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.

  • PonyOfWar@pawb.social
    88·
    13 days ago

    That may all be perfectly true, but my point was more about how this case was treated by the democrats and their supporters. After the verdict, few people raised the points you just did. Instead, the narrative was all about how unlike republicans, democrats respected the law and would fully support the verdict. Biden himself even publicly ruled out a pardon.

    Now that the pardon actually happened, that is all immediately forgotten. The narrative changed and democrats expect their supporters to get in line. Trumpists have been doing that kind of thing every other day, but the democrats are starting to do it as well. That’s what worries me.

    • ubergeek@lemmy.todayEnglish
      1511·
      13 days ago

      It worries you?

      This is the line that worries you?

      Not the line drawn where the SCOTUS said the POTUS is above the law?

      Not the line drawn where a literal card carrying neonazi was appointed to the cabinet?

      Not the line drawn by Reich Wingers attempting a violent coup?

      Not the line drawn by literal Nazis marching in the streets in the US just this year?

      THIS is your moral line?

      • PonyOfWar@pawb.social
        71·
        13 days ago

        I can be worried about more than one thing at a time mate. And where did I ever say anything about a moral line? I obviously don’t approve of the fascist things the fascist party does and yes, they deeply worry me, despite not even living in the US. That doesn’t mean that the democrats are somehow absolved of all criticism and can’t do anything wrong.

        • ubergeek@lemmy.todayEnglish
          51·
          13 days ago

          So, overall, in the list of things that “worry you” this is so low, it barely registers, right?

          • btaf45@lemmy.world
            2·
            13 days ago

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich

            Does Donald Trainwreck’s pardon of this corrupt Democratic governor worry you? Did it register at all with you? No? The fact that people didn’t care about this makes me yawn about anybody saying they care about Hunter Biden’s way less serious thing get a pardon.

          • PonyOfWar@pawb.social
            21·
            13 days ago

            Obviously the bigger immediate problems will be what Trump gets up to in the next few years. But if there’s supposed to be a way out of this mess at some point, I think it’s also important for the democrats to be a strong opposition. They should provide an antithesis to Trumpist politics by showing honesty, integrity and consistency. Their justification for doing things should never be “but Trump did way worse”. Saying one thing and doing another might work out perfectly for Trump, but that doesn’t mean it will for the democrats. That may be unfair, but it is how it is. So the real worry is that I don’t think acting this way will win them another election, should there even be one.

            • ubergeek@lemmy.todayEnglish
              31·
              13 days ago

              There is only one way out of fascism, and it’s not by playing nice. Non-violent methods only work if the opposition has a conscience.

              • PonyOfWar@pawb.social
                2·
                13 days ago

                Didn’t say they should play nice. But a bit of nepotism definitely won’t contribute to getting out of fascism. Nor will justifying things based on whether the fascists are doing worse or trying to copy their oppenent’s tactics. All that will do is making people lose faith in their movement.

                • ubergeek@lemmy.todayEnglish
                  2·
                  13 days ago

                  People have already lost faith in the Dems… Why do you think so many people stayed home?

      • btaf45@lemmy.world
        3·
        13 days ago

        Outrage is what we should have all seen when Donald Trainwreck pardoned this corrupt Democratic governor for the sole reason of normalizing corruption. There is no Democrat who wanted him to do this.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Blagojevich

        Anybody who didn’t complain about that way more serious thing doesn’t have any reason to complain about this much less serious thing.

    • djsoren19@yiffit.net
      37·
      13 days ago

      Starting? If there’s one thing people should learn from the 2024 election, it’s that Blue MAGA exists and they’re just as stupid and easily manipulated as the people on the right.