President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, represents a stunning reversal of his repeated, emphatic promises to the American people. While the pardon itself raises significant questions about accountability and justice, the most glaring issue is the president’s dishonesty. Time and again, he assured the public he would not interfere in Hunter’s legal troubles—only to reverse course once the political calculus changed.
This commentary will explore how the pardon fits into a broader narrative of political manipulation, selective prosecution, and the weaponization of public trust.
A Year of False Assurances
Over the past year, President Biden and his aides consistently denied any intention to pardon Hunter Biden. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre frequently reiterated this position, declaring unequivocally that a pardon was “off the table.” From July 2023 through November 2024, Biden himself repeatedly assured reporters and the public that he would respect the judicial process, even describing his son’s ordeal as proof of his impartiality.
Yet, on December 1, 2024, Biden granted a sweeping pardon for Hunter, covering all offenses committed over a decade, including those for which charges had not even been brought. This abrupt about-face undermines the president’s credibility and exposes a cynical political strategy.
The Pardon’s Timing and Implications
The timing of the pardon cannot be overlooked. It comes just weeks after Donald Trump decisively won the 2024 presidential election, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in a landslide. The Department of Justice (DOJ), long accused of targeting Trump for political reasons, appears to have shifted priorities. Charges against Trump were dropped or postponed following his victory, a move that highlights how deeply politics had infiltrated the judicial process under Biden’s administration.
With Trump’s victory secure, Biden no longer needed Hunter Biden as a symbolic sacrifice to justify the DOJ’s actions against his political rival. The pardon now serves to shield both Hunter and the president from further scrutiny, insulating them from the lingering questions about their alleged misconduct.
Hunter Biden and the Burisma Scandal
The pardon also raises unresolved questions about Hunter Biden’s foreign dealings, particularly his lucrative role at Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. Hunter, with no apparent expertise in the energy sector, was paid exorbitant sums while his father was vice president. Allegations of influence peddling have dogged the Bidens for years, with Republican lawmakers and whistleblowers suggesting that foreign entities paid millions to gain access to Joe Biden through his son.
While these claims remain unproven, the sweeping nature of the pardon conveniently precludes further legal investigations. Hunter Biden is now immune from prosecution for any crimes he may have committed over the past decade, effectively cutting off avenues to uncover the truth.
A Shield for Others?
The Hunter Biden pardon may be just the beginning. Reports suggest that the Biden White House is considering pre-emptive pardons for other controversial figures, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, Senator-elect Adam Schiff, and former Representative Liz Cheney. While these individuals have not been charged with crimes, granting them pardons would raise serious ethical and political concerns. Pardons imply wrongdoing, and issuing them preemptively could shield these individuals from potential accountability for actions ranging from mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic to misleading the public about political investigations.
If Biden proceeds with these pardons, it will confirm what many already suspect: that the administration is using clemency as a tool to protect its allies and perpetuate a narrative of victimhood.
What Comes Next for Hunter Biden?
Ironically, the pardon could backfire for Hunter Biden. While it spares him from criminal liability, it also eliminates his ability to invoke the Fifth Amendment, which protects against self-incrimination. In any future congressional investigations, Hunter could now be compelled to testify under oath about his foreign dealings and alleged influence-peddling. Lying under oath would expose him to charges of perjury, which could reignite legal troubles.
The Broader Political Context
The Biden administration has repeatedly accused Trump of “weaponizing” the DOJ, claiming he would use his presidency to target political opponents. Yet Biden’s actions suggest that his own administration engaged in precisely the behavior it condemned. The DOJ’s aggressive pursuit of Trump—alongside its willingness to pursue Hunter Biden only to see a plea deal unravel under scrutiny—raises troubling questions about the impartiality of justice under Biden’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Trump’s record on pardons offers an instructive contrast. While controversial figures like Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, and Roger Stone were pardoned, they had already endured significant legal and financial consequences, serving time or incurring penalties before receiving clemency. Unlike Biden’s sweeping pardon of Hunter, Trump’s actions did not shield himself or his family from scrutiny.
A Cynical Betrayal of Trust
Joe Biden’s pardon of Hunter Biden is not just a legal maneuver—it’s a betrayal of public trust. For over a year, the president used his son’s prosecution to bolster his image as a leader who respects the rule of law. Now, with his political fortunes waning, he has abandoned that pretense entirely. The American people deserve better than a president who uses his family’s legal troubles as a pawn in a larger game of political manipulation.
The pardon raises serious ethical and legal questions that will likely haunt Biden’s legacy. If accountability is to be preserved, Congress must seize this moment to demand transparency and ensure that no one—including the president and his family—is above the law.
What is a Presidential Pardon, and How Does It Shape Public Perception?
A presidential pardon is a constitutional power granted under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, allowing the president to forgive federal crimes, absolving individuals of criminal liability and restoring their civil rights. The scope of a pardon is expansive, permitting the president to grant clemency even before charges are filed or convictions are secured. However, it is a power meant to reflect justice and mercy, not shield wrongdoing.
Historically, presidents have exercised this power sparingly in cases involving family members. Notably, no president before Joe Biden has ever pardoned their child. This unprecedented move has heightened scrutiny of the Biden family’s financial dealings and painted the pardon as an act of self-preservation, raising allegations of impropriety.
Biden’s Family Tragedies and Their Role in Shaping His Decisions
President Biden’s life has been marked by personal tragedy, including the deaths of his first wife, Neilia, and infant daughter, Naomi, in a car accident in 1972, and his son Beau Biden’s death from brain cancer in 2015. These profound losses have understandably shaped Biden’s protective instincts toward his surviving children, including Hunter. In his pardon statement, Biden framed his decision as both a father and a president, citing compassion for his son’s struggles with addiction and the “unfair” nature of his prosecution.
However, sympathy for a parent’s loss does not erase the larger questions surrounding Hunter Biden’s actions and the extent to which they implicate the Biden family in alleged misconduct.
The Biden Family’s Millions: Allegations and Concealment
Hunter Biden’s business dealings have long been the subject of controversy. Reports and whistleblower testimonies suggest that the Biden family received millions of dollars from foreign entities, including Chinese and Ukrainian companies, during Joe Biden’s tenure as vice president. Hunter’s position on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, despite his lack of industry expertise, and the alleged $5 million payments to the family detailed in an FBI report, have fueled claims of influence peddling.
These allegations are compounded by the Biden family’s consistent efforts to obscure financial details, such as routing payments through complex networks of LLCs and bank accounts. Despite repeated denials of wrongdoing, these actions raise red flags about the legitimacy of their financial dealings.
What the Pardon Covers and Its Implications
The sweeping nature of Hunter Biden’s pardon is particularly striking. It encompasses over a decade of potential crimes, from tax evasion and gun-related charges to allegations of influence peddling. This broad clemency not only shields Hunter from legal consequences but also blocks further inquiries into the Biden family’s financial dealings. By removing the threat of prosecution, the pardon effectively shuts down a critical avenue for uncovering the truth behind these allegations.
While Joe Biden insists the pardon is about fairness and justice, critics argue it is a calculated move to protect himself and his family from deeper scrutiny. This unprecedented action risks reinforcing the perception that the Biden family operates above the law—allegedly exploiting public office for personal gain while suppressing accountability through executive power. Such sweeping clemency raises questions about the lengths to which the president is willing to go to shield his family from investigation and whether this decision compromises the presidency’s integrity.
Even Democrats who have been among Biden’s staunchest defenders are now voicing disappointment over the pardon. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democratic figure and close ally of the president, publicly criticized the decision, stating, “With everything the president and his family have been through, I completely understand the instinct to protect Hunter. But I took the president at his word. So by definition, I’m disappointed and can’t support the decision.” Newsom’s remarks underscore the growing unease within the Democratic Party, as many begin to question the ethical ramifications of Biden’s actions.
Newsom’s criticism is particularly significant given his history of loyalty to Biden. For years, he vocally supported the president’s agenda, defended his record, and even campaigned on his behalf during pivotal moments, such as the California recall election. The fact that Newsom now describes himself as “disappointed” in Biden highlights the broader implications of this pardon. It signals a rupture within the Democratic Party and suggests that even those closest to Biden are struggling to reconcile his actions with the principles they once championed.
The pardon’s implications extend far beyond Hunter Biden. It casts doubt on the Biden presidency itself, leaving an indelible mark on his legacy. If the allegations surrounding the family’s financial dealings are true, shielding Hunter from prosecution not only obstructs justice but also implicates Joe Biden in a broader pattern of alleged corruption. This clemency may protect his son, but it risks undermining public trust in the presidency and the Democratic Party as a whole.
Sources
- Alex Gangitano, “Here are the times that Biden, the White House said they wouldn’t pardon Hunter,” The Hill, December 2, 2024. Link (Retrieved: December 5, 2024).
- Victor Nava, “Biden White House mulls pre-emptive pardons for Anthony Fauci, Adam Schiff and Liz Cheney: report,” New York Post, December 4, 2024. Link (Retrieved: December 5, 2024).
- Caroline Vakil, “Cheney: ‘Guardrails of democracy’ must keep Trump in check,” The Hill, November 6, 2024. Link (Retrieved: December 5, 2024).
- Anthony Zurcher, “Senator releases FBI source’s claim of Biden bribes from Ukraine,” BBC News, July 21, 2023. Link (Retrieved: December 5, 2024).
Disclaimer: This article is an opinion piece that provides analysis and commentary on recent news topics, informed by reliable sources. For the latest breaking news and official results, refer to the news organizations cited above. This article does not constitute primary reporting.
