The Democrats are in disarray. Joe Biden is only making it worse.
Because a Democrat went on CNN to make a huge confession about Joe Biden.
Joe Biden’s Pardoning of His Son Raises Serious Concerns Over Presidential Clemency Powers
In a move that has drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, President Joe Biden granted a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, for his felony gun charges and federal tax offenses. The decision has ignited a heated debate over the scope of presidential pardon powers, with some questioning whether such clemency should extend to a president’s own family members.
The pardon was announced in a statement Sunday night, in which President Biden argued that Hunter had been “singled out” by political opponents seeking to “break” both him and his son. The White House framed the pardon as a response to what it termed as “political attacks” and alleged that Hunter Biden had been unfairly targeted due to his family connections.
However, the pardon has sparked backlash, including from within the Democratic Party. Democrat Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, a long-time ally of the Biden family, expressed mixed feelings about the decision. While Connolly sympathized with the personal pain the Bidens might feel, he raised a serious concern about the potential for abuse of power when a president uses his clemency authority to pardon a relative.
“I have a mixed response. As a father myself and as someone who knows Joe Biden, I can sympathize with his perspective that his son was, you know, subject to vigilante justice,” Connolly told CNN. “I certainly witnessed that in Republican depositions of Hunter Biden and his attorney. But having said that, what other father in America has the power to pardon his son or daughter if they’re convicted of a crime?”
Connolly’s concerns demonstrate the ethical implications of such a pardon. He argued that the power to grant clemency should be reevaluated and potentially restructured to prevent future presidents from pardoning their relatives. “I really think we have to revisit the pardon power in the Constitution and at the very least, I think we’ve got to circumscribe it so that you don’t get to pardon relatives, even if you believe passionately they’re innocent or that their cause is just,” Connolly stated.
The Virginia lawmaker also drew comparisons to former President Donald Trump, who used his pardon powers to absolve close allies. Connolly highlighted Trump’s decision to pardon his son-in-law’s father, as well as appoint him as ambassador to France, labeling it an “abuse of power” that he believes must be corrected.
Hunter Biden’s legal issues have been a source of controversy for years. In June, a Delaware jury convicted him on three felony gun charges related to the purchase of a Colt .38-caliber revolver in 2018, while he was addicted to illegal drugs. Additionally, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to federal tax charges in September, just as his trial was about to begin. The pardon, which shields him from these convictions, comes after years of investigations and public scrutiny of his business dealings.
The move has also drawn criticism from some liberals and even Democrat allies of Biden. Mark Penn, a prominent Democratic pollster, called the pardon “disgraceful,” echoing concerns about the message it sends about accountability and justice.
The decision to grant clemency to Hunter Biden may serve to deepen divisions in an already polarized political climate, further complicating the ongoing debate about the limits of presidential power. With both Biden and Trump using their pardon powers in ways that some view as self-serving, the need for reforming clemency authority seems increasingly urgent.
The fact that many Democrats are speaking out against this move by Joe Biden seems certainly significant, considering the Democrat Party is usually the best at always deflecting any valid criticism away from their high-profile Party members. The high-profile Democrats are almost always singing in unison in defense of Joe, but this time they are not happy with Mr. Biden.
Colorado’s Democrat Governor Jared Polis was quick to speak up on the news about Hunter Biden’s pardoning, saying that he was deeply “disappointed” with the sitting U.S. President for this obviously deceitful move after promising the American people that he would not pardon his own son of crimes he has committed.
“While as a father I certainly understand President Joe Biden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country,” the Colorado Democrat Governor Jared Polis shared in a post online.
“This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation. When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” he added. He went on to say that Hunter Biden has to be held responsible for the crimes he has committed.
While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country. This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation.…
— Jared Polis (@jaredpolis) December 2, 2024
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