Joe Biden pardons his son Hunter: details
2 December 2024 11:32
US President Joe Biden has signed a decree pardoning his son Hunter Biden, saying that he was the victim of selective and unfair prosecution. In his official statement, Biden explained this decision as protecting his son from political pressure that turned into legal injustice. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" citing an official statement by the US President published on the White House website.
“From my first day in office, I promised not to interfere with the decisions of the Department of Justice, and I kept my word, even when I saw my son being selectively and unfairly prosecuted,”
– the President said.
He noted that the charges against Gunther arose from a political initiative of his opponents, who used his son as a way to attack him personally and impede his political activities.
Biden emphasized that the charges of tax violations and false information in weapons purchase documents are atypical for criminal prosecution.
“People who are late with their tax payments due to serious addictions but have paid back their debts with interest and fines usually receive non-criminal sentences. As for filling out forms to buy weapons, if there are no aggravating factors, such as criminal use, such cases rarely go to court,”
– he explained.
Political pressure
Biden also criticized the actions of his opponents in Congress, who he said initiated the charges.
“A carefully negotiated plea deal supported by the Department of Justice was thwarted in court under pressure from politicians. This would have been a fair and reasonable resolution of the Hunter case,”
– Biden said.
The President emphasized that if Gunther had not been his son, his case would not have received such publicity and prosecution.
“The attempt to break Gunther – who has remained sober for five and a half years despite constant attacks – is an attempt to break me. And there is no reason to believe that this will stop. Enough is enough,”
– Biden added.
The President said that despite his confidence in the US legal system, this case demonstrates how politics can distort justice.
“I struggled with this decision, but in the end I realized that politics had poisoned the process, leading to injustice. Having made the decision this weekend, I saw no point in delaying. I hope Americans will understand why my father and the president would take this step,”
– Biden summarized.
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Reaction
The decision caused a wide response in the United States, with the president’s opponents calling it a manifestation of political favoritism. One of the harshest reactions, as expected, was voiced by the future President of the United States, Donald Trump.
“Is it possible to grant such a pardon to those I call ‘hostages of January 6’ who have been in prison for several years? This is a blatant abuse and violation of justice!”
– trump wrote.
What did Hunter Biden do?
Hunter Biden, the youngest son of Joe Biden, was born on February 4, 1970, into a family that later became one of the most influential in US politics. Hunter received a law degree from Yale University, worked for several law and financial firms, and served as vice chairman of the board of the National Democratic Institute. However, his career has been plagued by scandals due to personal problems, including drug and alcohol addictions. In his book Beautiful Things (2021), Hunter spoke frankly about the difficulties he experienced and his recovery, which has lasted more than five years.
Biden Jr. has also been at the center of political controversy over his financial dealings. His business activities, including his involvement in consulting projects and investment funds, have drawn criticism, partly due to his surname and status as the son of a politician. The most resonant cases were tax cases and accusations of misrepresentation in the purchase of weapons, which later became the basis for political pressure on his father.
Hunter Biden attracted the attention of Ukrainian and international media in 2014 when he became a member of the board of directors of the Ukrainian gas production company Burisma Holdings. This position, according to investigations, brought him up to 50 thousand dollars a month. Although Gunther claimed that he was performing purely advisory functions, Joe Biden’s political opponents, including Donald Trump, used this fact as a tool to attack Biden Sr. accusing him of a conflict of interest. At the same time, research by independent journalists has not found any direct influence of Gunther on Ukrainian politics or interference in the company’s processes.
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