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Biden’s pardon of his son on Monday came after he had repeatedly promised he would allow the US justice system to play out.
US President Joe Biden | Reuters Image
US President Joe Biden changed his mind about pardoning his son Hunter because “circumstances have changed,” the White House said on Friday.
Biden’s pardon of his son on Monday came after he had repeatedly promised he would allow the US justice system to play out, and a day after President-elect Donald Trump nominated Kash Patel to lead the FBI.
“The fact is, when you think about how the president got to this decision, circumstances have changed. They have,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said when asked about the president’s timing.
“Republicans said they weren’t going to let up. … Recently announced Trump appointees for law enforcement have said on the campaign they were out for retribution, and I think we should believe their words.”
Patel is one of several Trump nominees who suggested Hunter Biden’s business activities deserved further scrutiny. The president’s son was scheduled to be sentenced this month for charges related to tax evasion and gun possession.
Jill May Have Convinced Biden: Report
First Lady Jill Biden, widely regarded as one of the most influential first ladies in the last 100 years, may have pushed US President Joe Biden to pardon son, Hunter, who had been convicted on charges linked to gun crimes and tax violations.
“There was pressure inside the family to save Hunter from criminal charges that could have landed him in prison,” Jeff Zeleny, CNN’s chief national affairs correspondent, was quoted as saying by the New York Post.
First Lady Jill Biden on Monday cleared her stance on the development, voicing support for Biden’s move to pardon Hunter, who was convicted earlier this year on federal gun and tax charges.
“Of course, I support the pardon of my son”, Jill Biden said after a holiday event at the White House, reported USA Today, drawing sharp criticism from the Republicans who called the decision a “miscarriage of Justice”.
(With agency inputs)