Joe Biden Pardons Hunter Biden
On December 1st, 2024 incumbent President Joe Biden announced that he had pardoned his son Hunter Biden. Joe Biden stated at a White House press conference that “[t]oday, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” (WhiteHouse).
Joe Biden announced “[h]ere’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” (WhiteHouse). Joe Biden’s statement makes it clear that his belief in the justice system exists only when it works in his favor. Now, the lame duck president has resorted to a presidential pardon to save his son Hunter from criminal prosecution. Biden concluded that “once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further;” adding “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision,” (WhiteHouse). Hunter Biden engaged in treason, and crimes of moral turpitude. Now, Hunter Biden’s crimes will go unpunished.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on September 5th, 2024 that Robert Hunter Biden had “pleaded guilty in federal court in Los Angeles this afternoon to all counts in a nine-count indictment, including three felony tax offenses and six misdemeanor tax offenses. There was no plea agreement. Judge Scarsi accepted the defendant’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for December 16, 2024,” (Justice). The DOJ noted that “[a]t sentencing, Hunter Biden faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison,” (Justice). But his sentencing will no longer occur.
Under a presidential pardon, Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president “shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” Therefore, Hunter Biden’s crimes against the United States of America; alongside his father’s Joe Biden’s participation in illegal activity while in office, and during the Obama administration; are now reprieved. But other members of the Biden family and their accomplices may still be pursued beyond Hunter.
Black Law Dictionary defines the word Clemency as “[m]ercy or leniency; esp. the power of the President or a governor to pardon a criminal or commute a criminal sentence.— Also termed executive clemency,” (Garner, B., p. 318). Additionally, Black’s Law Dictionary defines the word Pardon as “[t]he act or an instance of officially nullifying punishment or other legal consequences of a crime. A pardon is usu. granted by the chief executive of a government. The President has the sole power to issue pardons for federal offenses, and state governors have the power to issue pardons for state crimes. — Also termed executive perdon; free pardon. Editor in Chief Bryan Garner further defines the term Absolute Pardon as “[a] pardon that release the wrongdoer from punishment and restores the offender’s civil rights without qualification. — Also termed full pardon; unconditional pardon,” (Garner, B., p. 1339).
Similar moral perspective is written in the Old Testament by the Prophet Jeremiah, whereby the Lord asked “[h]ow can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me,” (Jeremiah 5:7a; ESV). Naming their offenses, “Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?” (Jeremiah 5:9; ESV). Thus, as “[t]hey have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us,
nor shall we see sword or famine, (Jeremiah 5:12; ESV). The Bidens and other contemporary political leaders of today have not changed, and still possess these inherent traits alongside their appetite for expansion power.
Consequentially, the American Bar Association (ABA) does not follow a legally enforceable code of conduct. Instead, attorneys must voluntarily abide by the Model Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC). The MRPC’s preamble reads “[f]ailure to comply with an obligation or prohibition imposed by a Rule is a basis for invoking the disciplinary process,” (ABA). The MRPC adds “the Rules presuppose that whether or not discipline should be imposed for a violation, and the severity of a sanction, depend on all the circumstances, such as the willfulness and seriousness of the violation, extenuating factors and whether there have been previous violations,” (ABA). Clearly, Hunter Biden has violated the MRPC, but it remains the decision of the ABA whether to allow him to remain barred.
While this exclusive presidential pardon is favorable to the incumbent president; it undermines the U.S. Justice System, and reveals that there are double standards for incumbent politicians. Hunter Biden pled guilty to felony crimes; but his father was able to waive the charges. While the presidential pardon in incontestable, it reflects poorly on the efficacy of the contemporary criminal justice system. Thus, proof that government is persistently lying and deceiving its citizens; utilizing any form of qualified immunity to waive criminal liability against any member found in violation of U.S. law.
Bibliography
ABA. (Accessed on December 3rd, 2024). Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Preamble & Scope. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/model_rules_of_professional_conduct_preamble_scope/
Justice. (Accessed on December 3rd, 2024). Special Counsel David C. Weiss’s Office | Robert Hunter Biden Convicted on Three Felony Tax Offenses and Six Misdemeanor Tax Offenses | United States Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/sco-weiss/pr/robert-hunter-biden-convicted-three-felony-tax-offenses-and-six-misdemeanor-tax-offenses
WhiteHouse. (Accessed on December 3rd, 2024). Statement from President Joe Biden | The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/01/statement-from-president-joe-biden-11/