Hunter Biden’s pardon ruins a key Democratic talking point about the justice system

President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son has undermined an argument Democrats have often made over the past two years.

In response to Republican claims that the government had been “a weapon” against them, such as when the Justice Department prosecuted Donald Trump, Democrats noted that the government was also prosecuting Hunter Biden without any interference or criticism for part of the president.

“Joe Biden never publicly questioned or questioned this prosecution,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said at a House Oversight Committee hearing last year, noting that Trump criticized the Justice Department for prosecuting his allies and then he gave them forgiveness before leaving office.

“President Biden’s traditional and scrupulous respect for the independence of the Department of Justice stands in stark contrast to Trump’s spectacular disregard for the rule of law,” Raskin said.

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing in June, Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) noted that both Trump and Hunter Biden had recently been tried and that Trump insisted his trial was rigged, while President Biden He said he would do it. accept the outcome of your child’s case. Biden also said, repeatedly, that he would not forgive his son.

“The way President Biden and Democrats reacted to a guilty verdict in a case against the president’s son was strikingly different from what we saw in terms of the reaction of former President Trump, his family, his allies and acolytes,” Escobar said. “Democrats are not attacking the institutions that are important to our democracy, but unfortunately Republicans are. And it is devastating for the future of our democracy.”

In another court hearing that month with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) approvingly noted the ongoing prosecution of Hunter Biden.

“One of the things that makes America great is that we are governed by law, not a cult of personality,” Lieu said. “And I want to thank you, Attorney General Garland, and the Department of Justice, for enforcing the law without fear or favor. And I note that as we sit here today, the Department of Justice is prosecuting Hunter Biden in federal court right now.”

In announcing Hunter Biden’s broad pardon on Sunday, the president for the first time criticized the criminal cases against his son, essentially denouncing the prosecutions as a witch hunt.

“From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the decision-making of the Department of Justice, and I kept my word even as I watched my son be selectively and unfairly prosecuted,” Biden said Sunday.

The younger Biden was facing prison time for illegally possessing a gun while addicted to drugs in 2018 and for failing to pay his taxes on time. He was awaiting sentencing this month after pleading guilty to the tax charges and being found guilty by a jury of the weapons charge. Experts have qualified the charges. unusual because the gun was not used in any crime and because Hunter late paid his taxes with the help of a wealthy benefactor.

Hunter initially struck a plea deal with prosecutors, but it fell apart last year amid heavy criticism from Republicans in Congress, who were simultaneously pursuing an impeachment inquiry alleging the president participated in his son’s business dealings. abroad and pulled strings to prevent prosecutors from pursuing more serious actions. charges.

“The charges in their cases arose only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Joe Biden wrote in his statement on the pardon. “I believe in the justice system, but while I have struggled with this, I also believe that crude politics has infected this process and led to a miscarriage of justice.”

Trump frequently complained that his own case was a miscarriage of justice personally directed by Biden. He faced federal charges for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for hoarding government documents after leaving office.

Of the charges of Trump, Biden and democrats It is often said: “No one is above the law.” Since Sunday, republicans they have been gleefully throwing the line in their faces.

“Do Democrats still think that no one is above the law?” Representative Darrell Issa (D-Calif.) saying.

Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said apparent exceptions to the “no one is above the law” mantra include Hunter Biden, “illegal aliens” and looting rioters.

Several Democrats also criticized the pardon, saying it will undermine faith in the rule of law as well as their own arguments about the importance of democratic traditions and institutions.

“He promised he wouldn’t do this,” said Rep. Jason Crow (D-Col.) told the New York Times. “I think it will be more difficult for us to move forward when we talk about defending democracy.”