Joe Biden pardons Hunter Biden
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President Biden and his son Hunter Biden in July. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Biden signed a presidential pardon for his son Hunter Biden on Sunday, a reversal from previous statements he would grant him neither a pardon nor commutation.
Why it matters: Presidents regularly sign pardons at the end of their terms. They rarely involve cases where their own family members are in the middle of the legal process. Hunter Biden was set to appear at sentencing hearings on Dec. 12 and Dec. 16.
Driving the news: "No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong," Biden said in a statement.
- "There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they've tried to break me — and there's no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough."
State of play: Hunter Biden was the first child of a sitting president to face criminal charges. He was convicted on felony gun charges in Delaware in June, and pleaded guilty on felony tax charges in California in September.
- The pardon issued Sunday covers all acts from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 1, 2024.
- Hunter Biden's attorney Abbe Lowell filed to have his client's charges dismissed in both cases in the wake of the pardon. Legal confirmation that the president's son had accepted the pardon was also filed.
What he's saying: Hunter Biden said in a statement on Sunday that he has "admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction — mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport."
- He continued: "Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends.
"In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages. In recovery we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering."
Zoom out: Congressional Republicans swiftly blasted the pardon of Hunter Biden — who was a central figure in GOP probes, including an impeachment inquiry into the president that focused in large part on his son's business dealings.
- President-elect Trump responded by raising concerns about the convictions of the Jan. 6 rioters.
Between the lines: There's not much scope for overturning a presidential pardon, which can only be issued for federal offenses.
- It would be "highly unusual" for a president to pardon someone before they are indicted, convicted or sentenced for a federal offense, per a Justice Department statement on its website in the FAQs section.
- However, it noted there had been a few instances of this occurring — including when Trump pardoned former Sheriff Joe Arpaio "and others after they were charged and convicted, but prior to sentencing."
Go deeper: Democrats meet Hunter Biden pardon with groans and shrugs
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
