Did Biden's pardon for son shake Democrats faith in justice?

U.S. President Joe Biden’s announcement of a presidential pardon for his son Hunter Biden in federal cases has sparked outrage and disappointment among Americans, including many Democrats.

Hunter Biden, 54, is Joe Biden's only surviving son. In June, he was convicted of unlawful firearm possession while under the influence of drugs, a charge carrying a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison. Additionally, in September, Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges and was awaiting sentencing on Dec. 12, where he faced up to 17 years behind bars.

Nuzaira Azam, a Pakistani American and a Democrat living in Virginia for decades, expressed her disbelief on the latest move. “It was hugely disappointing for me as a Democrat voter, I clearly remember President Biden saying he won’t pardon his own son.”

Her sentiment echoes across millions of Democrats who claim that the president had gone back on his own words.

“I do not consider it to be a politically correct, noble act,” said Muhammad Taqi, a columnist and political analyst.

He likened Joe Biden's move to “a third world country where you get away with such crimes if you are powerful”.

Change of heart

The American president had ruled out the possibility of extending a pardon to his son.

“I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him,” Biden said this June.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at least seven times over a year that Joe Biden would not pardon his son.

But it seems Joe Biden had a change of heart just on his way out of the White House.

Ahmad Zaki, a resident of Maryland, said Joe Biden was merely protecting his family from the witch hunt that would follow after President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

“You know the kind of people he is picking for his Cabinet and what will their plans be?“ he added.

Not the first president

Joe Biden is not the first president to exercise the power the American Constitution grants him.

It started right after the end of the American Civil War when President Andrew Johnson pardoned more than 12,000 Confederate officials.

In 1974, President Gerald Ford extended a blanket clemency to former President Richard Nixon after his fall from grace followed by the Watergate scandal. Nixon was not formally charged by the courts by that time but the punishment seemed inevitable in the face of the situation and political mood at the time in the country. Many still believe that Ford had to pay a heavy price for this decision by losing the presidential elections of 1976.

Jimmy Carter, and George W Bush, were also among the ones who faced backlash by offering pardons to controversial people, although they were not their relatives.

Does that single out Joe Biden? The short answer is no.

Former US President Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother Roger Clinton in 2001 on his last day in the Oval Office.

Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, his daughter Ivanka's father-in-law, in 2020. Kushner, who was facing charges of tax evasion, is expected to serve as ambassador to Paris.

However, George Clinton and Charles Kushner both had served their jail time. The clemency provided them only with a clean record to move forward.

Hunter never served a day in prison as clemency came ahead of the court date when the punishment had to be announced.

Analyst Taqi while commenting on the legacy of Joe Biden, expressed his disappointment saying it showed he had no confidence in the integrity of the Justice Department.

After having two wars in Ukraine and Gaza to his name, Joe Biden's pardon would not “improve his image by any stretch of the imagination,” he said.