On Sunday night, before Hunter's sentence hearing, the 82-year-old President addressed his son's legal issues.
According to Express, President Joe Biden would be pardoning his son, Hunter, after repeatedly saying he would let US justice decide.
After a series of legal issues, Hunter Biden pled guilty to tax fraud in September and was found guilty of federal gun charges in June. His gun conviction will be heard on December 12, followed by the tax evasion case on December 16.
President Biden thought political politics polluted his son's probe, driven by enemies. He worried about impartiality.
"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," Biden stated, per PEOPLE. "I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."
He added: "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."
While Hunter was on trial for gun charges in June, Biden told the press: "I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him."
The Mirror said that after Donald Trump's presidential election last month, White House spokesman Karine Jean-Pierre maintained that Biden would not pardon his son. Hunter was found guilty of three crimes in Delaware federal court that month.
The President's son acquired a handgun in 2018, and prosecutors claimed he falsely stated on a federal form that he had never taken illicit substances or been addicted to them despite a crack cocaine addiction. Hunter was to go on trial in California in September for allegedly owing $1.4 million in taxes.
Hunter pleaded guilty to misdemeanor and felony counts hours before jury selection. He may get 17 years for tax evasion and 25 for guns. He may have avoided prison completely.
The announcement promptly provoked intense internet debate, with viewpoints markedly polarized. A multitude utilized social media to convey their responses.
"Biden's pardon is a disgrace. If Hunter were anyone else, he'd be in jail already," one netizen said.
"Selective prosecution or not, this is setting a dangerous precedent. Equal justice should apply to all," another wrote.
"A father protecting his son-it's human. But as President, Biden's decision is ethically questionable," a third chimed in.
"Hunter was clearly targeted. Biden is right to stand up against political attacks on his family," a fourth said.
"The timing of this pardon couldn't be worse. It only fuels the narrative of favoritism," a fifth netizen wrote.
"Hunter's sobriety and resilience are inspiring. Let's not forget the good he's doing now," another said.
Business Times has reached out to Joe Biden for comments.
