Didn’t Biden just say he wouldn’t pardon his son?
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not rule out the possibility of President Biden commuting his son Hunter’s sentence if he is convicted and imprisoned for federal gun charges. Jean-Pierre stated that she has not had any discussions with President Biden about the issue since Hunter was found guilty on Tuesday.
In an interview with ABC News last week, President Biden, 81, stated that he would not pardon his 54-year-old son. However, he did not specifically address whether he would allow Hunter to be incarcerated in federal prison.
“I haven’t spoken to the president about this matter since the verdict was announced, and as we know, the sentencing has yet to be scheduled,” Jean-Pierre said to reporters aboard Air Force One, en route to the G7 summit in Italy.
When further questioned, Jean-Pierre emphasized, “I have not had any conversation with the president about this. He was asked about a pardon and the trial itself, and he responded very clearly and directly.”
Hunter Biden faces a potential prison sentence of up to 25 years for three felony charges related to his unlawful purchase and possession of a firearm in October 2018. It is also possible that his sentence could be reduced to probation.
As Jean-Pierre mentioned, the sentencing date for Hunter Biden in Delaware federal court has not been set but is expected to occur in September or October. This will follow his second federal trial in Los Angeles, where he faces accusations of $1.4 million in tax fraud from 2016 to 2019. That trial is scheduled to start on September 5.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other Republicans have called for the Justice Department to investigate President Biden’s involvement in Hunter Biden’s and James Biden’s international business dealings during Joe Biden’s vice presidency.
IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who investigated Hunter Biden for tax-related crimes, claimed last year that the Justice Department engaged in a cover-up to protect the Biden family. They accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of misleading Congress about Delaware US Attorney David Weiss’s ability to bring charges.
In August, Garland appointed Weiss as special counsel, granting him independent prosecutorial authority over Hunter Biden’s case beyond his home district. This appointment followed the collapse of a probation-only plea deal for Hunter, which demanded broader immunity for past conduct, including potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act that could implicate President Biden.
President Biden has repeatedly asserted that he “never” discussed business with his son or brother. However, evidence such as photos, emails, and witness testimonies suggests that Biden did meet with associates of his son and brother involved in business ventures linked to Chinese government entities, as well as other international and domestic partners.
