How are Democrats reacting to Biden pardoning his son? Here’s what’s been said so far
President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden was met with a wave of criticism from Republicans, including from Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and President-elect Donald Trump. But, the move was also denounced by some members of Biden’s own party.
On Dec. 1, the president announced he was granting a “full and unconditional” pardon to Hunter Biden for any crimes he may have committed over the past 10 years.
The announcement comes three months after Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges and five months after he was convicted of felony charges related to his purchase of a handgun. It also marks a major reversal for the president, who repeatedly said he would not offer his son a pardon.
“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,” Biden said in a statement.
“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,” he added.
Democrats criticize Biden’s decision
In the hours since Biden’s announcement, a string of prominent Democrats have publicly registered their disapproval.
“President Biden’s decision put personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all,” Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet wrote in a Dec. 2 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton wrote in a Dec. 1 post on X that he respects the president but thinks “he got this one wrong.”
“This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers,” Stanton said.
Ohio Rep. Greg Landsman expressed some sympathy for Biden’s decision but ultimately said it was a problem.
“As a father, I get it,” he wrote in a Dec. 2 post on X. “But as someone who wants people to believe in public service again, it’s a setback.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis telegraphed a similar opinion.
“While as a father I certainly understand President (Biden’s) natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country,” Polis wrote in a Dec. 1 post on X.
“This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey said his views on the matter were mixed.
“I know that there was a real strong sentiment in…wanting to protect Hunter Biden from unfair prosecution,” he told CNN on Dec. 2. “But this is going to be used against us when we’re fighting the misuses that are coming from the Trump administration.”
Not all Democrats were wholly opposed to Biden’s pardon, though.
“Here’s the reality,” Eric Holder, who served as attorney general under former President Barack Obama, wrote in a Dec. 1 post on X.
“No (U.S. attorney) would have charged this case given the underlying facts,” he wrote. “Had his name been Joe Smith the resolution would have been - fundamentally and more fairly - a declination.”
Biden is not the first president to pardon a member of his family.
On his last day in office in 2001, then President Bill Clinton issued a pardon for his half-brother, who had pleaded guilty to a drug charge, according to previous reporting from McClatchy News.
Additionally, during his first term, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, his son-in-law’s father, who pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including tax evasion. Kushner was recently nominated by Trump to serve as the U.S. ambassador to France.
This story was originally published December 2, 2024 at 5:25 PM with the headline "How are Democrats reacting to Biden pardoning his son? Here’s what’s been said so far."