be above the law.' Senator Michael Bennet is also merciless, stating that the outgoing president put 'his personal interest above his responsibility to the nation.'
Congressman Jason Crow fears that the pardon will continue to eat away at the party. 'I think it will become more difficult for us to talk about safeguarding democracy.' Another Democratic congressman, Jamaal Bowman, believes that Biden should also pardon all forty prisoners awaiting the death penalty in American prisons.
Republicans immediately criticized the pardon after its announcement on Sunday evening. James Comer, the Republican congressman who led the parliamentary investigation into the Biden family for alleged corruption practices, was scathing in his response. He called the charges Hunter faced 'just the tip of the iceberg.' According to Comer, Biden 'from the very beginning lied about the corrupt influence activities of his family,' although the congressional investigation did not provide hard evidence for that accusation.
While US presidents often exercise their authority to grant pardons, the scope of the pardon granted to 54-year-old Hunter Biden is unprecedented. It goes further back than the committed offenses for which the president's son was facing trial. Earlier this year, he was found guilty of violating weapon regulations, a case that dates back to 2018, after lying about drug use during the application. Additionally, Hunter pleaded guilty to all charges related to tax evasion, a case that occurred between 2016-2019.
Nevertheless, Biden granted 'full and unconditional' pardon to his son for offenses committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, stating that this pardon 'is not limited' to the current charges in both criminal cases.
This means that Hunter is exempt from potential future prosecution for, for example, his role at the Ukrainian energy giant Burisma. Republicans have seen Hunter's board position at that company since 2014 as the centerpiece of an alleged, but as yet unproven, Biden family corruption case. This revolved around allegations that Hunter was brought to Burisma to pressure, through his father, the then-vice president, to halt a Ukrainian corruption investigation into the company's boss.
President Biden's pardon also complained about the breakdown of the 'careful' settlement that Justice wanted to reach with Hunter in 2023 for the offenses. Biden suggests that the deal did not go through due to pressure from political opponents. However, it was the judge who stopped the settlement. The deal was worded so broadly that Hunter would have been immune from complete prosecution, something the judge refused to sign. Now, this broad immunity returns with the pardon.
President-elect Donald Trump did not comment on the pardon, which he cannot undo, but wondered via social media whether the convicted Capitol storming protesters in January 2021 will now also be pardoned. He spoke of 'a judicial mistake' in this regard. It is expected that Trump will do so after his inauguration on January 20.