Biden's full statement pardoning son Hunter
US President Joe Biden has granted a formal pardon to his son Hunter, who was scheduled to be sentenced this month for federal felony convictions related to gun possession and taxes.
The president had earlier dismissed the idea of granting a pardon to his son.
In September, Hunter Biden admitted to tax-related offenses. Earlier, in June, he was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm while being a drug user. This made him the first child of a current president to face a criminal conviction.
Below is the complete statement made by President Joe Biden on Sunday:
Today, I granted a pardon to my son Hunter. From the moment I assumed office, I made a promise to avoid interfering with the decisions of the Justice Department, and I have kept that promise even as I witnessed my son face selective and unjust prosecution. Typically, individuals are not prosecuted for felony charges just based on how they completed a gun application, especially when there are no aggravating circumstances like involvement in a crime, multiple purchases, or acting as a straw buyer. Likewise, individuals who have been late on their taxes due to severe addictions, but later made their payments with interest and penalties, usually receive non-criminal outcomes. It's evident that Hunter's situation was handled differently.
The accusations in his cases emerged only after many of my political rivals in Congress urged them to target me and challenge my election. Subsequently, a plea agreement that had been carefully worked out with the Department of Justice fell apart in court, with several of my Congressional opponents bragging about the political pressure they applied to the situation. If the plea deal had gone through, it would have been a fair and sensible outcome for Hunter’s cases.
Anyone who examines the details of Hunter's situations can only conclude that he has been targeted solely because he is my son, which is unjust. There has been a campaign to undermine Hunter, who has been sober for five and a half years despite constant criticism and biased legal actions against him. In their attempts to bring Hunter down, they are also trying to bring me down, and I have no reason to think this will end anytime soon. This has gone on long enough.
Throughout my career, I've held onto a straightforward belief: always speak honestly to the American public. They will respond with fairness. Here’s my honest take: I have faith in our justice system, but I've come to realize that politics have tainted this process, resulting in a wrongful outcome. Once I reached this conclusion over the weekend, I saw no reason to wait any longer. I hope the American people appreciate the perspective of a father and a President making this choice.
Executive Reprieve Grant
Joe Biden
President of the United States
Greetings to everyone who reads this:
Let it be known that today, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, exercising my authority as outlined in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution, have officially granted to...
A Complete and Unrestricted Forgiveness
For any crimes against the United States that he has either committed, may have committed, or participated in from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024, this includes all the offenses filed or pursued by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in cases Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the District Court of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the Central District Court of California, encompassing both prosecuted cases and those that led to convictions.
TO CONFIRM THIS, I have signed my name and ensured that the Pardon has been officially recorded with the Department of Justice.
Completed in Washington, D.C. on the 1st of December in the year 2024, marking the 249th year of American independence.
