President Joe Biden has granted a full pardon to his son Hunter Biden, sparking controversy over the president’s use of his powers. The sweeping pardon covers not only Hunter Biden’s convictions in two cases in Delaware and California but also any other “offenses against the United States” committed or may have committed during the specified period.
Hunter Biden was set to be sentenced this month for gun and tax convictions, which carried up to 17 years and 25 years behind bars, respectively. However, his legal team filed a request to dismiss both cases, citing the pardon. The prosecutors opposed this move, arguing that the dockets should merely be marked “closed.”
Biden had previously pledged not to use his pardoning powers for personal gain, stating he was “extremely proud” of his son and would abide by the jury’s decision. However, in a statement on Sunday, Biden claimed his son was treated unfairly and singled out due to his family connection.
This move is not unprecedented, as other presidents have used their pardoning powers to benefit those close to them. For instance, Donald Trump pardoned his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father Charles Kushner before leaving office, while Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger Clinton in 2001.
The U.S. Constitution grants the president broad power to grant clemency, including pardons and commutations, which are meant to be used for federal offenses only. The Supreme Court has found this power to be very broad, with presidents using it frequently to forgive various crimes, including drug offenses and fraud convictions.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25