President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter may have drawn bipartisan criticism, but it doesn’t seem to be causing nearly as much controversy at home. First lady Jill Biden told reporters on Monday that she fully supports her husband’s action.
“Of course I support the pardon of my son,” Dr. Biden said in response to shouted questions from reporters at a White House holiday party.
Hunter was convicted earlier this year for lying on a federal form when he purchased a gun in 2018 and said he wasn’t a drug user. He also pleaded guilty to failing to pay federal income taxes.
President Biden said Sunday that Hunter had been unfairly targeted by Biden’s political opponents.
“People are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form,” he said. “Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions.”
“It is clear that Hunter was treated differently,” the president said.
Donald Trump, Biden’s predecessor (and successor) in office, pardoned war criminals, associates who obstructed justice, law enforcement officers accused of violence against people of colour, and Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty years ago to charges of tax evasion and witness tampering, and who is the father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared.
The president-elect has since tapped the elder Kushner to be his ambassador to France.