A federal judge rebuked President Joe Biden’s claims that his son, Hunter Biden, was unfairly prosecuted. In a court order issued Tuesday, Dec. 3, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi criticized the president’s statement suggesting Hunter Biden was singled out for political reasons.
The president had pardoned his son for tax and gun offenses, stating that Hunter’s issues were related to addiction.
In a statement, President Biden said, “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process, and it led to a miscarriage of justice. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision.”
However, Judge Scarsi rejected that argument, noting that Hunter Biden admitted to evading taxes even after regaining sobriety and having the means to pay. The judge also dismissed claims that the case was politically motivated. He pointed out the Justice Department oversaw the investigation.
“The president’s own Attorney General and Department of Justice personnel oversaw the investigation leading to the charges… The Constitution provides the president with broad authority to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, but nowhere does the Constitution give the president the authority to rewrite history,” Scarsi wrote.
The president’s pardon, issued before the end of Sunday, Dec. 1, applied not only to tax and gun charges but also to any future charges related to crimes committed by Hunter Biden from Jan. 1, 2014, through Dec. 1, 2024. The judge raised concerns over the inclusion of potential future offenses, questioning whether the president exceeded his constitutional pardon powers.
Scarsi said he would close the tax case once official pardon paperwork is received. Meanwhile, Hunter Biden’s gun case is officially closed. However, prosecutors argue the charges should remain on the record despite the pardon.
The president’s actions come after Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to nine tax offenses, admitting to failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes and was convicted in a separate gun case earlier this year. The charges in his tax case carried a sentence of up to 17 years in prison.
