FURIOUS Donald Trump has branded Joe Biden's pardon of
his own son an "abuse and miscarriage of justice".
The outgoing president last night spared former crack
addict Hunter ,
54, from prison as he issued him a "full and unconditional pardon".
It came as a screeching U-turn from Biden , 82, who
has long insisted he would pardon his son or commute his sentence.
Hunter was due to be sentenced on December 12 for his
conviction on federal gun charges.
He was also set to be sentenced in a separate criminal
case on December 16, after pleading guilty in September to federal tax evasion charges.
President-elect Trump , 78, has
blasted Biden for using his powers to pardon his son less than two months
before leaving the White House.
Referencing those jailed for the riot at the US
Capitol on January 6, 2021, he wrote: “Does the pardon given by Joe to Hunter
include the J-6 hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?
“Such an abuse and miscarriage of justice."
Even members of Biden's own party have turned on him
over his bombshell move.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, lashed out at
Biden's decision - accusing him of putting "family ahead of the
country".
He wrote: "While as a father I certainly
understand President Joe Biden's natural desire to help his son by pardoning
him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country.
"This is a bad precedent that could be abused by
later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation."
Biden claimed last night his son had been
"unfairly prosecuted" as he revealed his drastic decision.
The outgoing US leader had in June he would "not
pardon former crack addict Hunter, 54, after he was convicted of three firearm
charges.
He said at the time: “I abide by the jury decision. I
will do that and I will not pardon him.”
Following Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential
election last month, the White House again ruled out a pardon.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on November 8:
“We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is
no.”
But last night he stunned both his allies and rivals
as he issued the pardon.
In a statement released by the White
House , Biden said: "Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter.
"From the day I took office, I said I would not
interfere with the Justice Department decision-making, and I kept my word even
as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted."
He added: "For my entire career I have followed a
simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be
fair-minded.
"Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice
system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe ra politics has
infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made
this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further.
"I hope Americans will understand why a father
and a President would come to this decision."
Hunter's pardon caps a long-running legal saga for the
president's son, who publicly disclosed he was under federal investigation in
December 2020 - a month after his father's presidential victory.
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