Biden grants son pardon on 2 criminal cases

FILE: President Joe Biden, joined by First Lady Jill Biden and their children Ashley Biden and Hunter Biden, takes the oath of office as President of the United States Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

By TASS, Philippine News Agency

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden has decided to issue a pardon for his son, Hunter, on two criminal cases, in spite of his repeated vows not to do so.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” the US leader said in a statement published by the White House on Sunday.

“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,” the statement reads.

“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden insists.

“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. 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,” Biden asserted.

Previously, the White House repeatedly stated that Biden had no plans to grant his son a pardon.

According to the statement, this concerns Hunter Biden’s federal gun charges in Delaware and federal tax evasion charges in California.

The press service of US President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has not yet responded to TASS’ request to comment on Biden’s announcement.