Good for Joe Biden

Everyone is up in arms over President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter. I’m glad he did it. When Trump left office the first time, he had no qualms about pardoning his criminal friends and acquaintances. One of the most frustrating things about Hunter’s charges came when Mike Johnson said Matt Gaetz is a private person, and we had no right to see his criminal investigations. Excuse me, but Hunter Biden is also a private citizen. Yet Hunter was harassed, hounded, and raked over the coals because the Republicans couldn’t get anything on Joe Biden. What a bunch of hypocritical losers. It’s kind of funny watching them scrambling now.

President Biden’s statement indicates why he decided to pardon Hunter, even after he said he wouldn’t: “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.” John Dean, who is best known for helping to take down Nixon in the Watergate scandal, not only agreed with Biden’s pardon of his son, but he said Biden should go even further to “doom Trump’s revenge plot.” Dean wrote on Bluesky: “Biden should keep going with his pardons: Trump, Jack Smith & team, Mueller & Team, and a blanket pardon for all of Trump’s enemies list for any and all political statements before December 25, 2024! Merry Christmas. Take the wind out of the retribution/revenge!” I agree that Biden should ensure that Smith and Mueller are protected, but Trump? Let the proverbial chips fall where they may with him. As Dean said: “He will never be prosecuted anyway. Smith’s report will take care of history.” Others strongly disagree, but Dean is right. Now that Trump has won the election and is returning to the White House, he will never be prosecuted. The problem with Dean’s suggestion, however, is that none of these people have done anything criminal (other than Trump), which is a prerequisite for a pardon.

Hunter Biden was found guilty of falsely declaring on a federal form that he was not addicted to drugs when he purchased a gun, lying to a gun dealer, and violating restrictions relating to gun ownership by drug addicts. He was also found guilty of not paying taxes for the years 2016 through 2019. Hunter wrote his own statement following the pardon, taking responsibility for his mistakes “… during the darkest days of my addiction-mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport.” Just as Johnson said about Gaetz, Hunter should have been treated as the private citizen he was, not because of his father, but because he has the right to be treated like everyone else. President Biden believed the plea deal Hunter made earlier would have been a fair resolution, but Republicans complained about that as well. They wanted to inflict pain on President Biden, but he can go into retirement without this wrong hanging over his head.