Biden said Hunter’s cases came about after several of his political opponents instigated them to oppose his election
By Kehinde Okeowo
The 46th United States President, Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, after he was convicted in two separate federal cases earlier this year.
His decision to pardon his son was made known by the White House on Sunday night.
Hunter, 54, had pleaded guilty in a separate felony tax case in September.
He was also found guilty of making a false statement in a gun case.
Biden, however, decided to exercise his discretionary power by granting him pardon.
“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” the president wrote in a statement.
The 82-year-old US president, who is in the final weeks of his presidency before Trump takes office on January 20, had repeatedly said he wouldn’t pardon his son.
“I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,” President Biden added in Sunday’s statement.
“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.
“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” he also said.
Hunter after pleading guilty to tax evasion charge, was facing up to 17 years in prison. He was also facing 25 years in prison for a separate gun charge.