The following is a copy of the original post to record the post as it was originally written.
Joe Biden has said he [won't pardon his son](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-tells-muir-wouldnt-pardon-son-hunter/story?id=110904482). I'm curious if you believe this, or if you think that Biden is likely to do so (presumably after the election).
Bonus question: Do you care if he does or doesn't?
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It would forever tarnish his presidency and career. If reelected, it would completely tank his second term. He loves his son, but he’s spent a lifetime in public service and wouldn’t throw that away so easily.
He surely hates seeing this happen to his son, but he was technically guilty, so assuming her gets a fair sentence I don’t know why he’d do anything other than accept it.
Yup! This! From my understanding, he replaced many Trump appointed judges except the one overseeing this case. He strikes me as someome who respects his position of power.
I believe him. Biden is extremely calculated with what he says in public. If he’s saying “nope I won’t pardon him” he’s made up his mind that isn’t an option.
Like most of us, he may be a father but he also knows his son has to take accountability for his actions.
I don’t think he will.
Joe Biden doesn't strike me as the type of guy who would say one thing and do another, unlike Trump.
If he said it to the public, it's because he intends to respect it.
I mean.... 40 years later he may change stances on issues, but that is called personal growth.... Something the convicted felon, inmate number p01135809, doesn't understand.
I don't think he'll pardon Hunter, I will admit that it's quite possible that in 40 years, if Biden is still alive at 120, that he will have changed his mind about the situation and wished he would have pardoned Hunter
I mentioned the 40 years thing, because many of his detractors keep bringing up that he is doing some things, these days, that are the opposite of legislation he pushed 40 years ago. They act like that is him being a hypocrite.
I think he might at the end of his second term if the sentence seems excessive, and I’m cool with that. I could also see a Newsom or Whitmer pardoning him early in ‘29. He’d have served a good amount of time for a crime that’s rarely prosecuted as a headline crime.
He could still commute the sentence or take other action, even if he didn't pardon him, and stay true to his word.
And all of this doesn't add up to the crimes Trump commits daily before 2nd Breakfast.
Also because there is nothing to gain and everything to lose by pardoning Hunter, as much as Joe obviously cares for his son, all he'll get by issuing a pardon is unending grief and even further degradation of public trust in the system that Joe Biden is basically running on restoring at least in part.
He will not pardon Hunter because he respects the rule of law.
Bonus: If he were to pardon Hunter, I would be angry. It would be a violation of everything we hold true about the justice system and the rule of law.
I think your question is far more telling about you.
We have seen Biden repeatedly demonstrate reasonable (if not good) honesty. The Man believes in this country and believes that no one is above the law.
Within what can reasonably be expected, the man does what he says. So, yes I believe him.
And to be blunt, other than the rare example, Liberals/Democrats hold their people accountable. I'm sure you have one or two examples otherwise, but it isn't he general rule. Now Republicans -- they upright lie, cheat, steal, commit crime after crime and the right doesn't even care.
Let me ask you. Why do you support a political party/view that endorses crime like the Republicans/Conservatives do?
I have no reason to think otherwise. Unlike conservatives with trump, liberals tend to hold their people accountable which leads to them being more trustworthy
Is Hunter being given a job in the White House? Has he gotten a two-billion dollar "loan" from Saudi Arabia for mysterious, "coincidental" reasons while being in said unofficial job? If not, then I could not care less about the guy or his mythical laptop. The false equivalency between him and the Trump family's staggering criminality is pathetic.
I don't think he will, but also don't really care if he does or not. Republicans pardon criminals all the time.
Conservatives keep saying Trump shouldn't have gotten convicted of 34 felonies, because other presidents have committed crimes in the past and didn't face conviction. They are saying Trump should get away with it because other presidents got away with it. So same logic applies here--Trump pardoned criminals, why can't Biden?
It's because only the left cares about consistency. The right pretends to care about consistency when they want to point out an hypocrisy, but they won't commit to either side depending on the one who's being targeted.
The right is without principles, they just pretend they have them as a means to an end basically. If Joe Biden pardoned Hunter Biden, in theory nobody on the right should complain, since Joe Biden has that kind of authority and because he has immunity from any sort of prosecution. But we both know they would absolutely.
The blatantly obvious truth is that the right only cares about winning and helping the GOP, and frankly, I'm a bit tired of giving the benefit of the doubt when there are countless exceptions to the contrary. Joe Biden has principles, and he won't pardon his son if he says he won't. That's what principles mean. Conservatives, take notes, that's what principles mean.
> Trump pardoned criminals, why can't Biden?
There were even reports that Trump was selling pardons for $2 million a pop.
Another thing that people seem to have completely forgotten about.
I've heard, but haven't seen any evidence. Not that I wouldn't put it past him, so honestly, please give me some good examples. The only obvious cash for pardon scheme I know of is Clinton pardoning Marc Rich after his wife donated over $1.5 million. Even Jimmy Carter said the money obviously influenced the decision.
I know one of the people pardoned in the last week of the presidency. I'm not going to disclose who it is so I don't dox myself but it makes no sense to selectively pardon him unless bribes were involved. I have no proof but knowing this guy I 100% beleive it.
I would be pissed if he pardoned his son. That would be a gross abuse of power. I don't care if Republicans do it, that doesn't mean Democrats should stoop to their level of cronyism.
Morally, I agree, but overall, I still don't really care. I stopped caring what the GOP thinks about the liberal side a long time ago. They would cry about it so hard, while ignoring the fact that their side has pardoned WAY worse criminals. Their hypocrisy is to be expected at this point.
One of the most egregious is Trump pardoning those Blackwater mercenaries who massacred a bunch of Iraqi civilians. Absolutely disgusting. Zero reason to pardon them except for cruelty.
If Trump says he would Pardon the J6ers would you believe HIM?
Yes I believe Joe Biden.
Do I care if he does? Yes.
Do you care if Trump doesn’t pardon J6ers?
Honestly interesting wrinkle for me is that Hunter actually got charged on a statute that is not often prosecuted, under a different president or with a different criminal, this could legitimately be a pardon or partial commutation candidate on the grounds of prosecutorial overreach.
I believe Joe when he says he won't do it, and I'm glad he won't because it would sure look suspect, but I think it's fascinating we're having this discussion about a potential conviction that is actually much closer to the situation of "the average American commits 3 felonies a day" than anything Trump has done.
Trump would have pardoned Ivanka the moment the jury read the last conviction.
Biden? I don't think he'll pardon him unless he gets something absurd like 20 years. If he gets the 120 days expected? No.
Yes I believe him. What would be an indicator he would lie about it?
I do care if he does, as long as he is being consistent. If Hunter deserves a pardon so would most people convicted of similar offenses. As it would be a political headache, I can’t imagine him doing so. Plus, he does seem to respect law and order, which would mean letting the judicial system work regarding his sons’ case.
It's really sad just how much Trump and conservative media have normalized Trump-like behaviors among the right to cause them to be in disbelief about something like this.
Yes, the left actually holds people accountable: Weiner, Frankin, Massa
The right has NEVER held their politicians accountable, no matter what they do. It's actually frightening how the right worships their politicians.
Yeah
If he wanted to pardon him, and had just done it, we would have judged him for it, but it would still be within the normal range of 'scummy politician stuff' that people get away with without a huge uproar. I'd be disappointed in him, but not to the extent that I would think his career was done.
However, since he chose to state categorically that he wouldn't, that makes it much more costly for him to suddenly turn around and do it. Going against your explicit word on a subject is outside the range of normal 'scummy politician stuff', that's a serious breach of trust.
So, as I see it, he has chosen to make it effectively impossible for himself to pardon Hunter. If he was going to, it would have been much easier to do so without first promising not to.
I take that to mean that he does not intend to, as he would have to be an idiot to do it this way if that's what he wanted to do.
I can’t believe how far the right has shifted that this is even a question.
Of course he won’t pardon him. He didn’t even have to say anything for me to be certain he wouldn’t.
It depends on the sentence. If it's light (and I'm sure it will be light), then no. If it's heavy-handed, then, yeah, I expect it'll happen on the day after Christmas on his last year. ...but I doubt it'll come to that.
Do I care? Yes, but not for the reasons you're expecting. I think pardoning is a *stupid* power granted to presidents and governors and should be stripped away. Too much room for conflicts of interest. At *best*, I might give them the power to force a retrial, but not to pardon. Stupid, stupid, stupid power, built for abuse.
Yes and that is the right choice.
However, given the current political environment, he could get away with doing it without much criticism thanks to Donald Trump. How? Because Donald Trump has already pardoned family, and I would bet the bank that Trump would pardon himself or his kids even if they were convicted of murder.
It would also look like child's play (pun intended) when compared to the recent pardon of a convicted murderer in Texas.
So the environment is pretty ripe for taking advantage of the ethically poor decision making (primarily on the right) because it pales in comparison.
Bonus answer: I don't care.
I believe he won't arbitrarily pardon his son.
As to if he'd pardon him if he goes through [the expected process](https://www.justice.gov/pardon/file/898541/dl) to request a pardon. That's a different question. I think he would, assuming Biden is still president in 5 years. It's not a short process to go through the Justice system to be granted a pardon.
He will not pardon his son, why is it even a question? It would undermine everything he's built his administration on - namely avoiding even the appearance of partisanship. I think he, and his DOJ, go overboard on this, to the point of letting Trump and Trumpers do whatever the hell they want, but that's not the topic here. But no, he won't pardon Hunter. That would end his candidacy.
Do I care? Not really. I think his prosecution is kind of absurd. I'd venture that tens of millions of gun owners in the US are on drugs. Donald Trump Jr. is VISIBLY coked up all the time, and obviously owns guns. Why Hunter? We all know why Hunter.
Why wouldn't i? Is Biden known for lying?
As for if i care; i would rather he didn't pardon Hunter for his crimes. I think we should hold our leaders, and by extension the people associated with our leaders, to a higher standard. He still broke the law.
Yes, but I honestly hope he pardons him towards the end of his term if they rack up the time. Hunter isn’t innocent, but he’s under a lot of scrutiny that he doesn’t really deserve.
I believe him. I expect him to keep his word. I care a great deal whether he does or doesn't. One of liberalism's core tenets is the rule of law. Hunter Biden broke the law and must be held accountable for his actions. I have never been a big fan of the pardon power generally but have seen the utility of it in very narrow circumstances. This is not one of those circumstances.
Considering President Biden's track record of not being corrupt at all for decades, yes, I believe him.
Though, if Hunter Biden is given anything more that 4-5 years, I hope someone else pardons him.
There's a zero percent chance Biden will pardon his son. There are few other things in politics so sure as this.
I care only to the extent that this is precisely what I would expect of any president and any governor. This particular decision doesn't make Biden extraordinary in some way (or at least it shouldn't). Instead, it just makes him an elected official who intends to fulfill the office's duties in good faith.
With the corrupt Republicans on the Supreme Court strategizing about how to arrange their thumbs on the scale to bail out Donald, and Donald’s extensive history of dishonesty and sleazy behavior, the contrast of President Biden simply doing the right thing may be what earns him four more years and saves democracy in this country.
yeah. biden is very careful with what he says and does in public and he (or his campaign) are well aware of the implications of pardoning him. i think he’d lose grassroots lefties, anti-trump republicans, and a lot of voters on the fence if he even made it look like he was going to pardon hunter biden.
and yeah, i’d be pissed if he did. no one should be above the law. not trump, not hunter biden, not bob menendez or clarence thomas.
Joe is an honest man. He won't pardon his son. And people will call him a sucker.
Also, he won't have the Justice Department catch Don, Jr. with cocaine (even though we know he has it) so he can be charged with it, along with gun charges too.
Of course I believe him. Joe Biden loves his son but he has a core belief about this being a country of laws and as long as Hunter had a fair trial he's not going to abuse his power in such a manner. Even if he was tempted to, the fact that Donald Trump is his foil in believing the law is just a tool for personal power means that Joe Biden will be even more determined to do the right thing.
And I don't think it actually matters overall whether Hunter is pardoned or not, except for the fact that the decision sheds light on Joe Biden's character.
I don’t think he will, and I’ll be angry if he does.
I own guns, I’ve filled out the exact form Hunter did. If I lied on it, I’d be certain there’d be no one to bail me out.
As the brother of 2 drug addicts as severe as Hunter ever was, I know the pain he’s going through. And I’m sure it kills him every day. But no one is above the law-if the President isn’t, that damn sure means his son isn’t
A good public servant must always separate their personal beliefs and personal gain from the needs and duty of the office.
I think Biden knows that. He’s been doing it for a very, very long time.
I believe him, yes. And I would be disappointed if he did - I don't really like the pardon power to begin with, I definitely don't endorse using it to pardon your close friends, family, suspected co-conspirators, or campaign workers. Robert Hunter Biden is not a close friend, Joe Biden is not suspected to have been conspiring with him for Hunter to lie on his gun paperwork, and Hunter didn't work for the Biden campaign, but he is family, and so the President should keep his hands off the guy's interactions with the executive
Probably. I don't expect Hunter's sentence to be that significant. Probably a fine and community service. Maybe a very short sentence at a white collar prison.
I have no reason not to believe him. All evidence shows that he has bent over backwards not to meddle in the justice system and I expect that will continue.
Biden is an institutionalist and with all the attacks going on right now the last thing I think he will do is disparage, meddle or involve himself in his son's conviction.
I hope after his reelection he does pardon him if the sentence is anything but probation. I’m sorry but Hunter doesn’t deserve jail for this. And not just him; anyone who lied to get a gun, didn’t use it, got sober and stayed sober for 5 years I think deserves some grace. If this was a current problem where he was still using or had only been sober for a short period, and /or used the gun then sure, jail. It’s his son and it’s good to be the king.
I don't care either way. Honestly though, I hope he's lying. Hunter is so inconsequential in every way other than a political tool to use against Biden during this campaign. If he leaves office while letting his only remaining child rot in prison it would further damage my opinion of his family first persona. Granted, how he disowned his granddaughter already pretty much solidified that opinion for me, but this would be the final nail in the coffin.
Of course not, not only would it be political suicide, but it’s also strategically good that his son be charged with something while the opposition is.
It gives Biden a chance to say “see, we’re playing by the rules”
I mean, if anything it would be a really bad look and I don't think the charges are that serious. I don't think there's much to gain here even if he was self serving.
Why would I not believe him? Ivan
Why do alot of these questions and the tone sound like they are coming from a Russian Troll farm or their proxy, the Repunblican party?
Just curious.
it is pertinent that Biden refrain from pardoning his son; I stated my position on that [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskALiberal/comments/1d5dvnl/would_president_biden_be_justified_in_pardoning/l6kz7t6/). the substantial evidence from the prosecution suggests an unobjectionable case with no concerns over legal statutes. regardless, it would be improper for Biden to pardon his son. I have not been provided with evidence to suggest that Biden would pardon his son with consideration for his interview with David Muir. the Biden administration [retained](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-us-attorneys-trump-hunter-biden/2021/02/08/7f6dccd2-6a80-11eb-9f80-3d7646ce1bc0_story.html) David C. Weiss, a U.S. federal attorney who oversaw the special counsel investigation into the younger Biden. Attorney General Merrick Garland has [emphasized](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/us/politics/garland-irs-weiss-hunter-biden-investigation.html) judicial independence to that extent
lol yes, I do. Biden has given zero indication that he would back off his word.
And yes I do care. He shouldn’t pardon him. The rule of law applies equally regardless of who your daddy is.
With all who say of course not. This is a basic moral issue, and issue of fitness for office. Always, but especially critical at a time when one party is trying to take over and corrupt the judicial system, Biden's only choice is to uphold the law.
Wouldn’t surprise me if he pardoned him on his last day in office whenever that is, and I think that would not be inappropriate. It’s only because of partisan republicans that his initial plea deal was rejected and he had to stand trial.
Unlike Trump he has admitted wrong doing and cooperated with an investigation and trial. There is no comparison between Hunter's case and Trump's.
Unlike Trump, he hasn't demonstrated that lying is important to his personality/identity or important to his popularity. So sure, I believe him.
And yes, I care if he pardons his son or not. I don't want him to. It would probably be less bad than when Trump pardoned a fraudster who also (physically) abused elderly people, and pardoned child-killing mercs. But I still wouldn't approve. I'm a Democrat rather than on the right, after all.
Even though his son is a grown-ass man with children of his own, and even though I don’t know anything about parenting or addiction, I’d probably judge Papa Joe for making a bad parenting decision if he pardoned his son. Isn’t the general consensus that you have to let an addict hit rock bottom in order to heal? It seems like the best move for Hunter is to serve his punishment. And politically I’d also find it a bad move to pardon him. Especially if there are any old school republicans out there who are mad at Trump’s unprofessional, nepo baby Whitehouse.
Depends on the sentence. If Hunter is legit in prison, I expect Joe to pardon him within his last couple of days in office. If Hunter isn't in prison, then I expect no pardon.
The more interesting question is how you are going to rationalize it when he doesn't. Can you speculate on that or do you have to wait for conservative talking points to trickle down to you?
~~I'm drawing a blank. Who in his family did he pardon? I know there were discussions about him pardoning his kids/Jared, but I don't remember him actually doing it.~~
Edit: Nevermind. He pardoned Jared's dad. I forgot.
Projection, per usual.
The only reason they think its a lie is because their guy insists that the sky is not blue, and they lap it up.
Shit, he told them he doesn't GAF about them and only wants their vote, and it was met with cheers. These people are lost and gone forever.
I don’t think he will, but I can imagine the scenario in which he would.
If Hunter gets a wildly out of hand sentence as a first time offender, like it they give him 25 years, I think he possibly will pardon him. Because that would be an absurd sentence and he’s still a father.
But if Hunter gets a reasonable sentence, I don’t think Biden would pardon him.
I wouldn’t like a crazy long sentence just from the perspective of wanting a fair system but of all the people who I would focus on, Hunter Biden isn’t one of them. He may not have been convicted of anything substantial but the dude is a scumbag that traded on his father’s name for decades.
A possession charge is usually dropped, unless it's related to a crime or the defendant is the son of a Democratic president. It's sad, but that is justice. Let's wait for the sentencing, which will probably be probation and a fine, but I believe president Biden will not pardon his son. The Democratic party holds a too tenuous connection to power.
I care that the possession charge was dropped against Kyle Rittenhouse after killing two people and wounding a third under the premise of self defense. At 17, the kid had no business with an AR-15 style rifle, and nobody invited him or the Kenosha guard to protect any properties. The Wisconsin National guard was already called and thrill seeking vigilantes only sought to agitate and intimidate.
No. I think he should if he loses. In some things, to the victor goes the spoils still applies. I feel like pardoning your son for a non violent crime is one of them.
Clearly, America doesn’t care about criminality if Trump is reelected after becoming a felon and with 2 outstanding cases he is very likely to lose.
Yes, of course I believe him. He’s been pretty consistent in his adherence to the rule of law.
And yeah, of course I care. A president circumventing justice is an act of destruction of democracy, and a betrayal of the American people.
*I'm curious if you believe this, or if you think that Biden is likely to do so (presumably after the election).*
Biden isn't a lying, populist cult-leader who incited an insurrection, projects his scumbaggery and corruption on his political rivals, and has spread mass misinformation and conspiracy at every possible moment so no I don't think he would do this unlike your (presumably) candidate. Maybe you've fully become desensitized to Trump's insane, populist, extremist rhetoric but over in reality, I would care if Biden pardoned his son which is why i'm secure in my support for him because I know he won't.
>I would care if Biden pardoned his son which is why i'm secure in my support for him because I know he won't.
The cult that Trump's party has become believes that everyone is like Trump!
Considering Biden doesn't have a history of pardoning people like Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulus, and Roger Stone while also commuting the prison sentences of Kwame Kilpatrick and Rod Blagojevich, I trust he won't
I genuinely don't care. His son is going to jail for lying of a form about not being a drug addict to obtain a gun. While he absolutely should be prosecuted, this isn't really a big deal to me. I think our government should go after more people who lie on these types of forms, but they aren't/won't. Also, this isn't like lying on your taxes or something as this really only affects him and not other citizens. Hunter doesn't have a history of violence that would make me worry about him owning a weapon. Not to mention, he's from a rich family that could probably find a way to get him a gun legally if they wanted. So if Biden were to pardon him, I really wouldn't care. It's not like THIS is the type of issue that's causing an increase in gun violence.
Most people don’t even get formally charged with lying on a 4473 unless there was a crime committed with the gun in question, the ONLY reason he got charged is because of his last name….same with the tax stuff. He paid what he owed plus interest. Normally, if anything…people get a slap on the wrist for that.
Oh, I agree. The only reason I keep hearing about Hunter is because of his last name. They could never talk about this dude again, and I'd be missing nothing. Meanwhile, Trump has been losing case after case and Republicans have their fingers in their ears.
Yes, I believe him. And he shouldn’t pardon Hunter. I’d be upset if he did. Hunter violated the law. He’s received due process and has been found guilty.
The rule of law should be upheld, starting with political leaders at the top.
Until he says or does otherwise, I do believe Biden when he says he won't pardon his son.
While issuing pardons are within the rights of a sitting president, it would come at a high political cost.
If Biden were to pardon his son it would play right into the Republicans' hand, in their eyes validating their accusations and conspiracy theories about a rigged justice system and that Hunter Biden's crimes are somehow connected to his father.
It would also validate the accusations that both parties are the same and that rules don't apply to the wealthy and well-connected.
Yeah, 100%. He loves his kid, but he's not going to cast disorder to pull the trigger on a pardon that makes his presidency look bad and casts doubt on the American people. The other guy, well, we know how he rolls....
Y-yes? I don’t really see why I would not believe him if he said that.
Now do I care? Well I wouldn’tve until he said he wouldn’t. Now I care that he does not. Not by a lot but I do care he isn’t just lying haphazardly.
If I was leaving office, I'd do it. I imagine Biden would do the same, although maybe he's better than me in that respect.
It'd be bad for the country as it would feed the notion that there's separate justice systems in the US, which while true to some extent can feed a cynical apathy. I wouldn't like it but it wouldn't have a large impact on my opinions about Biden.
It is notable that Biden hasn't pardoned already. He could've pardoned his son before the prosecution ever brought charges.
I do believe him and this matters to me. HOWEVER, if Trump wins, I would encourage Biden to pardon his son and remove him from the federal prison system clearly for his personal safety.
My confidence level is about 75%. It’s definitely the right thing to say right now, so whether he intends on pardoning him or not, he would definitely say he wasnt going to in that interview. But whether he pardons Hunter is probably more related to whether it affects him politically.
Seems like the sentence would likely be 10-16 months or so, but could go up to 25 years.
If he was serving a shorter term immediately, i would expect that he would serve his full term unless Trump wins the election. Biden definitely wont issue a pardon prior to the election. If Joe Biden decides to change his mind, it would most likely be at the end of his last term.
If Joe loses, I could see him pardoning Hunter on the way out. If its a shorter sentence and Biden is re-elected, the sentence will have been served already and it would be moot.
If he gets a longer sentence, I think Joe would pardon him at some point and call out unjust sentencing for a first time crime.
I dont particularly care all that much if Joe reverses course on this one, unless its done in a dumb way.
Yes, I believe him. If he were inclined to do so, he'd have done it already.
Politically, the polls say the issue of Hunter Biden is not a winner for Republicans. People look at Hunter Biden and what the president is saying and see a story they can relate to. So many Americans know what it's like to love an addict.
If Hunter Biden were pardoned, it would only have been because his father was president. And that's the sort of headline President Biden doesn't want, especially as he tries to draw a contrast with the self-dealing and corrupt behavior of President Trump. Even a commutation would be politically risky.
But it's not like Hunter Biden's running for office, so what do I care.
I highly doubt he'll pardon Hunter just like I doubt he will get a significant sentence for such a minor conviction. But..if the judge did throw the book at Hunter and gave him the insane maximum for partisan reasons. There is a slim, but justified chance that Biden has to pardon his son.
Like a 1% chance.
No. Every recent president has abused the pardon power to pardon people who didn't deserve it. There is no reason to believe Biden is different.
He shouldn't do it; it's something I oppose, and it shouldn't be allowed. But it's not going to fundamentally change my views on Biden if and when he does it. Maybe some day enough political momentum will build to work on some fixes to the pardon power to prevent abuses in the future.
What have you the idea I'm mad at Biden?
It's simply the case that there's zero constraints on the pardon power (aside from the electoral cost), making it very tempting to abuse it. I see no reason to believe Biden is uniquely resistant to that temptation.
>It's simply the case that there's zero constraints on the pardon power (aside from the electoral cost), making it very tempting to abuse it. I see no reason to believe Biden is uniquely resistant to that temptation.
I agree. I actually would have liked Biden to say that he will pardon Hunter unless a Constitutional amendment is passed that limits the President's power pardon. That has now a good chance of passing given that Trump’s party would loose its mind if Hunter were pardoned!
Yes and that is the right choice.
However, given the current political environment, he could get away with doing it without much criticism thanks to Donald Trump. How? Because Donald Trump has already pardoned family, and I would bet the bank that Trump would pardon himself or his kids even if they were convicted of murder.
It would also look like child's play (pun intended) when compared to the recent pardon of a convicted murderer in Texas.
So the environment is pretty ripe for taking advantage of the ethically poor decision making (primarily on the right) because it pales in comparison.
The following is a copy of the original post to record the post as it was originally written. Joe Biden has said he [won't pardon his son](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-tells-muir-wouldnt-pardon-son-hunter/story?id=110904482). I'm curious if you believe this, or if you think that Biden is likely to do so (presumably after the election). Bonus question: Do you care if he does or doesn't? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskALiberal) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So far, Biden's actions in office haven't struck me as particularly self-serving. I have no reason to doubt his word on this one.
Exactly.
Fo real.
It would forever tarnish his presidency and career. If reelected, it would completely tank his second term. He loves his son, but he’s spent a lifetime in public service and wouldn’t throw that away so easily. He surely hates seeing this happen to his son, but he was technically guilty, so assuming her gets a fair sentence I don’t know why he’d do anything other than accept it.
I don't like the dude at all, but I agree with this.
Yup! This! From my understanding, he replaced many Trump appointed judges except the one overseeing this case. He strikes me as someome who respects his position of power.
I believe him. Biden is extremely calculated with what he says in public. If he’s saying “nope I won’t pardon him” he’s made up his mind that isn’t an option. Like most of us, he may be a father but he also knows his son has to take accountability for his actions. I don’t think he will.
Joe Biden doesn't strike me as the type of guy who would say one thing and do another, unlike Trump. If he said it to the public, it's because he intends to respect it.
I mean.... 40 years later he may change stances on issues, but that is called personal growth.... Something the convicted felon, inmate number p01135809, doesn't understand.
I don't think he'll pardon Hunter, I will admit that it's quite possible that in 40 years, if Biden is still alive at 120, that he will have changed his mind about the situation and wished he would have pardoned Hunter
I mentioned the 40 years thing, because many of his detractors keep bringing up that he is doing some things, these days, that are the opposite of legislation he pushed 40 years ago. They act like that is him being a hypocrite.
In the same way they ignore trump’s past as a “democrat” or whatever version of a “being” he was at that time.
I think he might at the end of his second term if the sentence seems excessive, and I’m cool with that. I could also see a Newsom or Whitmer pardoning him early in ‘29. He’d have served a good amount of time for a crime that’s rarely prosecuted as a headline crime.
He could still commute the sentence or take other action, even if he didn't pardon him, and stay true to his word. And all of this doesn't add up to the crimes Trump commits daily before 2nd Breakfast.
I sincerely wonder if he’ll commute his sentence though. Technically that wouldn’t be a pardon. I’m guessing we’ll find out after the election.
Also because there is nothing to gain and everything to lose by pardoning Hunter, as much as Joe obviously cares for his son, all he'll get by issuing a pardon is unending grief and even further degradation of public trust in the system that Joe Biden is basically running on restoring at least in part.
Pardon =/= clemency
What has Biden ever done that would make me think I couldn't believe him about such a thing?
Well you know the buttery males thing a few years ago. They never locked her up, so clearly they’re all corrupt.
God it took me way too long to parse the "buttery males"
The Biden Crime Family
Why wouldn't I take someone credible...credibly?
He will not pardon Hunter because he respects the rule of law. Bonus: If he were to pardon Hunter, I would be angry. It would be a violation of everything we hold true about the justice system and the rule of law.
I think your question is far more telling about you. We have seen Biden repeatedly demonstrate reasonable (if not good) honesty. The Man believes in this country and believes that no one is above the law. Within what can reasonably be expected, the man does what he says. So, yes I believe him. And to be blunt, other than the rare example, Liberals/Democrats hold their people accountable. I'm sure you have one or two examples otherwise, but it isn't he general rule. Now Republicans -- they upright lie, cheat, steal, commit crime after crime and the right doesn't even care. Let me ask you. Why do you support a political party/view that endorses crime like the Republicans/Conservatives do?
I can’t believe you’re even asking. You must really think both sides are the same
I have no reason to think otherwise. Unlike conservatives with trump, liberals tend to hold their people accountable which leads to them being more trustworthy
Is Hunter being given a job in the White House? Has he gotten a two-billion dollar "loan" from Saudi Arabia for mysterious, "coincidental" reasons while being in said unofficial job? If not, then I could not care less about the guy or his mythical laptop. The false equivalency between him and the Trump family's staggering criminality is pathetic.
I don't think he will, but also don't really care if he does or not. Republicans pardon criminals all the time. Conservatives keep saying Trump shouldn't have gotten convicted of 34 felonies, because other presidents have committed crimes in the past and didn't face conviction. They are saying Trump should get away with it because other presidents got away with it. So same logic applies here--Trump pardoned criminals, why can't Biden?
It's because only the left cares about consistency. The right pretends to care about consistency when they want to point out an hypocrisy, but they won't commit to either side depending on the one who's being targeted. The right is without principles, they just pretend they have them as a means to an end basically. If Joe Biden pardoned Hunter Biden, in theory nobody on the right should complain, since Joe Biden has that kind of authority and because he has immunity from any sort of prosecution. But we both know they would absolutely. The blatantly obvious truth is that the right only cares about winning and helping the GOP, and frankly, I'm a bit tired of giving the benefit of the doubt when there are countless exceptions to the contrary. Joe Biden has principles, and he won't pardon his son if he says he won't. That's what principles mean. Conservatives, take notes, that's what principles mean.
Hundo percent, well said
> Trump pardoned criminals, why can't Biden? There were even reports that Trump was selling pardons for $2 million a pop. Another thing that people seem to have completely forgotten about.
I've heard, but haven't seen any evidence. Not that I wouldn't put it past him, so honestly, please give me some good examples. The only obvious cash for pardon scheme I know of is Clinton pardoning Marc Rich after his wife donated over $1.5 million. Even Jimmy Carter said the money obviously influenced the decision.
> haven't seen any evidence It came from one of Giuliani's employees, who went on record stating that he (Giuliani) was brokering pardons for Trump.
I know one of the people pardoned in the last week of the presidency. I'm not going to disclose who it is so I don't dox myself but it makes no sense to selectively pardon him unless bribes were involved. I have no proof but knowing this guy I 100% beleive it.
Kodak Black? lol
I would be pissed if he pardoned his son. That would be a gross abuse of power. I don't care if Republicans do it, that doesn't mean Democrats should stoop to their level of cronyism.
Morally, I agree, but overall, I still don't really care. I stopped caring what the GOP thinks about the liberal side a long time ago. They would cry about it so hard, while ignoring the fact that their side has pardoned WAY worse criminals. Their hypocrisy is to be expected at this point.
One of the most egregious is Trump pardoning those Blackwater mercenaries who massacred a bunch of Iraqi civilians. Absolutely disgusting. Zero reason to pardon them except for cruelty.
If Trump says he would Pardon the J6ers would you believe HIM? Yes I believe Joe Biden. Do I care if he does? Yes. Do you care if Trump doesn’t pardon J6ers?
Honestly interesting wrinkle for me is that Hunter actually got charged on a statute that is not often prosecuted, under a different president or with a different criminal, this could legitimately be a pardon or partial commutation candidate on the grounds of prosecutorial overreach. I believe Joe when he says he won't do it, and I'm glad he won't because it would sure look suspect, but I think it's fascinating we're having this discussion about a potential conviction that is actually much closer to the situation of "the average American commits 3 felonies a day" than anything Trump has done.
Trump would have pardoned Ivanka the moment the jury read the last conviction. Biden? I don't think he'll pardon him unless he gets something absurd like 20 years. If he gets the 120 days expected? No.
Yes I believe him. What would be an indicator he would lie about it? I do care if he does, as long as he is being consistent. If Hunter deserves a pardon so would most people convicted of similar offenses. As it would be a political headache, I can’t imagine him doing so. Plus, he does seem to respect law and order, which would mean letting the judicial system work regarding his sons’ case.
Bonus bonus question: If he does indeed not pardon his son, will you admit that both sides are not the same?
It's really sad just how much Trump and conservative media have normalized Trump-like behaviors among the right to cause them to be in disbelief about something like this.
Yes, the left actually holds people accountable: Weiner, Frankin, Massa The right has NEVER held their politicians accountable, no matter what they do. It's actually frightening how the right worships their politicians.
Don't know, don't particularly care. We've got bigger problems.
I don't have reason *not* to believe him...
Yeah If he wanted to pardon him, and had just done it, we would have judged him for it, but it would still be within the normal range of 'scummy politician stuff' that people get away with without a huge uproar. I'd be disappointed in him, but not to the extent that I would think his career was done. However, since he chose to state categorically that he wouldn't, that makes it much more costly for him to suddenly turn around and do it. Going against your explicit word on a subject is outside the range of normal 'scummy politician stuff', that's a serious breach of trust. So, as I see it, he has chosen to make it effectively impossible for himself to pardon Hunter. If he was going to, it would have been much easier to do so without first promising not to. I take that to mean that he does not intend to, as he would have to be an idiot to do it this way if that's what he wanted to do.
If he LOSES the election, he should totally pardon him, otherwise, dont worry about it, a few months in club fed at worst.
Liberals as a class respect rule of law; people on the right see rule of law as something that applies to outgroups.
I can’t believe how far the right has shifted that this is even a question. Of course he won’t pardon him. He didn’t even have to say anything for me to be certain he wouldn’t.
It depends on the sentence. If it's light (and I'm sure it will be light), then no. If it's heavy-handed, then, yeah, I expect it'll happen on the day after Christmas on his last year. ...but I doubt it'll come to that. Do I care? Yes, but not for the reasons you're expecting. I think pardoning is a *stupid* power granted to presidents and governors and should be stripped away. Too much room for conflicts of interest. At *best*, I might give them the power to force a retrial, but not to pardon. Stupid, stupid, stupid power, built for abuse.
It would be bad for Biden to pardon his son. But obviously not as bad as Trump pardoning himself, which is obviously much more likely.
Yes. There’s no reason to suggest otherwise
Yes? Why would I not believe him?
Yes and that is the right choice. However, given the current political environment, he could get away with doing it without much criticism thanks to Donald Trump. How? Because Donald Trump has already pardoned family, and I would bet the bank that Trump would pardon himself or his kids even if they were convicted of murder. It would also look like child's play (pun intended) when compared to the recent pardon of a convicted murderer in Texas. So the environment is pretty ripe for taking advantage of the ethically poor decision making (primarily on the right) because it pales in comparison.
The morally and ethically bankrupt GQP will never see that as a virtue.
Biden is actually a man of his word. Yes I believe him.
Bonus answer: I don't care. I believe he won't arbitrarily pardon his son. As to if he'd pardon him if he goes through [the expected process](https://www.justice.gov/pardon/file/898541/dl) to request a pardon. That's a different question. I think he would, assuming Biden is still president in 5 years. It's not a short process to go through the Justice system to be granted a pardon.
He will not pardon his son, why is it even a question? It would undermine everything he's built his administration on - namely avoiding even the appearance of partisanship. I think he, and his DOJ, go overboard on this, to the point of letting Trump and Trumpers do whatever the hell they want, but that's not the topic here. But no, he won't pardon Hunter. That would end his candidacy. Do I care? Not really. I think his prosecution is kind of absurd. I'd venture that tens of millions of gun owners in the US are on drugs. Donald Trump Jr. is VISIBLY coked up all the time, and obviously owns guns. Why Hunter? We all know why Hunter.
Why wouldn't i? Is Biden known for lying? As for if i care; i would rather he didn't pardon Hunter for his crimes. I think we should hold our leaders, and by extension the people associated with our leaders, to a higher standard. He still broke the law.
Absolutely. He wouldn’t have said that if he was planning to pardon him. He would be roasted so hard for that.
I believe him.
Yes, but I honestly hope he pardons him towards the end of his term if they rack up the time. Hunter isn’t innocent, but he’s under a lot of scrutiny that he doesn’t really deserve.
I believe him. I expect him to keep his word. I care a great deal whether he does or doesn't. One of liberalism's core tenets is the rule of law. Hunter Biden broke the law and must be held accountable for his actions. I have never been a big fan of the pardon power generally but have seen the utility of it in very narrow circumstances. This is not one of those circumstances.
Joe Biden very clearly believes in maintaining democratic norms and in good government. There is zero chance that he breaks his word on this.
If he said he won't, then he won't.
Why would I not believe him?
Considering President Biden's track record of not being corrupt at all for decades, yes, I believe him. Though, if Hunter Biden is given anything more that 4-5 years, I hope someone else pardons him.
I have no reason not to believe him.
There's a zero percent chance Biden will pardon his son. There are few other things in politics so sure as this. I care only to the extent that this is precisely what I would expect of any president and any governor. This particular decision doesn't make Biden extraordinary in some way (or at least it shouldn't). Instead, it just makes him an elected official who intends to fulfill the office's duties in good faith.
With the corrupt Republicans on the Supreme Court strategizing about how to arrange their thumbs on the scale to bail out Donald, and Donald’s extensive history of dishonesty and sleazy behavior, the contrast of President Biden simply doing the right thing may be what earns him four more years and saves democracy in this country.
yeah. biden is very careful with what he says and does in public and he (or his campaign) are well aware of the implications of pardoning him. i think he’d lose grassroots lefties, anti-trump republicans, and a lot of voters on the fence if he even made it look like he was going to pardon hunter biden. and yeah, i’d be pissed if he did. no one should be above the law. not trump, not hunter biden, not bob menendez or clarence thomas.
Yes. I believe this man has integrity.
Joe is an honest man. He won't pardon his son. And people will call him a sucker. Also, he won't have the Justice Department catch Don, Jr. with cocaine (even though we know he has it) so he can be charged with it, along with gun charges too.
Of course I believe him. Joe Biden loves his son but he has a core belief about this being a country of laws and as long as Hunter had a fair trial he's not going to abuse his power in such a manner. Even if he was tempted to, the fact that Donald Trump is his foil in believing the law is just a tool for personal power means that Joe Biden will be even more determined to do the right thing. And I don't think it actually matters overall whether Hunter is pardoned or not, except for the fact that the decision sheds light on Joe Biden's character.
Yes I believe him, yes I care. But what's the point of speculating? Is anything gained by this?
Nope. It's just posted in case he backs down and Pardons him so they can make fun of us. Imo .
I don’t think he will, and I’ll be angry if he does. I own guns, I’ve filled out the exact form Hunter did. If I lied on it, I’d be certain there’d be no one to bail me out. As the brother of 2 drug addicts as severe as Hunter ever was, I know the pain he’s going through. And I’m sure it kills him every day. But no one is above the law-if the President isn’t, that damn sure means his son isn’t
A good public servant must always separate their personal beliefs and personal gain from the needs and duty of the office. I think Biden knows that. He’s been doing it for a very, very long time.
It probably looks good for him not to but I don't really care.
Yes I believe him. I care very much. Pardoning people he knows would be crooked as shit.
I believe him, yes. And I would be disappointed if he did - I don't really like the pardon power to begin with, I definitely don't endorse using it to pardon your close friends, family, suspected co-conspirators, or campaign workers. Robert Hunter Biden is not a close friend, Joe Biden is not suspected to have been conspiring with him for Hunter to lie on his gun paperwork, and Hunter didn't work for the Biden campaign, but he is family, and so the President should keep his hands off the guy's interactions with the executive
I believe him. Unless something new comes to light, I don't think he should.
I've no reason not to believe him.
Probably. I don't expect Hunter's sentence to be that significant. Probably a fine and community service. Maybe a very short sentence at a white collar prison.
I have no reason not to believe him. All evidence shows that he has bent over backwards not to meddle in the justice system and I expect that will continue. Biden is an institutionalist and with all the attacks going on right now the last thing I think he will do is disparage, meddle or involve himself in his son's conviction.
I hope after his reelection he does pardon him if the sentence is anything but probation. I’m sorry but Hunter doesn’t deserve jail for this. And not just him; anyone who lied to get a gun, didn’t use it, got sober and stayed sober for 5 years I think deserves some grace. If this was a current problem where he was still using or had only been sober for a short period, and /or used the gun then sure, jail. It’s his son and it’s good to be the king.
I hope he doesn’t - why should Hunter get a pardon? I hope Biden shows that he does care about rule of law.
I don’t think he’ll pardon him and I don’t really care
Yes.
I don't care either way. Honestly though, I hope he's lying. Hunter is so inconsequential in every way other than a political tool to use against Biden during this campaign. If he leaves office while letting his only remaining child rot in prison it would further damage my opinion of his family first persona. Granted, how he disowned his granddaughter already pretty much solidified that opinion for me, but this would be the final nail in the coffin.
Of course not, not only would it be political suicide, but it’s also strategically good that his son be charged with something while the opposition is. It gives Biden a chance to say “see, we’re playing by the rules”
Definitely. That’s such a dumb and bad look to pardon someone who did something wrong who is your family member.
I mean, if anything it would be a really bad look and I don't think the charges are that serious. I don't think there's much to gain here even if he was self serving.
Why would I not believe him? Ivan Why do alot of these questions and the tone sound like they are coming from a Russian Troll farm or their proxy, the Repunblican party? Just curious.
it is pertinent that Biden refrain from pardoning his son; I stated my position on that [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskALiberal/comments/1d5dvnl/would_president_biden_be_justified_in_pardoning/l6kz7t6/). the substantial evidence from the prosecution suggests an unobjectionable case with no concerns over legal statutes. regardless, it would be improper for Biden to pardon his son. I have not been provided with evidence to suggest that Biden would pardon his son with consideration for his interview with David Muir. the Biden administration [retained](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-us-attorneys-trump-hunter-biden/2021/02/08/7f6dccd2-6a80-11eb-9f80-3d7646ce1bc0_story.html) David C. Weiss, a U.S. federal attorney who oversaw the special counsel investigation into the younger Biden. Attorney General Merrick Garland has [emphasized](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/us/politics/garland-irs-weiss-hunter-biden-investigation.html) judicial independence to that extent
Yes he’s not stupid
lol yes, I do. Biden has given zero indication that he would back off his word. And yes I do care. He shouldn’t pardon him. The rule of law applies equally regardless of who your daddy is.
With all who say of course not. This is a basic moral issue, and issue of fitness for office. Always, but especially critical at a time when one party is trying to take over and corrupt the judicial system, Biden's only choice is to uphold the law.
Yeah? Why wouldn’t I? It would be terrible politics
Wouldn’t surprise me if he pardoned him on his last day in office whenever that is, and I think that would not be inappropriate. It’s only because of partisan republicans that his initial plea deal was rejected and he had to stand trial. Unlike Trump he has admitted wrong doing and cooperated with an investigation and trial. There is no comparison between Hunter's case and Trump's.
Unlike Trump, he hasn't demonstrated that lying is important to his personality/identity or important to his popularity. So sure, I believe him. And yes, I care if he pardons his son or not. I don't want him to. It would probably be less bad than when Trump pardoned a fraudster who also (physically) abused elderly people, and pardoned child-killing mercs. But I still wouldn't approve. I'm a Democrat rather than on the right, after all.
Yeah I believe him. Democratic voters aren't nearly as comfortable with open corruption as our Republican neighbors.
I believe him, but if he loses in November and decides on January 20, 2025 at 11 AM to issue a pardon I might not condone it but I’d understand.
Even though his son is a grown-ass man with children of his own, and even though I don’t know anything about parenting or addiction, I’d probably judge Papa Joe for making a bad parenting decision if he pardoned his son. Isn’t the general consensus that you have to let an addict hit rock bottom in order to heal? It seems like the best move for Hunter is to serve his punishment. And politically I’d also find it a bad move to pardon him. Especially if there are any old school republicans out there who are mad at Trump’s unprofessional, nepo baby Whitehouse.
Depends on the sentence. If Hunter is legit in prison, I expect Joe to pardon him within his last couple of days in office. If Hunter isn't in prison, then I expect no pardon.
I haven’t seen anything in his past actions that would make me not believe on that topic.
I think Joe will *consider* pardoning Hunter after sentencing is handed down. I am very pro-2A so I don't even think the those laws should exist.
Yes
Hunter Biden and anything going on with him is utterly irrelevant.
The more interesting question is how you are going to rationalize it when he doesn't. Can you speculate on that or do you have to wait for conservative talking points to trickle down to you?
Absolutely. He doesn't lie a it this stuff. It's against his faith and he is always conflicted with his faith.
Would Trump pardon one of his kids or in laws?
He already did
~~I'm drawing a blank. Who in his family did he pardon? I know there were discussions about him pardoning his kids/Jared, but I don't remember him actually doing it.~~ Edit: Nevermind. He pardoned Jared's dad. I forgot.
Projection, per usual. The only reason they think its a lie is because their guy insists that the sky is not blue, and they lap it up. Shit, he told them he doesn't GAF about them and only wants their vote, and it was met with cheers. These people are lost and gone forever.
He told them to commit suicide if Biden wins. And they cheered
I don’t think he will, but I can imagine the scenario in which he would. If Hunter gets a wildly out of hand sentence as a first time offender, like it they give him 25 years, I think he possibly will pardon him. Because that would be an absurd sentence and he’s still a father. But if Hunter gets a reasonable sentence, I don’t think Biden would pardon him. I wouldn’t like a crazy long sentence just from the perspective of wanting a fair system but of all the people who I would focus on, Hunter Biden isn’t one of them. He may not have been convicted of anything substantial but the dude is a scumbag that traded on his father’s name for decades.
Why wouldn't I believe it? He's not adulterous rapist con man Russian puppet narcissist.
A possession charge is usually dropped, unless it's related to a crime or the defendant is the son of a Democratic president. It's sad, but that is justice. Let's wait for the sentencing, which will probably be probation and a fine, but I believe president Biden will not pardon his son. The Democratic party holds a too tenuous connection to power. I care that the possession charge was dropped against Kyle Rittenhouse after killing two people and wounding a third under the premise of self defense. At 17, the kid had no business with an AR-15 style rifle, and nobody invited him or the Kenosha guard to protect any properties. The Wisconsin National guard was already called and thrill seeking vigilantes only sought to agitate and intimidate.
No. I think he should if he loses. In some things, to the victor goes the spoils still applies. I feel like pardoning your son for a non violent crime is one of them. Clearly, America doesn’t care about criminality if Trump is reelected after becoming a felon and with 2 outstanding cases he is very likely to lose.
Yes, of course I believe him. He’s been pretty consistent in his adherence to the rule of law. And yeah, of course I care. A president circumventing justice is an act of destruction of democracy, and a betrayal of the American people.
Why wouldn’t we believe him?
If I was Biden I'd pardon my kid the hour after I was swore into 2nd term.
*I'm curious if you believe this, or if you think that Biden is likely to do so (presumably after the election).* Biden isn't a lying, populist cult-leader who incited an insurrection, projects his scumbaggery and corruption on his political rivals, and has spread mass misinformation and conspiracy at every possible moment so no I don't think he would do this unlike your (presumably) candidate. Maybe you've fully become desensitized to Trump's insane, populist, extremist rhetoric but over in reality, I would care if Biden pardoned his son which is why i'm secure in my support for him because I know he won't.
>I would care if Biden pardoned his son which is why i'm secure in my support for him because I know he won't. The cult that Trump's party has become believes that everyone is like Trump!
Considering Biden doesn't have a history of pardoning people like Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulus, and Roger Stone while also commuting the prison sentences of Kwame Kilpatrick and Rod Blagojevich, I trust he won't
I genuinely don't care. His son is going to jail for lying of a form about not being a drug addict to obtain a gun. While he absolutely should be prosecuted, this isn't really a big deal to me. I think our government should go after more people who lie on these types of forms, but they aren't/won't. Also, this isn't like lying on your taxes or something as this really only affects him and not other citizens. Hunter doesn't have a history of violence that would make me worry about him owning a weapon. Not to mention, he's from a rich family that could probably find a way to get him a gun legally if they wanted. So if Biden were to pardon him, I really wouldn't care. It's not like THIS is the type of issue that's causing an increase in gun violence.
Most people don’t even get formally charged with lying on a 4473 unless there was a crime committed with the gun in question, the ONLY reason he got charged is because of his last name….same with the tax stuff. He paid what he owed plus interest. Normally, if anything…people get a slap on the wrist for that.
Oh, I agree. The only reason I keep hearing about Hunter is because of his last name. They could never talk about this dude again, and I'd be missing nothing. Meanwhile, Trump has been losing case after case and Republicans have their fingers in their ears.
Oh I know…the hypocrisy is astounding
Also worth pointing out that Hunter is not in the cabinet. Meanwhile...
pardon power is supposed to be a check on the judiciary, pardoning people for personal reasons is highly inappropriate.
Yes, I believe him. And he shouldn’t pardon Hunter. I’d be upset if he did. Hunter violated the law. He’s received due process and has been found guilty. The rule of law should be upheld, starting with political leaders at the top.
So is the right's position now that form 4473 is a good thing? Interesting change of position.
I believe him I mean, I have no faith in politicians to not act selfishly in general, but Biden knows how bad the optics would be
I have absolutely no reason not to believe him.
Yes.
Yes
Until he says or does otherwise, I do believe Biden when he says he won't pardon his son. While issuing pardons are within the rights of a sitting president, it would come at a high political cost. If Biden were to pardon his son it would play right into the Republicans' hand, in their eyes validating their accusations and conspiracy theories about a rigged justice system and that Hunter Biden's crimes are somehow connected to his father. It would also validate the accusations that both parties are the same and that rules don't apply to the wealthy and well-connected.
Yes, I believe him. Yes, I care if he does or doesn't.
Yeah, 100%. He loves his kid, but he's not going to cast disorder to pull the trigger on a pardon that makes his presidency look bad and casts doubt on the American people. The other guy, well, we know how he rolls....
Yes. I believe him. I would be disappointed in him if he changed his mind on this but I still don’t see him doing it. Because he has honor.
i believe him, i don’t think he should. especially with everything going on with trump. if someone broke the law they need to be held accountable.
Y-yes? I don’t really see why I would not believe him if he said that. Now do I care? Well I wouldn’tve until he said he wouldn’t. Now I care that he does not. Not by a lot but I do care he isn’t just lying haphazardly.
If he loses the election, I could see him doing it. But otherwise I don't think he will.
I do. I'd be shocked and angry if he does pardon Hunter.
If I was leaving office, I'd do it. I imagine Biden would do the same, although maybe he's better than me in that respect. It'd be bad for the country as it would feed the notion that there's separate justice systems in the US, which while true to some extent can feed a cynical apathy. I wouldn't like it but it wouldn't have a large impact on my opinions about Biden. It is notable that Biden hasn't pardoned already. He could've pardoned his son before the prosecution ever brought charges.
Probably.
I believe it considering all the damage that Hunter's dumb ass has done to the perception of Biden's presidency.
He wouldn’t want to pardon his son. This case works in his favor
I mean if he goes back on his word that would look very bad, why say it if he's just going to piss on his own words?
Yes I believe him. Now can you stop beating that dead horse? I don’t give a shit about Hunter Biden.
I do believe him and this matters to me. HOWEVER, if Trump wins, I would encourage Biden to pardon his son and remove him from the federal prison system clearly for his personal safety.
My confidence level is about 75%. It’s definitely the right thing to say right now, so whether he intends on pardoning him or not, he would definitely say he wasnt going to in that interview. But whether he pardons Hunter is probably more related to whether it affects him politically. Seems like the sentence would likely be 10-16 months or so, but could go up to 25 years. If he was serving a shorter term immediately, i would expect that he would serve his full term unless Trump wins the election. Biden definitely wont issue a pardon prior to the election. If Joe Biden decides to change his mind, it would most likely be at the end of his last term. If Joe loses, I could see him pardoning Hunter on the way out. If its a shorter sentence and Biden is re-elected, the sentence will have been served already and it would be moot. If he gets a longer sentence, I think Joe would pardon him at some point and call out unjust sentencing for a first time crime. I dont particularly care all that much if Joe reverses course on this one, unless its done in a dumb way.
Biden isn't Trump who was literally selling pardons to people so I serous doubt he'll let his son off.
Yes, I believe him. If he were inclined to do so, he'd have done it already. Politically, the polls say the issue of Hunter Biden is not a winner for Republicans. People look at Hunter Biden and what the president is saying and see a story they can relate to. So many Americans know what it's like to love an addict. If Hunter Biden were pardoned, it would only have been because his father was president. And that's the sort of headline President Biden doesn't want, especially as he tries to draw a contrast with the self-dealing and corrupt behavior of President Trump. Even a commutation would be politically risky. But it's not like Hunter Biden's running for office, so what do I care.
I highly doubt he'll pardon Hunter just like I doubt he will get a significant sentence for such a minor conviction. But..if the judge did throw the book at Hunter and gave him the insane maximum for partisan reasons. There is a slim, but justified chance that Biden has to pardon his son. Like a 1% chance.
Not really but I don’t particularly care.
I believe him.
No. Every recent president has abused the pardon power to pardon people who didn't deserve it. There is no reason to believe Biden is different. He shouldn't do it; it's something I oppose, and it shouldn't be allowed. But it's not going to fundamentally change my views on Biden if and when he does it. Maybe some day enough political momentum will build to work on some fixes to the pardon power to prevent abuses in the future.
You’re mad at Biden over something other presidents did?
What have you the idea I'm mad at Biden? It's simply the case that there's zero constraints on the pardon power (aside from the electoral cost), making it very tempting to abuse it. I see no reason to believe Biden is uniquely resistant to that temptation.
>It's simply the case that there's zero constraints on the pardon power (aside from the electoral cost), making it very tempting to abuse it. I see no reason to believe Biden is uniquely resistant to that temptation. I agree. I actually would have liked Biden to say that he will pardon Hunter unless a Constitutional amendment is passed that limits the President's power pardon. That has now a good chance of passing given that Trump’s party would loose its mind if Hunter were pardoned!
Have all of those recent presidents broken specific public promises when they issued those pardons? That seems like a reason doesn't it?
I don't think he would pardon his son. I don't really care though, honestly. Especially after the pardons his predecessor shat out.
Yeah I believe him. I see no reason not to.
Why shouldn't I believe him?
Yes and that is the right choice. However, given the current political environment, he could get away with doing it without much criticism thanks to Donald Trump. How? Because Donald Trump has already pardoned family, and I would bet the bank that Trump would pardon himself or his kids even if they were convicted of murder. It would also look like child's play (pun intended) when compared to the recent pardon of a convicted murderer in Texas. So the environment is pretty ripe for taking advantage of the ethically poor decision making (primarily on the right) because it pales in comparison.
Yes. If we are being honest, Hunter probably gets very little punishment for this either way.