by
Sen. Gary Peters
Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters on Monday condemned President Joe Biden’s broad pardoning of son Hunter.
"President Biden’s decision to pardon his son was wrong. A president's family and allies shouldn't get special treatment," Peters said in a posting on X. "This was an improper use of power, it erodes trust in our government, and it emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests."
Biden had previously vowed not to pardon his son, who faced sentencing on gun and income tax evasion charges.
In issuing the pardon on Sunday, Biden said:
“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."
Peters was not the only Democrat to criticize the pardon that not only covers the crimes Hunter was convicted of, but also any he may have committed dating back to 2014.
“I’m disappointed this was the decision that he landed on here,” Representative Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado, said of President Biden in an interview with the New York Times. “He promised he would not do this. I think it will make it harder for us going forward when we talk about upholding democracy.”
Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have not been shy about criticizing the president.
“President Biden insisted many times he would never pardon his own son for his serious crimes,” Johnson posted on X on Monday morning. “But last night he suddenly granted a ‘Full and Unconditional Pardon’ for any and all offenses that Hunter committed for more than a decade! Trust in our justice system has been almost irreparably damaged by the Bidens and their use and abuse of it.”
“Real reform cannot begin soon enough!”
But Eric Holder Jr., who was attorney general under President Obama, said the pardon was the right thing to do, writing on X:
"No USAtty would have charged this case given the underlying facts. After a 5 year investigation the facts as discovered only made that clear," Holder wrote Sunday night on X.
"Had his name been Joe Smith the resolution would have been — fundamentally and more fairly — a declination.
"Pardon warranted."
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib reposted this:
This. https://t.co/z41NgXeIpG
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 2, 2024
