It didn’t take long for President Joe Biden’s critics to react to pardoning his son Hunter on Sunday.
The younger Biden was facing a possible prison sentence for federal felony gun and tax convictions when the president granted him a pardon, saying “raw politics” had caused him to be “treated differently.”
“Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” President-elect Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, referencing the hundreds of people who have been convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. “Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!”
One day after issuing the pardon, “no one is above the law” and White House press secretary “Karine Jean-Pierre” are both trending on the social media platform X. Over the summer, Biden said “no one is above the law,” referring to Trump, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that granted presidents broad immunity from prosecution. Jean-Pierre had also repeatedly insisted the president would not pardon his son.
“Joe Biden has lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities,” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, wrote on X. “President Biden and his family continue to do everything they can to avoid accountability.”
Some Democrats expressed understanding of Biden’s pardon, including Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., who said, "The president lost one son and would do anything he could for his remaining son. I'm in no way surprised as the father-son relationship is so strong."
Added Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., on X: “If you defended the 34x felon, who committed sexual assault, stole national security documents, and tried running a coup on his country…you can sit out the Hunter Biden pardon discussion."
First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.”
Other Democrats, however, were openly critical.
“I respect President Biden, but I think he got this one wrong,” Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., wrote on X. “This wasn’t a politically-motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers.”
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden “put personal interest ahead of duty” with a decision that “further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was “an improper use of power” that erodes faith in government and “emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests.”
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon “understandable” if viewed only as the “action of a loving father.” But Biden's status as “our nation's Chief Executive," the senator said, rendered the move “unwise.”
“This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden.
“When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” the governor continued, a reference to the president invoking fatherhood in explaining his decision. “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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.