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Indian American lawmakers criticize Biden's pardon for son
The pardon, a reversal of the President’s earlier stance against using executive authority for personal matters, has sparked political and public controversy.
Indian American lawmakers Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Shri Thanedar. / Facebook
Indian American lawmakers Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Shri Thanedar have sharply criticized President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden on Dec.1.
The pardon, a reversal of the President’s earlier stance against using executive authority for personal matters, has sparked political and public controversy.
President Biden, defending his action, said in a statement, "I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."
Rep. Ro Khanna, writing on X (formerly Twitter), expressed empathy for Biden’s personal struggles but called for systemic reforms. "Democrats should have been for reforming and curtailing pardon power from Day 1 of the Biden Presidency. As a father, I empathize with President Biden, but we must be the party of reform whether it’s about the archaic pardon power, opposing super PACs or broad war powers," he posted.
Rep. Shri Thanedar took a more critical stance, stating, "As a father, I understand the deep struggle President Biden had when making the decision to pardon his son. But, as a member of Congress, I would never allow my family to come before my country. The pardon was wrong and will only further embolden Donald Trump and his allies."
The pardon grants Hunter Biden “full and unconditional” legal forgiveness for any offenses committed between Jan.1, 2014, and Dec.1, 2024, according to the White House statement. This decision nullifies upcoming sentencing hearings for his federal gun charge conviction and tax evasion case, which were slated for Dec.12 and 16, respectively.
Hunter Biden faced a potential 42 years in prison for two separate cases. He was convicted in June for illegally purchasing a firearm while using crack cocaine, a violation of federal law prohibiting drug users from owning guns. Additionally, in September, he pleaded guilty to failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019.
The pardon effectively cancels these sentences, which legal experts believe would likely have been served concurrently. Biden’s son has reportedly been sober for the past five years.
Reactions and political fallout
Former President Donald Trump condemned the pardon on Truth Social, calling it “such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” Critics have suggested the pardon could fuel partisan divides, with some viewing it as a misuse of presidential power.
Under the US Constitution, a presidential pardon provides legal forgiveness for federal offenses, nullifying potential penalties, but it has often been a subject of controversy, especially in high-profile cases involving personal or political connections.
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