Politicians from across the aisle are criticizing President Joe Biden for pardoning his son Hunter, just weeks before leaving the White House and after previously saying he would not do so.
"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," Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish this reputation."
"When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation," Polis added. "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."
RELATED STORY | In interview, President Biden says he won't pardon his son Hunter if convicted
President Biden on Sunday announced he would grant clemency to Hunter after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal tax evasion charges and was found guilty in a separate firearms case. He faced more than a decade behind bars and was due to be sentenced this month in the firearms case.
However, President Biden said his son was "unfairly, prosecuted" by his "political opponents in Congress" who allegedly sought to damage the president's reelection campaign.
"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong," the president said. "There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough."
Hunter Biden's conduct has long been fodder for Republicans, who have held numerous congressional inquiries. Some have also accused Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department of giving Hunter Biden favorable treatment.
RELATED STORY | Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to France
President-elect Donald Trump called the pardon an "abuse and miscarriage of Justice," and questioned why President Biden hasn't pardoned any of the "hostages" who were imprisoned following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection.
Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said that while he understands President Biden's reason for pardoning his son, most Americans "can't forgive" him for "lying about it repeatedly before the election."
"Remember, the Biden DOJ tried to give Hunter a corrupt sweetheart deal that was only stopped when the judge asked questions," Cotton said in a statement. "This entire ordeal has been an affront to the rule of law."
