I was slightly surprised and slighlty disappointed when I read this morning’s headlines but then read further and was no longer certain. OTOH I also felt that even compared to Trump’s numerous pardons of dodgy cronies and fellow criminals, it was a step in the wrong direction.
OTOH th epersecution of Biden’s son seems a tad OTT and is obviously politically driven.
Current position? I don’t approve, but it seems a fairly longstanding US norm, or a least a convention, so who am I to judge?
I do think Hunter Biden (who seems to be a bit of a prat and partly the author of his own misfortune) has been treated disproportionately for political purposes - but Joe Biden giving him a Presidential pardon sends entirely the wrong message about political ethics in comparison to Trump’s behaviour and reinforces the views of those who believe that “politicians are all the same”.
But as you mentioned @DrMarkH , justice has always been politicized in the US. It’s never made sense to me that judges and prosecutors are often elected officials - the potential for corruption or at least undue influence seems obvious.
But I suspect it’s a bit of a hangover from the Wild West days, like the gun laws…
Not surprised in the slightest given that the FBI’s days as the paramilitary wing of the Democrat Party are numbered.
Joe had to save his boy from ending up in the cell next to Diddy.
Does the president or PM any other civilized country have pardon power?
I am not really surprised. Why should Biden care about his legacy at this point? The pardoning of Hunter will be lost in the footnotes when Biden’s admin is judged.
Trumps egregious promised pardoning of the rioters who invaded the Capitol is a further instance of his total disregard for democracy.
Doubtless that will be one of his first executive acts. He’d probably pardon Epstein if he could.
I must admit my reaction to the Hunter Biden thing was"meh" - he was scapegoated and Biden doesn’t want him in prison.
The fact that it is allowed so commonly in the US is the problem, not a given instance.
Did anyone read it? I like this bit best:-
“ A Full and Unconditional Pardon
For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.”
That’s a get out of jail free card for an entire decade and something that Biden, the WH press secretary and the Democrats spent the last year flatly denying was going to happen.
Did you notice? The Democrats lost the election so there will be plenty of other distractions coming up. Do you really expect any politician to be ethical and honest these days?
They’re all liars, but giving someone a 10 year clemency is taking the urine.
Of course, Joe hoped President Harris would be around to pardon Hunter, but that ship never made it out of dry dock.
Exactly.
I’m not on speaking terms with Sleepy Joe, but my guess is that he thought either he or Cackling Kam would win and that his/her DOJ would at least give “poor” Hunter either a fair trial or a break, not necessarily a pardon- because that would bring a firestorm of criticism. He’s trying to avoid a firing squad from the Trump DOJ.
Prolly because your elected crooked indicted felon fascist wannabe threatened to go after them with his new appointments for cult led FBI and justice depts .
Personally? I love it. And I love that it is getting so many peoples’ panties up in a wad. People who have zero stake in the matter. I hope Dark Brandon channels more of the old Irish ire he is infamous for, and uses it extensively until January 19th, 2025.
Much is often made of a leader’s “legacy”, Biden has made sure that he will now be remembered for staying on too long and pardoning his son with his decades of public service totally forgotten.
I assume this is the American equivalent of “knickers in a twist”?
Biden thought,“sod it”,Trump is going to pardon himself and all his other mates,if you can,t beat them,join them,i don,t blame him at all.
Yup! Sure is!
I hate to agree with this, but yes, I do agree. At the VERY latest, he should have taken himself out of the running after the 2022 midterms. He should never have been a 2024 contender. The DNC is a hot mess, but has been for decades.
I am known to be frequently bemoaning American English, not by Americans themselves but the infected youth of my country of birth who think they are speaking English, but that quote had me rocking back in my chair in uncontrolled mirth.
I’m even going to start using it myself. 
