Hunter Biden is due for sentencing for both gun possession and tax fraud, while debates intensify around a possible presidential pardon.
Convicted on a gun charge and having pleaded guilty to tax fraud, Hunter faces potential prison time under normal sentencing guidelines. Democrats and leftist media organizations, like Politico, have advocated for a pardon for Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden was convicted of buying a gun in 2018, during a period he was known to be struggling with drug addiction.
This case, set for its sentencing phase in Delaware on December 12, carries the potential for probation, thanks in part to the nature of the charges, which are seen by some legal experts as unusually aggressive for such circumstances.
Compounding his legal woes, Hunter Biden also pleaded guilty to tax fraud charges in Los Angeles this past September. The plea was entered just as a trial was looming, suggesting a strategic move by his defense team to limit additional negative exposure and potential penalties.
Throughout both proceedings, there has been ongoing discussion about whether President Biden will pardon his son. Initially, the President and the White House made clear that no pardon would be forthcoming, a statement issued notably after Donald Trump's re-election.
The previous administration’s liberal use of pardon power, often perceived as politically motivated, contrasts sharply with President Biden's apparent intent to uphold a different ethical standard in office.
The cases against Hunter Biden are broadly perceived as part of a tougher-than-usual legal approach. Normally, cases involving similar issues might end in financial penalties or repayment agreements rather than full-blown court cases.
This unique severity has fueled speculation that the legal actions might be politically tinged, particularly since the Delaware U.S. Attorney, David Weiss, pursued broader charges aggressively without offering a deal, after being appointed by Trump and later designated a special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The legal and ethical complexities facing the president are significant. Pardoning Hunter would contrast starkly with Biden's prior promises and could be seen as undermining his administration's commitment to justice and fairness.
Yet political observers note that the intensity of the past presidential pardons under Trump might influence a reevaluation of Biden's stance, especially as it relates to maintaining public confidence in the judicial system.
Donald Trump’s extensive use of pardons, often to the benefit of allies and supporters, provides a precedent of sorts, albeit one that President Biden has seemed inclined to distance himself from. The broader context of Trump’s pardons underscores an increasingly politicized landscape regarding the use of presidential clemency powers.
The possibility of probation in Delaware hints at some flexibility in sentencing outcomes for Hunter, reflecting the unusual nature of his gun charge.
Yet, the tax fraud charge in Los Angeles indicates a sterner attitude by prosecutors, oriented towards stringent enforcement of federal laws.
As the sentencing dates approach, the decisions awaiting President Biden concerning any potential intervention on his son's behalf remain enveloped in political, legal, and personal ramifications.
These decisions might not only affect his family but could also set precedents for how presidential powers are perceived and used in sensitive family-related legal matters moving forward.