Biden Family Corruption Painfully Apparent
On Monday, December 2, news broke that Joe Biden had issued a full pardon for his son, Hunter, on a multitude of gun and tax charges. The pardon comes after months of deception and misleading statements from the White House, leaving both Democrats and Republicans outraged. Biden stated the reason for the pardon was his belief that his son was being unfairly prosecuted for political gain by his opponents. Before we unpack this shameful decision, it’s important to first understand the charges, the pardon itself, and how we got here.
This past June, Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury for illegally buying and possessing a gun as a drug user. Later, in September, he pleaded guilty to nine tax offenses after it was revealed he had failed to pay around $1.4 million in taxes while spending lavishly on drugs and strippers.
Fast forward to last Monday, President Joe Biden issued a full pardon for his son. The pardon reads, “A full and unconditional pardon for those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted.”
There are many angles from which to critique this decision. First, Joe Biden could have simply commuted his son’s sentences, leaving all the crimes on Hunter’s record. Commuting a sentence means that Hunter would have served no punishment for his crimes, but he would still be a “convicted felon”—a term that liberals often highlight when discussing others. He would still carry the consequences of a criminal record, including losing the right to vote and other restrictions that ex-convicts face. Instead, the pardon essentially erases Hunter’s convictions, as if he was never convicted in the first place. In doing so, President Biden wasted the time and resources of the Department of Justice.
Second, the pardon underscores a sad truth: Joe Biden has repeatedly used his political power to protect and enrich his family at the expense of the American people. Since January 2023, the House Oversight Committee has been investigating the Biden family’s domestic and international business dealings to determine if these activities have compromised national security. So far, the committee has uncovered a wealth of evidence supporting this troubling hypothesis.
The Biden family’s dealings have notably extended to Romania, China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Russia. Records obtained through the House Oversight Committee’s subpoenas have revealed that the Bidens have received over $20 million in payments from foreign entities. For a full list of these findings, I encourage readers to visit the House Oversight Committee’s website. Due to space constraints, I cannot include all the details here.
Finally, the most egregious part of this situation is the lying and the glaring double standard. Joe Biden repeatedly said that he would not interfere in his son’s criminal process. Over the summer, he stated, “I will abide by the jury decision; I will not do anything, I will not pardon him.” Additionally, when White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was pressed on the issue, she said, “Will he pardon his son? No.” Yet, in his statement announcing the pardon, Biden claimed that he wanted to “tell the American people the truth.” This, coming from the same man who denied being senile and contradicted himself just a few months ago. Thanks Joe.
Anyone who doesn’t see the blatant hypocrisy should either get an eye exam or check their bias. How many times during the Russia investigation and Trump’s recent felony charges did we hear the phrase, “No one is above the law”? Now, Democrats and the media must either eat their words and admit there are two sets of rules—one for them and one for everyone else—or they will have to engage in mental gymnastics that would make Simone Biles proud. If this were Donald Trump, the media would be in an uproar.
On a more macro level, Joe Biden may have just given Trump an excuse to pardon whomever he wants. For the record, I believe presidential pardons are a ridiculous practice, regardless of party, and that those found guilty of crimes shouldn’t get a “get out of jail free” card. This is just another example of bad policy that helps explain why Democrats were trounced in 2024. If they don’t come back to reality, they’ll face another defeat in 2028. The country has clearly had enough.
This entire debacle is a textbook case of corruption. Joe Biden saved his son—and likely himself—after repeatedly lying to the American people. The pardon simply demonstrates that Joe Biden will always say one thing and do another, putting the interests of his family above the interests of the American people. He cannot leave the White House fast enough.