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Biden pardons his son. World pretends to be shocked.

I'm out in the desert twiddling my thumbs while my telescope takes pictures, but I still have some internet access and I see that President Biden has pardoned his son Hunter. I'm not surprised. I'm only surprised that he didn't wait until January 19th.

I suppose I'm required to have a take on this. Fine. For starters, two things are clear. First, Biden shouldn't have done it because he said he wouldn't do it. That's simple enough. Second, however, all the talk about this creating a precedent is nonsense. Most presidents issue a few dodgy pardons at the end of their term, some of them for family members.¹ And God knows this will have no effect on Donald Trump, who has institutionalized favoritism and nepotism to a degree unmatched in history.

That said, there's one thing not getting enough attention: Is Biden right when he says Hunter's prosecution was entirely unfair? Or is this just a handy excuse?

This isn't an open-and-shut question, but I have to say the evidence suggests Biden is right. Hunter has been the target of an openly political jihad in Congress, and it's highly likely that this played a role in David Weiss's decision to change his mind and bring charges against Hunter he never thought were warranted in the first place. What's more, it's possible that the goons Trump is appointing to law enforcement positions could continue hounding Hunter out of sheer vindictiveness. This could well have factored into Biden's change of mind.

So that's my take. Biden is probably in the wrong here. But honestly, I doubt I could have mustered the purity of character to do differently if I'd been in the same position.

¹George Bush Sr. pardoned a bunch of Iran-Contra plotters who he was directly involved with. Bill Clinton, in addition to pardoning Marc Rich, pardoned his brother Roger. George Bush Jr. was mostly pretty good, but he did commute Scooter Libby's sentence. And Trump in his first term reduced the system to rubble, granting clemency of one kind or another to Rod Blagojevich, Michael Milken, Joe Arpaio, Dinesh D'Souza, Bernie Kerik, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon, George Papadopoulos, and seven (!) Republican congressmen convicted of crimes: Chris Collins, Duncan Hunter, Steve Stockman, Rick Renzi, Robin Hayes, Mark Siljander, and Randall "Duke" Cunningham. And, of course, Charles Kushner, his daughter's father-in-law.

81 thoughts on “Biden pardons his son. World pretends to be shocked.

  1. kenalovell

    I'll just leave a comment I already posted elsewhere.

    I suspect the motivation for Biden's decision lies in this bit of his official statement (my emphasis):

    In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here.

    Indeed there's every reason to think the next Trump administration would have been egged on by jackals like Comer and Greene - not to mention most of the baying MAGA internet mob - to lay new charges against Hunter Biden for everything from money laundering to perjury. I for one completely support what the president has done. The pardon power, like nuclear weapons, should be eliminated. But until they have been, unilateral disarmament would be crazy.

    1. MF

      As a Republican I also strongly support this.

      1. Biden pardoning Hunter after promising not to do so will trash his legacy and convince many low propensity weak Republican voters of the pervasive corruption of the Democrats.

      2. Now that Hunter Biden is no longer vulnerable to prosecution he can no longer plead the Fifth Amendment. Haul his ass up in front of grand juries and Congressional committees and give him a fun choice between contempt, perjury, and singing like a little birdy to implicate friends, former business partners, and maybe even Joe Biden himself. Even we we cannot convict Joe Biden we can certainly dig up enough dirt over the next two years to have an impact on the 2026 elections.

      Fun fun fun!

        1. jdubs

          It has never occurred to MF to understand whatever it is he happens to be ranting about at the moment. He won't start today.

          But thanks for bringing some facts in!

        2. MF

          We will see.

          The Fifth Amendment constrains questioning - you don't waste time with questions that will just get you "I take the Fifth."

          Now they get to ask questions like "What exact crimes did you commit? What was your step by step process? Who helped you and how?"

          1. Justin

            MF - Hunter Biden is a creep. Like so many adjacent to politicians, he used his name for sleazy business. I’d prefer there was no corruption at all, but we don’t live in this world. I don’t think he belongs in prison except for the gun crime. For that I think he deserves it. But then I’m one of those extremists on guns… I’d repeal the 2nd amendment, make them illegal and kill everyone who refuses to give them up. 😂 I know.

            They are the worst people in the world. And there are lots of them.

            1. gibba-mang

              Actually I feel the opposite. Biden shouldn't have pardoned Hunter for the tax charges but was right in pardoning him from the gun charges PRECISELY because nobody gets charged with lying about drug use on the permit application. THAT is complete and utter bullshit! We're now supposed to believe Republicans support the gubmint going after gun owners for lying about drug use on their permit application? If that's the case why hasn't Joe Rogan been arrested and prosecuted?

            2. memyselfandi

              "except for the gun crime." There are millions of americans guilty of that crime, none of whom need fear any investigation, let alone prosecution for that crime by itself.. Further, the law has been declared as unconstitutional in multiple federal districts.

          2. memyselfandi

            "The Fifth Amendment constrains questioning - you don't waste time with questions that will just get you "I take the Fifth." Wow, there ae no depths to the lies you will spill. Usually, the sole point of republicans asking questions in such cases is to force the witness to take the 5th 100s of times for the publicity it generates. (Also, the rules governing the fifth amendment mean that you must never or always take the fifth. it cannot be asserted on a question by question basis.

      1. eannie

        I do love that our new ambassador to France is a jailbird( like so many of the members of our new administration) don’t you?

      2. DFPaul

        Excellent argument for Biden also pardoning Jared, whose $2 billion from the Saudis makes Hunter look small time. Plus Jared actually worked for the government. Would love to see Jared questioned on his knowledge of Oct. 7 since he’s a big Mideast expert.

      3. call_me_navarro

        as an eighth generation texas native and father of two grown sons one of whom had his own set of drug problems in his youth, i applaud the president's decision to pardon hunter.

        after trump floated nominations like gaetz and patel the president probably realized he would never see hunter free again. the death-cultists filling the next administration would have made sure hunter served the longest sentence possible in the harshest prison in the system. they might have even staged an "accident" to get rid of hunter.

        as far as i'm concerned, biden is being a good father.

      4. Crissa

        Nice, but no, you can't just haul random people into the FBI or Congress and have them testify for no reason.

        Of course, what do you expect from a guy who posts support for murderers?

      5. J. Frank Parnell

        Guess you don’t follow the news that closely. Since Trump presidents can lie with impunity and flip flop on issues like a dying fish without paying any political price.

      6. memyselfandi

        You're ignoring that Hunter did nothing wrong besides the drug use and so has nothing interesting to say. He has already told us everything there is to know. You truly are worthless human garbage.

    2. shapeofsociety

      This exactly. I wonder if it was the Kash Patel pick that tipped him over. Hunter was at risk of being the victim of a politically motivated legal auto-da-fe, and Joe did the right thing by taking the option away from the new administration.

      1. memyselfandi

        "Hunter was at risk of being the victim of a politically motivated legal auto-da-fe" That was already true. No American not named Biden is ever prosecuted for the crimes that Hunter committed. Filing and paing your taxes late is always tested civilly for a first offense. Once Hunter filed, paid the taxes, interest and penalties in 2020, that case should have been closed. Over milluon americns are guilty of the gun crime. The FEDS can take more than 30,000 cases a year so it would take a century f the Feds did nothing else, to process the people presently guilty of Biden's gun crime. (Ignoring that it has been declared unconstitutional in multiple federal districts.)

  2. iamr4man

    It wouldn’t surprise me if Trump’s Attorney General and FBI Director picks didn’t play a large part in his decision to pardon his son. It’s pretty clear that the people who are in the Trump administration will be every bit as hatred fueled as the MF troll that haunts the comment threads here.

    1. Crissa

      That's my thought as well.

      We've gone from Biden not pardoning his son, letting him face this crooked justice - and then losing the race anyhow.

      So why should he keep that promise now, when the incoming administration has claimed they will do more political prosecutions?

    2. Batchman

      Jabberwocking definition:

      "troll" -- someone with opinions that do not agree with the rest of the commenters on this blog.

  3. Coby Beck

    I didn't expect this, but I have no problem with this political solution to a political persecution. It really bugged me that Biden kept saying he would not do it. Glad for this flip-flop.

  4. jdubs

    Good move. There are exactly zero bad outcomes here.

    Anyone making up potential negative consequences shouldn't be taken seriously.

    1. cmayo

      Yeah. I'mma file this under IDGAF. Even if Hunter Biden technically broke the law in a minimal way, like everything with Rethuglicans: every accusation is a confession, and this was a witch hunt, pure and simple. And they aren't going to stop, so removing the option for this person who (even though he broke the law and behaved like a sleazeball in legal ways) doesn't deserve to be persecuted. Nobody deserves to be persecuted.

      I wonder why the party that screeches about being persecuted is the only one doing the persecuting.

  5. jdubs

    "I doubt I could have mustered the purity of character to do differently if I'd been in the same position."

    This is strange because it takes more character to do what he did. Admitting you were wrong and helping someone who has been needlessly harmed shows more 'purity of character' than letting someone needlessly suffer for no reason.

    Kevin certainly isn't the only one that thinks allowing the pointless suffering of other people is a wholesome way to display your moral purity...but it's still a strange mindset. Leads to lots of bad decisions in life.

    Purity through suffering isn't uniquely American, but it's very common.

  6. Jasper_in_Boston

    First, Biden shouldn't have done it because he said he wouldn't do it...

    What's wrong with changing one's opinion as to the desirability of a course of action? A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

    On the merits I think Joe Biden is correct on this. It's true the optics may not be great for Democrats. But is he supposed to see his son languish in prison (or get decimated by legal fees) to help Democrats? That's a high price to pay for the Biden family, and the political fallout is unlikely in any event to have much impact one way or another on the party's fortunes.

  7. spatrick

    All that needs to be said about this Is this: Would Trump have done the same for one of his kids? Absolutely.

    Nice to see Magatts outraged and blowing up for once. I drink your tears.

    Oh by the way MF, what do you plan to do after your J6 pardon, hmm?

    1. bethby30

      Trump did it for Ivanka’s sleazy father-in-law and just appointed him ambassador to France. The French are not amused.

      1. memyselfandi

        The French have the option and should exercise it of not accepting the criminal as ambassador. Simply state that under French law, a former felon is not eligible for entry into the country.

  8. tango

    Good. Hunter has suffered enough. And let's be honest, what father here would NOT have pardoned his son under similar circumstances.

  9. Rugosa53

    I agree with Jasper. When the facts change, it is sometimes right to change your mind. When Biden said he wouldn't pardon his son, he expected that justice would proceed normally and his son would receive the same treatment as others in similar cases. But Trump's justice department will be vindictive and corrupt - any punishment will be far out of line. I wonder how much sleep Trump loses worrying about "purity of character"?

    1. memyselfandi

      "and his son would receive the same treatment as others in similar cases. " There are no others similar to Biden since no American has eve been prosecuted for what Hunter did. Filing and paying your taxes late is always treated as a civil matter for first offences. If the Feds did nothing but pursue the gun crime Biden committed, people who commit it would still be ignored 95% of the time because that's the maximum number of cases the feds can handle.

  10. shapeofsociety

    Joe Biden gave us four years of exemplary governance and never got any credit or thanks. He deserves to walk off with a little something for all his trouble. I'm glad he pardoned Hunter.

  11. sdean7855

    Biden has suffered enough, both of them have. The elder has gave his considerable all , serving stoically, brought America back from the brink and has gotten shit for thanks. He served America faithfully and truly...and a bare majority cared not to know or to understand that gift, chosing more grift, snake oil fire and hate. He has his honor, America has none. Paraphrasing the old adage of France. 150 million Americans can be very wrong and will now be schooled in consequence...and the rest of us are collateral damage along for the ride of fear and loathing.

    "Once you've done away with integrity, the rest is a piece of cake."
    -J.R. Ewing

    “It was miraculous. It was almost no trick at all, he saw, to turn vice into virtue and slander into truth,
    impotence into abstinence, arrogance into humility, plunder into philanthropy, thievery into honor,
    blasphemy into wisdom, brutality into patriotism, and sadism into justice.
    Anybody could do it; it required no brains at all. It merely required no character.”
    ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

    Joe will turn out the lamps when he leave the White House. For those of us older (77 here), we will not see them lit again in our lifetime...or ever.

    1. Joseph Harbin

      Absolutely right. (And +22 for the Heller quote.)

      Anyone who is a father knows very much what Biden is doing and why he is doing it. People think he's supposed to sacrifice his last surviving son as acceptable collateral damage for what? For his honor? For propriety? For a country that just elected a Nazi wannabe to replace him? He has only so many years left. He wouldn't live a moment in peace if Hunter rots in a prison cell while Trump turns the US into the next shithole country.

      Save the pearl-clutching for the guy who pardoned Bannon, Manafort, Stone and the others, and on January 20 will pardon hundreds who were charged and/or convicted in the insurrection of J6.

      The moral compass of the country may be forever broken, but it wasn't Joe Biden that did it.

  12. Salamander

    Be prepared for a week of outraged talking heads, shriekingly shocked, SHOCKED!! that "Biden LIED!" Meanwhile, the lying Felon who won't be sworn in as President for nearly two months but everyone treats as the Reigning Commander in Chief lies with every other word, and it goes uncovered.

    Because of course he does! That ain't "news"! It's okay when HE does it!

  13. KJK

    I don't care that Sleepy Joe said he wouldn't pardon Hunter, he certainly was not going to leave his son at the clutches of the incoming "goose stepping" administration. Trump probably would have reopened Alcatraz and through Hunter in.

  14. painedumonde

    Of all the powers afforded the President, this is one that seems most king like. I wonder why the founders put it in if they were so opposed to a royal tyrant...maybe they saw the possibility of the law becoming a tyrant?

    Anyway brass tacks, talk about honor and loyalty in politics in THIS country? Don't make me laugh. Any take on this except the one of familial ties is fundamentally foolish, naive, and thoroughly dumb.

  15. iamr4man

    Speaking of pardons, I think the person who needs to be pardoned (preemptively) is Michael Byrd, the officer who shot Ashli Babbitt. The other people who Trump and his minions will go after are wealthy public figures fully capable of using their money and political power to defend themselves. Byrd is just a guy who was defending the Capitol and, ironically, some of the knuckle draggers who are vowing to persecute him.

    1. Austin

      I do expect Capitol Police to just vanish at the next insurrection. There is literally no upside for them to protect congresspeople, half of whom will side with the insurrectionists when you yourself are injured or killed and the other half of whom will not do enough - like executing your attackers for treason and insurrection, as is actually called for in the law - to make sure the first half don’t get their way in framing you as the villain. Fuck that. Just play mall rent a cop while you’re there and walk off the job at the first sight of violence coming your way.

      1. memyselfandi

        "I do expect Capitol Police to just vanish at the next insurrection. " It should be noted that under US law, matters such as Jan 6th are the statutory responsibility of the DC national guard. (A statute passed by Thomas jefferson and still in effect.). They had a plan to come to the capitol hill polices aid on January 6th but Trump's secretary of defense ordered them to stand down and not to inform the police that they would be not implementing the plan at 11pm on January 5th.

    2. KJK

      Agreed, plus pardon's for all of the people involved in the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of Orange Jesus (plus all witnesses), all Members of Congress/Senate who are democrats or voted for impeachment, reporters for the NYT, WP, MSNBC, CNN (or Fox reporters who were critical of that Shit Stain), and late night comedians and the SNL staffs.

      Just a start on the final list

  16. raoul

    So the president used his constitutional vested powers to pardon his son, oh my, clutch the pearls. There is no doubt the prosecution of Biden was politically motivated but at the same time Hunter’s behavior was disgraceful. Personally, we should have an amendment to get rid of the pardoning power, but since it is still there, this does seem like an obvious use of it.

  17. memyselfandi

    "This isn't an open-and-shut question," Actually, it most definitely is. Millions of americans are guilty of the gun crime Hunter was convicted off. The Feds can only prosecute 30k cases a year. If the Feds did nothing but prosecuted this case, the vast majority of Americans guilty of this crime still couldn't be prosecuted. Further, multiple US federal districts have ruled the law unconstitutional. And no one is prosecuted for being late in filing and paying their taxes for the first time. This is always approached as a civil matter.

  18. Goosedat

    Biden is using the excuse Trump's declaration he will replace the FBI director with Hash Patel as one reason why Biden pardoned his son Hunter. Hunter was selectively prosecuted on the gun charge. A prosecution practically never taken to trial. Hunter did evade over a $1M in taxes, and that was a prosecutable case. Democrats are worried the FBI will prosecute them for crimes committed or imagined. There are plenty of misleaders in the Democratic Party as dodgy as Hunter and if they should end up in jail that would be a better use of the FBI than its traditional persecution of socialists, communists, African American leaders, civil rights organizations, anti-war protesters, and environmentalists.

    1. memyselfandi

      "Hunter did evade over a $1M in taxes" that's patently false. Biden filed and paid his taxes in full, just late. This matter would have been closed for any other american when hunter paid all the taxes, interest and fines he owed in 2020.

    2. KJK

      The MAGA GOP is the official party for misleaders, with Orange Jesus as their deity and Commander in Chief of Misleading. Misleading in an of itself is not a crime, so why should the FBI be chasing after Democratic misleaders? Perhaps Trump and is sycophants (like Patel) should focus on things like counter intelligence, except that may make Putin unhappy.

      Trump is going to pardon Jan 6th felons who were convicted of violently attacking and injuring the police.

  19. ScentOfViolets

    What I really enjoy is seeing papers like the NYT, WaPo, etc. working themselves into a lather over this nonevent. If anyone was still pretending the legacy media is not completely and utterly in the tank for the traditional oligarchical interests, this should publicly disabuse them of that notion. It won't, of course, but at least it will indelibly mark the media apologists for who and what they are: On the payroll.

  20. normadesmond

    I'm glad Joe did what he did. I believe Hunter paid the money he owes & the interest & fines. THAT'S what I'm glad of.

    1. lawnorder

      Did Biden "pledge"? The quotes I've seen use words like "I have no plans...", leaving open the option of making plans.

  21. Bluescore4

    Oh c'mon. Biden was going to pardon Hunter all along. He obviously couldn't telegraph that before the campaign despite Hunter clearly receiving unfair treatment from the special prosecutor and would continue to do so under a Trump administration. Biden was right to pardon his son and he is right to not give two fucks about what anyone says or thinks. I'm tired of playing by the rules. Where's it gotten us? Did voters reward us for taking the high road these last four years?

  22. horaceworblehat

    He didn't say he wouldn't do it. He said he didn't have plans to. People can argue until pigs fly on what he really meant by it, and it doesn't matter. Political circumstances and the world we live in played his hand regardless of what his personal intentions were all along. If he didn't pardon Hunter Biden for stuff he did and also never did Hunter would never know peace.

    So, yes, he maybe shouldn't have done it, but at the same time it's the right move. It's a giant middle finger to the fascists who were going to go after his only remaining son just to bully him. All these morons in the Democratic party clutching their pearls over this need to go f themselves. I hope more pardons are the equivalent of additional middle fingers. At least we can have some justice before January 20th.

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