Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) has expressed his belief that it would be a “mistake” for President Biden to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who is currently facing federal tax charges. Hunter’s initial court appearance saw a plea agreement seemingly fall apart, leading to discussions about the potential for a presidential pardon.
When questioned about the possibility of a pardon, Goldman stated that he does not believe President Biden would take such a step. He contrasted Biden’s approach with that of his predecessor, highlighting the former president’s pardoning of friends and associates with ties to him.
Goldman commended President Biden for upholding the integrity of the Department of Justice (DOJ), citing the decision to keep a Trump-appointed US attorney to investigate his son as evidence of the DOJ’s independence.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre strongly indicated that the president is not considering a pardon for Hunter Biden. Currently, Hunter faces tax and gun charges, and there were expectations for him to plead guilty to two misdemeanour counts of willful failure to pay income taxes under a plea deal.
However, during his first court appearance, the judge overseeing the case questioned the scope of the deal, leading to a not-guilty plea from Hunter, with hopes of reaching a new agreement.
Republicans have drawn comparisons between the cases involving Hunter Biden and former President Trump, accusing the Justice Department of operating a “two-tier system of justice.” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) even raised the possibility of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden regarding his son’s activities and family businesses. The situation has sparked political debates and heightened scrutiny on the administration’s handling of the matter.
