Top Democrats Call Out Biden for Pardoning Hunter: ‘Put His Family Ahead of the Country’

Top Democrats are condemning President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter Biden.

The president, who had previously said he would not pardon his son, did so Sunday night in a sweeping pardon, claiming Hunter was a victim of partisan politics.

Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona said the president made a mistake.

“I respect President Biden, but I think he got this one wrong. This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers,” Stanton posted on X.

I respect President Biden, but I think he got this one wrong.

This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers. https://t.co/P31d4ILL1P

— Rep. Greg Stanton (@RepGregStanton) December 2, 2024

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis agreed.

“While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country. This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Polis posted on X.

“When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation. Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son,” he wrote.

While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country. This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation.…

— Jared Polis (@jaredpolis) December 2, 2024

Condemnation went global as Samuel Clench, in an Op-Ed on Australia’s News.com, offered his take on the pardon.

“Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter, in the dying months of his presidency is obviously an abuse of power. Obviously. There is no debate to be waged, no excuses to be made, no whataboutism that could possibly forgive it,” he wrote.

“There’s just no ambiguity here. The guy is weeks away from retirement and has chosen to chuck his son a favour based on nothing more than their family connection. Ethics, norms and political conventions be damned,” he wrote.

Joe Biden said he’d never pardon Hunter, yet here we are. More of the same deceit from the White House. #BidenLies #PardonGate

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) December 2, 2024

“Some of you are chafing at the blunt language I’m using. Throw yourself into a hypothetical where Donald Trump is about to leave office, and one of his sons, let’s say Don Jr, has been convicted of a crime. And Mr Trump pardons him. How would you react to that? Not well, I would hope,” he wrote.

“Mr Biden had promised not to do this, for what that’s worth, though it has little bearing on the broader moral calculus. It is an indefensible act regardless of what he pledged,” he wrote.

“The fact that he had committed to restoring respect for the rule of law, only to undermine it in his waning days, is just a teensy cherry of hypocrisy on top of the already festering cake,” he wrote.

Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry.

If that’s the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?

— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) December 2, 2024

“Nothing, not even Mr Trump’s victory in last month’s election, could have been more corrosive to whatever morsel remained of Mr Biden’s legacy,” he added.

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