ReutersUS President Joe Biden has granted a presidential pardon to his son Hunter, who is facing two criminal charges.
The move has proven controversial, as Biden seniors have previously ruled out such a move. But he argued that the cases against his son were politically motivated.
The use of his pardon power continues a tradition of presidents granting pardons to people close to them on both sides of the American political divide.
What did Hunter Biden do?
Hunter Biden was awaiting sentencing later this month in two federal cases.
In June, he became the first child of a US president to be criminally convicted — in a case related to him Gun ownership. He was found guilty by a jury in Delaware of three counts of lying about his drug use on a farm while buying a handgun.
He was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in September to federal charges Tax case The focus is on whether they paid enough tax from 2016-19. The nine charges include failure to file and pay his taxes, tax evasion and filing false returns.
He faced up to 25 years in prison on the gun case and 17 years on the tax case, though experts told The New York Times that he was likely to receive lesser charges and serve the two sentences concurrently.
What is a presidential pardon?
The US Constitution mandates that the president has broad “power to grant immunity and pardon for crimes against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.”
In this case, the president’s “full and unconditional pardon” would cover any potential federal crimes committed by the younger Biden from January 2014 to December 2024.
A pardon represents a legal pardon, ending any further punishment and restoring rights such as being able to vote or run for public office.
Although the power of forgiveness is considered broad, it is not limitless. For example, the president can only grant pardons for federal crimes.
The issue is relevant as there is a question mark over conviction in Donald Trump’s hush-money case in New York. When he returns to the White House in January, he won’t be able to recuse himself in that state-level case.
How many pardons have other presidents granted?
There is long precedent for US presidents granting pardons on both sides of the political divide — including those close to him. This is the 26th amnesty issued BidenA democrat.
In 2020, TrumpA Republican, he pardoned his daughter Ivanka’s father-in-law, Charles Kushner. Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison in 2004 for charges including tax evasion, campaign finance crimes and witness tampering.
And in 2001, Bill ClintonHis younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, pardoned him for a previous cocaine-related conviction in 1985.
In both cases, pardons were granted to people who had already served their sentences. The intervention comes ahead of the sentencing in the case of President Biden’s son.
According to the Pew Research Center, Trump issued 237 pardons during his four years in the White House, including 143 pardons and 94 commuted sentences. Many were in an uproar before he left office.
That number is significantly lower than his predecessor Barack ObamaDuring his eight-year tenure, he issued 1,927 pardons, according to Pew. These were 1,715 conversions and 212 amnesties.
What did Trump say about amnesty?
Trump was among those who attacked Biden for the move, which he described as a “miscarriage and miscarriage of justice.”
The incoming president asked if Biden would grant amnesty to people sued over the riots on January 6, 2021 — when Trump’s supporters rioted at the US Capitol building in an attempt to block the certification of the 2020 election results.
Trump, who has faced numerous legal problems while away from the White House, has repeatedly accused the US justice system of being weaponized against him and his supporters.
He has promised amnesty to those who rioted in Washington. But it is still an open question who exactly will be granted amnesty and whether amnesty will be extended to those convicted of the most serious and violent crimes.
