President Joe Biden Grants Pardon to Son Hunter Biden, Clearing Tax and Gun Charges
On December 1, President Joe Biden granted a presidential pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, removing tax and gun-related charges against him. This decision comes after Biden previously stated he would not interfere with the Justice Department's investigation into his son’s case. The pardon was issued just weeks before Hunter Biden is scheduled for sentencing related to his gun conviction and tax charges. This action comes less than two months before President-elect Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.
Charges against Hunter Biden
Hunter Biden, 54, was under federal investigation starting in December 2020 for his business dealings, particularly with China. The investigation focused on possible tax violations and money laundering. A report from Senate Republicans revealed that Hunter Biden received $4.79 million in wire transfers from entities linked to Chinese energy tycoon Ye Jianming and his company, CEFC China Energy.
Hunter was accused of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes, which led to charges in California. He pled guilty to these charges, which included both misdemeanour and felony offenses. Additionally, in June 2024, he was convicted of three felonies related to purchasing a gun in 2018, where he falsely claimed on a federal form that he was not addicted to drugs at the time. Prosecutors argued that cocaine residue was found on his gun pouch. Hunter Biden admitted to his struggles with cocaine addiction and stated that he pled guilty to prevent further harm to his family.
The tax charges could have led to up to 17 years in prison, while the gun charges carried a maximum penalty of 25 years.
The Presidential Pardon
President Biden’s pardon covers all offenses Hunter Biden may have committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024. Following the pardon, Hunter Biden’s legal team released a 52-page document titled “The Political Prosecutions of Hunter Biden,” which argues that the charges were politically motivated and designed to harm Joe Biden’s career. The paper describes Hunter as a target used to attack his father both during his campaign for president and later as president.
In his statement, President Biden defended his decision, calling the charges against his son a “miscarriage of justice.” He added that the charges were instigated by his political opponents in Congress to undermine his presidency.
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