'No one is above the law': Biden's 'unconditional' pardon of his son covering Burisma years stuns liberals and critics alike

President Joe Biden and other elements of his administration have managed to evade the legal consequences meted out to Americans of other political stripes. Biden apparently figures his son should be afforded the same luxury.

After repeatedly vowing he would not do so, and just months after declaring without qualification, "No one is above the law," Biden issued a "full and unconditional" pardon for son Hunter Biden.

The pardon gives Hunter Biden a pass on any crimes committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024. This 10-year window of clemency not only lets him off the hook for his felony conviction on gun charges and for his felony tax offenses, but also conveniently overlaps with the Bidens' scandalous dealings with the Ukrainian company Burisma, where Hunter was appointed director in 2014, as well as with the communist state-linked organization CEFC China Energy and other questionable foreign entities.

The brazenness and breadth of the pardon has stunned critics and fellow travelers alike, prompting even CNN and Politico to admit its "extraordinary" and "unprecedented" nature.

'The most lawless administration in history.'

"I am satisfied that I'm not going to do anything," Biden told reporters in June, following Hunter's conviction on federal gun charges. "I said I'd abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him."

On Sunday — a day after President-elect Donald Trump indicated he would nominate Kash Patel as FBI director Christopher Wray's replacement — Biden signed the pardon for Hunter Biden, suggesting that his son was "treated differently" than other criminals.

"The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election," wrote Biden. "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. There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they've tried to break me — and there's no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough."

According to Biden, his son — who had an affair with his dead brother's wife; initially refused to acknowledge then attempted to avoid paying child support for the daughter he sired with a former stripper; used illicit substances that would land other Americans in prison; enriched himself abroad using his family brand; and allegedly engaged in an international influence-peddling scheme with his father — is a victim of a "miscarriage of justice."

The pardon clears Hunter Biden for all offenses against the U.S. that he has committed or may have committed, "including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions)," in the 10-year period.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) responded to the pardon on X, writing, "Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry. If that's the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?"

"The most lawless administration in history," wrote Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).

Trump wrote, "Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!"

Liz Wheeler, BlazeTV host of "The Liz Wheeler Show," tweeted, "I'm surprised anyone believed Joe Biden when he claimed he wouldn’t pardon Hunter. Obviously that was a lie. Joe was always gonna pardon Hunter. Not because Joe is a 'good father.' Because Hunter was the bagman who collected corrupt money for Joe. I thought everyone knew this."

Politico admitted the pardon is "an extraordinary political act with extraordinary legal breadth" that is "deliberately vague."

'This is a bad precedent.'

Former U.S. pardon attorney Margaret Love told the publication, "I have never seen language like this in a pardon document that purports to pardon offenses that have not apparently even been charged, with the exception of the Nixon pardon," referring to President Gerald Ford's blanket pardon of President Richard Nixon in 1974.

Love added, "Even the broadest Trump pardons were specific as to what was being pardoned."

Samuel Morrison, an attorney who similarly worked in the Office of the Pardon Attorney for over a decade, told Politico, "It is an extraordinarily broad grant."

Morrison suggested that Biden has effectively cleared Trump to go the distance with his own pardons, noting, "It gives him some political cover. I think some January 6 pardons are probably coming — at least some, maybe all."

CNN indicated that the pardon "deepened an entanglement of politics and the rule of law that has tarnished faith in American justice" and "may be seen as a stain on his legacy and his credibility."

The New York Times indicated that Hunter Biden would most likely not have qualified for a pardon recommendation under the criteria used by the Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney.

Some Democrats and fellow travelers have similarly acknowledged that the play to insulate Hunter Biden from consequence was a grave error.

"I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country," wrote Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D). "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation. When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation. Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President's son."

"A selfish and senile old man," tweeted FiveThirtyEight pollster Nate Silver. "Why do you think Trump(ism) gains a following? Well, actually, that's complicated. But part of it is because elites of all political stripes are absolutely out for themselves and complete moral hypocrites. And Democrats stake a claim to moral superiority when Trump does not."

Silver added, "Don't vote for any Democrat in 2028 who doesn't repudiate the pardon within 48 hours."

By pardoning his felonious son, Biden may have done more than just nuke his remaining credibility. He may have transformed into a courtroom foe.

Former U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman noted that the "pardon is extremely broad and covers activities while Joe was vice president. This means that Hunter cannot plead the Fifth if asked about his business dealings with Ukraine and China, including his Dad's involvement, because, with his pardon, he has no risk of criminal jeopardy."

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