Monday, December 2, 2024

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1/ Biden issued a “full and unconditional pardon” for his son Hunter despite repeatedly saying he wouldn’t interfere in his son’s case or use his presidential powers to protect him. Biden said Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. […] 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’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough.” Hunter Biden was convicted in June on federal gun charges for lying about his addiction to crack cocaine when he purchased a gun. He separately entered a guilty plea in September to nine federal tax charges for failing to pay at least $1.4 million in federal taxes. The pardon applies to all offenses that Hunter “has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024.” While some Democrats noted that Biden, who has frequently said “no one is above the law,” was effectively shielding Hunter from the consequences of a jury’s decision to find him guilty, Republicans accused Biden of being a “liar,” “a hypocrite,” and “guilty of weaponizing the justice system.” (Washington Post / NBC News / New York Times / NPR / Axios / Politico / Wall Street Journal)

💭 Why does this matter? This moment matters because it starkly contrasts Biden’s promise to restore faith in democratic institutions. By issuing a pardon for his son, Biden risks confirming public fears of a justice system that caters to elites. In a time when institutional integrity is already under siege, the move weakens Democrats’ ability to challenge Trump’s forthcoming attempts to politicize law enforcement, magnifying the challenges of protecting impartial justice.

💡 Why should I care? This event reveals how political partisanship can erode institutional credibility, impacting everyone regardless of political affiliation. A justice system seen as weaponized or biased can diminish public trust in the rule of law, leading to societal cynicism and weakened democratic values. Citizens should care because such shifts make it harder to hold leaders accountable and ensure equal treatment under the law, affecting governance for years to come.

🧩 What’s at stake? At stake is the integrity of democratic systems and the rule of law. By pardoning his son, Biden has opened the door for accusations of double standards, risking further political cynicism and emboldening his successors to act similarly. The decision also threatens the perception of the presidency as an institution serving the people rather than personal interests, with long-term consequences for public faith in government.

🎓 WTF is a Presidential Pardon? A presidential ...

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