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President Joe Biden has officially pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who faced legal repercussions for federal felony gun and tax convictions.
This significant decision, announced late Sunday, comes just weeks before Hunter was scheduled to be sentenced for his crimes, which included illegally acquiring a firearm and pleading guilty to nine counts of tax evasion.
Gun charges
Hunter Biden was convicted in June for three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018.
At that time, he misrepresented his drug use on the paperwork required to obtain the gun.
Tax offences
Additionally, he pleaded guilty in September to nine tax offences.
Specifically, he faced three felony counts for tax evasion and filing false returns, alongside six misdemeanour counts for failing to file and pay taxes.
The charges stemmed from allegations that he evaded at least $1.4 million in federal taxes between 2016 and 2019, despite earning over $7 million during that period through international business ventures.
The indictment highlighted that Hunter Biden lived extravagantly, spending nearly $5 million on personal expenses such as drugs, escorts, luxury hotels, and vehicles, while neglecting his tax obligations.
This pardon marks a notable reversal for President Biden, who had previously stated he would not use his presidential powers to benefit family members.
In interviews earlier this year, he explicitly ruled out the possibility of pardoning Hunter, emphasising his commitment to uphold the law impartially.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated this stance as recently as November 8.
The timing of the pardon is particularly striking, occurring just before Donald Trump is set to return to the White House as President-elect.
The legal troubles surrounding Hunter Biden have been a focal point of political contention, often exploited by Republican lawmakers to criticise the Biden administration.
Hunter's legal saga has drawn considerable media attention since he publicly disclosed his federal investigation in December 2020.
His struggles with substance abuse and the implications of his actions have not only affected his personal life but have also posed challenges for President Biden's political career.
Relief from possible jail time
Hunter Biden was facing significant jail time due to his legal troubles. Specifically, he faced a potential maximum of 25 years in prison for three felony gun charges related to providing false information when purchasing a firearm in 2018.
Additionally, he was looking at up to 17 years for nine tax-related offences.
In total, the combined maximum sentence for both cases could have reached 42 years.
However, legal experts anticipated that as a first-time offender, Hunter Biden would likely receive a much lighter sentence than the statutory maximums when he was scheduled for sentencing in December 2024.
The decision to pardon Hunter Biden is a defining moment in an already polarised political landscape.
While some view it as a compassionate act by a father to shield his son from a life-altering punishment which he claimed was unfair, critics could see it as a potential abuse of presidential power, undermining the justice system.