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Imagine you are an 82-year-old parent whose 54-year-old son was criminally convicted for the first time and is facing a sentence of up to 17 years in prison. Now add to the picture that the newly elected president and members of Congress have stated that they intend to use the justice system to go after perceived enemies, with particular attention being paid to your son, meaning your son could remain a perpetual target in the years ahead, long after you, as the loving parent, are gone—no longer able to protect and support your child.
As a lawyer who has defended politicians, I can attest that there are prosecutions that are politically motivated or in which politics plays a role in charging and sentencing. I can understand President Joe Biden’s fears about Hunter’s future given that the incoming administration has singled out Hunter. Hunter had a future of continuing to be the red meat fed to the MAGA base.
This was the dilemma faced by the president, who refrained from participating or meddling in the prosecution of his son until it became clear that President-elect Donald Trump intends to use the justice system as a tool of retribution. I fully understand a father stepping forward to protect his son, and I support Biden’s action. In fact, if he had done nothing, I would have been disappointed. That Joe Biden put aside what was best for his legacy to do what was best for his son is not surprising. That’s just who Joe Biden is.
The pardon by President Biden of Hunter Biden was not done for personal gain for the benefit of the president, nor does Hunter Biden present any threat of future harm, unlike those Trump pardoned. Further, given the most recent election, the American people declared they do not really care whom a president pardons.
During the campaign, Trump declared he intends to pardon the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Before the end of his first term, Trump pardoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (public corruption), Michael Milken (securities law), former Sheriff Joe Arpaio (criminal contempt of court), Dinesh D’Souza (illegal campaign contribution), former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik (tax fraud and false statements), Paul Manafort (false tax returns, bank fraud, failure to disclose a foreign bank account), Roger Stone (impeding a congressional inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election), Gen. Michael Flynn (false statements regarding conversations with the Russian ambassador), Stephen K. Bannon (contempt) and George Papadopoulos (lying to the FBI about contacts with Russian intermediaries). The last five also happened to be Trump campaign staffers or top political advisers who could have testified against Trump.
Trump also pardoned seven Republican congressmen who were convicted of crimes and 10 health care executives and physicians convicted of Medicare fraud. He also pardoned Charles Kushner (illegal campaign contribution, tax evasion and witness tampering), the father-in-law of Ivanka Trump and a disbarred lawyer who is Trump’s current pick to serve as ambassador to France. Speculation has already begun regarding whom Trump plans to pardon once he takes office.
The bottom line is this: Americans elected Trump president with no apparent concern regarding his record of pardons. No one should have a problem with a father stepping in to save his son. President Biden acted out of love. Forgiving this action is the least we can do as a country for a man who has always placed this country first.•
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Celestino-Horseman is an Indianapolis attorney. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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So, Hunter was pardoned back to 2014 which, oddly, corresponded to the time he spent on the Burisma Board when daddy had the prosecutor, investigating Burisma, fired!!
Hear no evil, see no evil…..we’re not that stupid lady!
Q: Is there any limit on the number of crimes, wars, election frauds – the list goes on and on – that Democrats will not dismiss with: “Orange man bad”?
A: No. And anyone who disagrees is a stooge of Putin.
The projection is strong in this one.
I have no problem with a pardon of the tax case or the gun possession arrest. What I do have a big problem with is the pardon from the big issue of funds the Biden family possibly received from Burisma from 2014 till now. Pardoning judges who incarcerate children for pay and municipal comptrollers who embezelled 10’s of millions is also problematic. Your politics are showing.