this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2024
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President Biden's hypocrisy on full display: Pardons his own son after making a point about 'independent' justice"

In a move that's being hailed as a "full and unconditional" pardon, President Joe Biden has announced that he's granting his son Hunter Biden a free pass for all federal charges related to his time between 2014-2024. Just 50 days before leaving office, Biden had previously declared that he wouldn't be making the move, stating he'd abide by the jury's decision. But now, it seems he was just playing a different tune.

TL;DR

President Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who was facing up to 25 years in prison for lying on a federal form about his drug addiction. This comes after months of saying he wouldn't make the move, and is being met with criticism from politicians and others who called him out on his earlier stance. A case of "my family is more important than I am" - how about keeping your promises for once?

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[–] PixelatedSaturn@lemmy.world 116 points 3 weeks ago (28 children)

Good decision. Trump and his gang promised all kinds of revenge. They don't play by the rules. So it makes sense to do whatever for your last son.

[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 58 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Agreed. If Hunter Biden’s issues hadn’t been politically weaponized so much, I doubt Biden would have done it, but the truth is, with Trump coming in to office and threatening retaliation, it makes sense to pardon him.

[–] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

The crimes Hunter was charged with are rarely enforced and rarely involve jail time. The Republican's made this a political circus that would have certainly had Hunter doing time. If it wasn't for that, Joe would not have needed to pardon him.

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[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 76 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

If the republicans don’t like this, the democrats will happily support a supermajority legislature vote that starts limiting executive power.

[–] notsure@fedia.io 10 points 3 weeks ago

....in 5, 4, 3, what? who cancelled the countdown? /s

[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 56 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I think he's concerned Trumps DOJ is going to come after them. Still super shady. But that'd be my guess as to why he did it, beyond the whole, he's my kid thing.

[–] Lets_Eat_Grandma@lemm.ee 32 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

Should be illegal to pardon family members honestly. If there was ever an easy example of a conflict of interest, this is one.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 75 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

You mean like Ivanka's father-in-law who Trump pardoned and named ambassador to France?

[–] Omegamanthethird@lemmy.world 41 points 3 weeks ago

For Biden, it was the most difficult decision of his presidency. For Trump, it was Tuesday.

[–] Lets_Eat_Grandma@lemm.ee 24 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Yep, absolutely. Presidential powers should be used for the good of the country, not the good of your friends and family. There are many legitimate reasons to pardon people but them being related to you is not one of them.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 26 points 3 weeks ago (11 children)

A fair point but do you think Hunter would have been prosecuted to the same extent if he hadn't been related to Joe Biden?

However, it may work out better in the end for him that they went after him for ALL the crimes, because now he's pardoned for all of them and can't be tried for them again. We know Trump wants to go after Joe, but he'll have to come from a different direction.

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[–] jonne@infosec.pub 13 points 3 weeks ago
[–] snausagesinablanket@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

You mean like how Trump is about to pardon himself?

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[–] morphballganon@lemmynsfw.com 45 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

ITT: people who ignored the persecution Hunter has faced and are judging this on only an extremely shallow level

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

ITT a couple instances acting exactly how you'd expect those people to act.

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[–] banshee@lemmy.world 34 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I read over Biden's statement, and it makes sense to me. Hunter was singled out for political purposes. It would seem weird if Biden didn't issue the pardon.

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[–] ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world 28 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I'm not an American, and as such I don't think it's my thing to speak on so do not take this as an instructive comment, but I will reflect on it anyway. I believe that this was, on balance, a bad decision even if I understand it and can find good, honest reasons for Biden to do it. In the end, the POTUS has this power and is free to use it as the president wishes. I hope it will lead to something positive.

The fact that Trump has said that he might pardon Hunter and now is complaining about the fact that Biden did it himself shows once again how everything said by Donald is a convenient temporary truth. Even if this puts the light on Biden also being problematic with this behavior.

edit: a word

[–] Yodan@lemm.ee 38 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It's a poison pill for pardons. Either they are essentially absolute and irreversible, or they aren't and all of the ones Trump made and will make are up for debate. He can grumble all he wants but for Trump to call this pardon "such an abuse and miscarriage of justice" is absolutely laughable given the decade of insanity and illegal stuff coming out of his orange anus. The toilet photo of all the documents should have been enough to jail this man for life in a black site but I guess justice is a miscarriage after all.

[–] alquicksilver@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Justice is the one abortion of which they approve.

[–] whotookkarl@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)
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[–] Dragomus@lemmy.world 26 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Biden knows they will come after himself but he's too old so they will slam the hammer on his son with the maximum force they can get out of it, this is a good way to thwart that political attack.

Also, someone should remind Trump that he handled firearms after he was convicted of a felony and was not prosecuted for that ...

Though I don't think the importance of that fact will dawn on Trump, he never felt rules applied to him.

[–] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Old rich guy who has never had to face consequences for any action coming to a realization? Sure.

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[–] kandoh@reddthat.com 16 points 3 weeks ago

Oh right, Republicans went after his family and he still picked Garland as his AG.

[–] SkavarSharraddas@gehirneimer.de 15 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Nice. Hopefully Biden keeps doing more good shit in his remaining few weeks while the MAGAt snowflakes are triggered and distracted by Hunter's dick again.

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[–] Goodmorningsunshine@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago

Sure wish anyfuckingbody with power cared about helping THE ACTUAL COUNTRY WHILE THERE'S STILL TIME

[–] Spoonx@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Hope he continues the trend. Id love a full send on dark brandon EOs

[–] Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee 13 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Despite what Biden may try and spin this as, this is not just about the (aggressively politicized and pursued) 4473 ‘unlawful user’ perjury charge - otherwise why include the years prior to that act?

President Joe Biden’s son is charged with lying about his drug use in October 2018 on a form to buy a gun that he kept for about 11 days in Delaware

Because Biden pardoned him from 2014 to present, it also includes the known tax evasion and FARA illicit lobbying concerns.

The Justice Department on Tuesday [June 18th 2023] said the investigation into Hunter Biden was “ongoing” even as it announced terms of a plea agreement [for gun and tax charges]

DoJ felt that there was more to investigate even if the tax and gun charges were covered in a plea deal. Read: there’s something there regarding Hunter’s lobbying efforts - and from internal Burisma emails he knew about the law and FARA concerns.

In the same April 2014 email, Hunter Biden indicated that Burisma’s officials “need to know in no uncertain terms that we will not and cannot intervene directly with domestic policymakers, and that we need to abide by FARA and any other U.S. laws in the strictest sense across the board.”

Biden is right that most 4473 charges would never get this far - what he’s cynically not pointing out (from the bully pulpit, lame duck or not) is the context of why prosecutors drop gun charges in plea deals or pursue maximal charges at trial, or the wider criminal case against his son.

[–] chaogomu@lemmy.world 21 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

The simple truth is, the entire case against Hunter Biden was politically motivated from the start.

He paid the back taxes and the gun charges are normally laughed out of court.

This was always a Republican prosecutor wanting to make a name for themselves, and with Trump taking power, well, we all know how vindictive Trump is.

I don't expect this pardon to matter much, Trump and the Republicans don't care about law or tradition or reality. They care about power, and are less than 2 months away from it.

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[–] BmeBenji@lemm.ee 11 points 3 weeks ago

So glad Biden is so concerned about following the law that protecting vulnerable people with his newly granted immunity is something he would never consider doing.

[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 10 points 2 weeks ago

Trump committed treason on national television, Hunter was only ever charged because his dad was President of the party opposite of the Prosecutor.

If the former gets off scott free, so should the later.

[–] bookmeat@lemmynsfw.com 9 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Pardon all Trump prosecutors.

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[–] MaxPow3r11@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It would have been nice if he could have used his presidential powers

to prevent the genocide...

[–] SirEDCaLot 10 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Or to change that stupid ATF form 4473 which basically requires anyone who smokes weed to either commit a felony by lying (checking the box for they don't use illegal drugs) or tell the truth (checking the box that they do) and being unable to purchase a firearm. Unfortunately the war on law abiding gun owners had to continue so on a few occasions their position continued to be that marijuana users should not be allowed to buy or own firearms.

Hypocrisy+++++

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