Pardon Me!
Segment # 288
President Biden's pardon for Hunter Biden is extensive and covers a wide range of potential offenses. The pardon applies to any federal crimes Hunter Biden "committed or may have committed or participated in between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024". This broad time frame encompasses both past and potential future charges dating back to 2014, including the entirety of Hunter Biden's time on the board of the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma. The pardon is described as a "full and unconditional pardon," indicating its comprehensive nature.
Biden rationale: Selective and unfair prosecution: Biden claimed that Hunter was "selectively and unjustly prosecuted" and treated differently compared to others in similar situations
Political motivation: The president asserted that the charges against Hunter were instigated by his political opponents in Congress to attack him and oppose his election
Tainted process: Biden stated that "raw politics has infected this process" leading to what he called a "miscarriage of justice"
Attempts to undermine Hunter and Biden: The president said there has been an effort to "break Hunter" and, by extension, to break him as well
Hunter's recovery: Biden emphasized his son's sobriety for five and a half years "in the face of relentless attacks and selective prosecution"
Family considerations: While not explicitly stated, Biden's decision came after spending extended time with Hunter and family members over Thanksgiving, suggesting personal factors may have influenced his change of heart
Biden concluded that "enough is enough" and asked Americans to understand why "a father and a President would come to this decision"
The Biden Administration continues to prove that they are politically inept and totally incapable of reading the room. No one believed Biden when he emphatically stated that he would respect the courts and their decision and if found guilty he would not pardon Hunter. He could have easily said that he would address the issue when the time came. By coming out strong Biden has successfully undermine his rationale now for issuing the pardon. What changed? Does he now no longer respect the courts?
He will also draw further criticism if he pardons (which he will) other family members. Biden never should have issued a long statement justifying the pardon. Hunter is his son.. Period enough said. By issuing the long statement it draws attention to the fact that this is a far more than a father pardoning a son. This conclusion will become even more apparent when Biden issues pardons to more family members.
But most importantly the Biden family reputation will by virtue of the pardon be in serious jeopardy. And the Republicans that have been trashed by the Biden Administration for four years will not let this rest.
Testifying After a Pardon
The pardon granted to Hunter Biden by President Joe Biden does indeed have implications for Hunter's ability to invoke the Fifth Amendment in future testimonies. Specifically:
Hunter Biden would not be able to invoke the Fifth Amendment for activities covered by the pardon when testifying about them in the future
The pardon covers a broad range of potential federal crimes committed between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024
This extensive time frame encompasses many of Hunter's controversial business dealings and activities.
In future testimonies, Hunter could be compelled to answer questions about these pardoned activities without the protection against self-incrimination that the Fifth Amendment typically provides
This situation could potentially lead to Hunter being required to testify more openly about his past actions, including those related to his international business ventures
However, it's important to note that the pardon only covers federal crimes. Hunter could still invoke the Fifth Amendment for any potential state crimes or for matters outside the scope of the pardon
This aspect of the pardon could have significant implications for ongoing investigations and future congressional hearings involving Hunter Biden's business activities.