Hunter Biden was found guilty in early 2024 of lying about his drug use when he purchased a gun. In addition, he accepted his guilt in another trial for tax fraud
Text: RFI/AFP
Joe Biden announced on Sunday that, as part of his final decisions before leaving the presidency of the United States, he granted an official pardon to his son Hunter, who was facing convictions in two criminal cases for tax evasion and illegal possession of a firearm. fire.
“No sane person who analyzes the facts of the cases against Hunter can come to any conclusion other than that Hunter was singled out just because he is my son, and that is wrong,” the president said in a statement, in which he called the accusations of “miscarriage of justice.”
The move will surely raise new questions about the independence of the US judicial system, especially at a time when President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, has appointed loyal collaborators to head the FBI and the Department of Justice itself.
Biden’s son was found guilty earlier this year of lying about his drug use when he bought a gun, which is considered a felony, and also pleaded guilty in another tax fraud trial.
Biden had repeatedly said he would not intervene in his 54-year-old son’s legal problems.
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“I said that I would not interfere in the decision-making of the Department of Justice and I kept my word even when I saw how my son was selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” the Democratic president concluded in this Sunday’s statement.
“The charges in their cases came just after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” he added.
“I believe in the justice system, but as I have struggled with this, I also believe that politics infected this process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” the president added.
In a statement to the American media, Hunter Biden, who has battled drug addiction, assured that he will never take “for granted the clemency” that was granted to him and that he will dedicate the life he has “rebuilt” to “helping those who still “They are sick and suffering.”
Failed deal for Hunter Biden
US presidents have made it a tradition to use pardons to help family members and other political allies.
Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother on old cocaine possession charges, and during his first term, Trump pardoned his son-in-law’s father for tax evasion, although in both cases both had already served their prison sentences.
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty in a tax evasion trial in September and faced up to 17 years in prison. For the separate weapons possession charge, he faced 25 years in prison.
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The revelation of the two sentences was scheduled for mid-December.
His lawyers have maintained that Hunter was brought to justice solely because he was the president’s son.
The man paid back taxes, as well as fines imposed by authorities, and even reached a plea deal that would have kept him out of jail, although the deal fell apart at the last minute.
His case has long been a thorn in the side of the Biden family, especially during this election year in which Republicans have charged that Hunter Biden was treated too leniently.
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