Washington – President Biden announced late Sunday that he has signed clemency for his son Hunter Biden, in a major reversal in the final weeks of his presidency.
Mr Biden repeatedly pledged not to pardon his son, who was Pleaded guilty to three separate felony charges in June Related to his purchase of a revolver in 2018, when he was battling addiction to illegal drugs, which he lied about on paperwork to obtain the gun, and pleaded guilty nine tax evasion charges In a separate case, September.
“Today, I signed a letter of clemency for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with Justice Department decision-making, and I kept my word, even though I “The prosecution has been selective and unfair,” Mr Biden said in a statement on Sunday night.
The President argued that Hunter “was treated differently” than others in similar circumstances, claiming that the allegations “provoke a number of my political opponents in Congress to attack me and oppose my election”. Were installed after.
“No reasonable person looking at the facts of Hunter’s case can come to any other conclusion than that Hunter was singled out simply because he is my son — and that is wrong,” Mr. Biden said.
the White House Said As recently as last month, it was revealed that the President has no plans to pardon his son.
“I have acknowledged and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the worst days of my addiction – mistakes that were taken advantage of to publicly humiliate and embarrass me and my family for the sake of political game. “I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends,” Biden said in a statement Sunday night.
The president's son said, “I will never take for granted the pardon I have been granted today and will dedicate the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering.”
Biden was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12 on gun convictions and on Dec. 16 on tax evasion charges.
Biden was convicted on three felony gun charges That followed a proposed plea agreement with federal prosecutors in September, in which he would have pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and entered a diversion program rather than plead guilty to one count of felony gun possession. got separated,
He was accused of lying on paperwork and illegally purchasing and possessing a gun while he was addicted to crack cocaine. Federal law prohibits users of illicit drugs from possessing firearms.
Prosecutors said the president's son lied to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives about his drug use while purchasing a revolver and several other items from a Wilmington, Delaware, gun store on October 12, 2018. .
This is a developing story. It will be updated.