The decision, which was first reported by NBC News, is a reversal for the president, who repeatedly said he would not use his authority to pardon his son or commute his sentence.

Summary

President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, reversing his prior stance against using executive clemency.

The pardon covers Hunter’s federal gun conviction and tax evasion guilty plea, sparking political controversy.

Biden cited political attacks and a “miscarriage of justice” as reasons for his decision, emphasizing his son’s recovery from addiction and the targeting of his family.

Critics argue the move undermines the judicial process, while supporters view it as within Biden’s constitutional powers.

This decision shields Hunter from potential prison time as Biden nears the end of his presidency.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    610·
    13 days ago

    I’m not a lawyer, but I thought the way it worked was that the prosecutor offers the plea bargain and the accused accepts but it’s still up to the judge’s discretion whether that accepted plea bargain goes through, meaning that the system was working as it always works and it wasn’t some sort of special persecution deal.

    • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
      312·
      13 days ago

      The judge almost never throws out a plea bargain - and it’s almost unheard of for one to throw it out for not being harsh enough.

      They’re more often rejected for thing like a plea bargain where the case should be dismissed entirely or the defendant has a very good chance of winning or securing a lesser conviction at trial. Judges are supposed to err on the side of leniency.

      Rejecting a plea bargain because a charge that is almost never prosecuted is being dismissed is judicial malpractice.

      The gun crime he was convicted for is one that anyone who has ever smoked pot is guilty of if they ever touched a gun before quitting pot entirely.

      If a resident of Colorado eats a gummy legally and has a gun in the safe at home, they’ve committed the same crime.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
        121·
        13 days ago

        If Conservatives cared about this law, all they would have to do is pull dispensary ID logs and probably a tenth or more of all gun applicants could be arrested. But they don’t do that because people don’t care, and they just want another law they can apply selectively.