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President Joe Biden’s decision Using his presidential powers on Sunday to pardon his own son will be a decision that lives in infamy in presidential politics. It’s not just that the president used his constitutional powers to benefit his family. It is because the action is the culmination of years of lying to the public about his knowledge and intentions in the influence scandal surrounding his family. Even amid past controversies over the use of this pardon power, Biden has cemented his legacy for many, not as commander in chief, but as liar in chief.
Despite its noble origins and purpose, the pardon power has not historically been a pristine power used by past presidents. As I have written beforeit was used to benefit the political cronies of former presidents. President Warren Harding was even accused of selling pardons, including to mob enforcer Ignacio Lupo, known as “Lupo the Wolf.” Former President Bill Clinton waited in the final days of his presidency to pardon both his own brother and a major Democratic donor. Trump also pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner. (Charles Kushner was also recently named as Trump’s pick for envoy to France).
In 2023 I have wrote that Biden would follow the same pattern and pardon his son as a lame-duck president. The column suggested that Biden could withdraw as a candidate for office and then take action as a father: “The pardon and apology approach could appeal to Biden not only as an attempt to turn vice into virtue, but also to to justify withdrawal from the elections. as a selfless act.”
REPUBLICANS HAMMER BIDEN’S ‘NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW’ CLAIM AFTER HUNTER PARDON: ‘OLD AS FINE MILK’
In the 2020 election and throughout his presidential term, Biden repeatedly lied to the American public with an ease and impunity that shocked even many political veterans in Washington. He was repeatedly asked if he was aware of Hunter’s foreign dealings, including millions in alleged deals with Russians, Ukrainians, Chinese and other clients. President Biden has lied and denied such knowledge. Like me detailed in my testimony during Biden’s impeachment hearing, he had repeated discussions about these transactions. He’s even on tape discussing news stories about the transactions.
President Biden was also repeatedly asked if he had met with his son’s clients. He lied repeatedly. We have photos and reports of dinners and meetings with these customers. Hunter Biden was expressly thanked for arranging this access to his father.
Few reporters put pressure on Biden about the corruption scandal, but they often received not only denials, but also angry reactions from the president. When Fox reporter Peter Doocy brought it up, the president said steamed ‘Yes, yes, yes. God loves you, man – you’re a one-horse pony, I tell you.’
Then CBS Bo Erickson broke ranks and brought up the scandal, Biden responded, “I knew you would ask.” I don’t have an answer, it’s another smear campaign, right up your alley, those are the questions you always ask.’
The president continued to lie throughout the election, the presidential debates, and his term in office.
Then the press repeatedly asked him if he would pardon his son. The president was now running for re-election and lied again. He and the White House said again and again that such a pardon would not happen and was not being considered. That was also a lie. NBC reports that there were already discussions about the pardon when these denials were issued last June.
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The pardon power is written in absolute terms, and a president can, in my opinion, pardon even himself. However, what is constitutional is not necessarily ethical or right. This is one of the most shameful pardons in the entire world checkered history of presidential pardons. President Biden has lied to cover up a corruption scandal that reportedly earned his family millions in gross influence. His portrayal of his son as a victim is in stark contrast to the sense of immunity and power that Hunter conveys in his actions.
President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden step out of a bookstore while shopping in Nantucket, Massachusetts on November 29, 2024. Biden on Sunday, December 1, officially pardoned his son Hunter, who is being convicted of two criminal cases related to tax evasion and the purchase of a firearm. (MANDEL EN/AFP via Getty Images)
There were diamonds as gifts, lavish expense accounts and a sports car, in addition to huge payments that Hunter claimed were “loans.”
There are reports of Hunter belying the president’s portrayal of a political witch hunt, including: messages like the one to a Chinese businessman openly threatening Joe Biden’s displeasure if money isn’t sent to them immediately. In the WhatsApp message, Hunter stated:
“I’m sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been kept. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and that means tonight. And Z If I get a phone call or text message from anyone other than you, Zhang or the chairman involved in this, I will make sure that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows, and my ability to hold a grudge against you forever, I will regret not following my directions sitting here waiting for my father to ring the bell.”
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The president has now pardoned Hunter for his convicted crimes and any crimes he may have committed between “January 1, 2014 and December 1, 2024.”
It’s all now buried under a sweeping immunity deal and a package of presidential lies.
