The meaningful aspect of the Hunter pardon is the eleven-year "all crimes committed" scope. This is unprecedented, and it makes clear that Joe was really pardoning himself.
Especially after that absurd plea deal they tried to get away with 18 months ago. Same deal - "immunity for all other crimes".
t’s worth noting that while Hunter has faced relentless scrutiny for his personal struggles, Donald Trump’s children—Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric—have skirted accountability despite serious allegations of criminal activity. These include defrauding investors in Trump real estate projects, violating campaign finance laws through unreported donations, and misusing charitable funds from the Trump Foundation (which was shut down after a court found it repeatedly broke the law). Yet, none of these cases were pursued with the same fervor as Hunter’s relatively minor charges.
Right, allegations that have never risen to the level of investigation or prosecution. Why is that? On the other hand, Hunter Biden was convicted of three federal firearms felonies, and he pled guilty to tax evasion. And you call that “personal struggles”? That’s really a laugh. He’s a garbage human being who’s lucky enough to have a father with pardon power. Trump’s kids have never been charged with one single, solitary crime. So there’s no comparison. None.
You have pointed out a significant problem for the Biden family. Now that Hunter has been granted an unlimited pardon, he is legally precluded from using the protections of the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying about matters pertaining to Biden family escapades. The Biden family member most at risk is Joe Biden’s brother James who engaged in business dealings with Hunter many of which might have been nefarious in nature. If supoened to testify about his dealings with his uncle, Hunter would have to testify truthfully. If he refused to testify or if he testified dishonestly, he would put himself in legal jeopardy that the pardon issued by his father would not pre-empt.
I believe that James Biden could be in quite a bit of trouble as a result of this. If he wants to preclude that possibility, Joe Biden will have to pardon his brother as well. If he does, the political fall-out could be severe.
Trump will almost surely pardon some or all of the January 6th defendants or offer them clemency. That will also instigate quite a bit of political fall-out but I'm quite sure Trump (who can't run again) wont care. At the very least, the Hunter pardon and the James Biden pardon if it occurs, will offer some political innoculation for Trump’s pardons of the January 6th defendants who were treated so shabbily.
The Biden family has excellent attorneys. Hunter’s lawyer is Abbie Lowell who is one of the finest lawyers in the United States. If I had aa being pursued by the Justice Department, he would be the person I would want to defend me. Of course, he doesn't work cheap. I could never afford him.
I'd bet the house that the Biden family thought deeply with Abbie Lowell’s help about how the Hunter pardon might impact James Biden and other Biden family members. It seems they concluded that the likelihood that Hunter would spend somewhere between 12-36 months in a federal minimum security prison was more important than a risk that James Biden or other Biden family members might be at risk from Hunter being required to testify somewhere down the line. After all, the imprisonment of Hunter was almost certain while the potential indictment of James Biden and other Biden’s is purely speculative.
It will be interesting to see what other pardons Joe Biden makes. I would bet that he issues a preemptive pardon of Merrick Garland to protect him from a contempt of congress indictment.
This is pure speculation on my part but I suspect that if Joe Biden hadn't pardoned Hunter, Trump would have. I have four reasons for thinking this;
1) Trump is on record commenting on all of this. During the campaign, he was asked specifically if he would pardon Hunter. The usual voluble Trump responded that it would be inappropriate to comment but he called the whole thing a tragedy.
2) Trumps older brother, Fred, was an alcoholic who ultimately died from his affliction. I believe that Trump has great sympathy for addicts and Hunter was clearly an addict.
3) Hunter was prosecuted by a Special Counsel. Trump was also charged in both South Florida and Washington, DC by a Special Counsel. I suspect Trump hates the idea of Special Counsels and would be happy to overturn the conviction of Hunter won by a Special Counsel.
4) There would have been no better way for Trump to “own the Dems” than pardoning the son of his predecessor.
I suspect Abbie Lowell thought all of this but ultimately decided that the Hunter pardon was the way to go.
The meaningful aspect of the Hunter pardon is the eleven-year "all crimes committed" scope. This is unprecedented, and it makes clear that Joe was really pardoning himself.
Especially after that absurd plea deal they tried to get away with 18 months ago. Same deal - "immunity for all other crimes".
t’s worth noting that while Hunter has faced relentless scrutiny for his personal struggles, Donald Trump’s children—Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric—have skirted accountability despite serious allegations of criminal activity. These include defrauding investors in Trump real estate projects, violating campaign finance laws through unreported donations, and misusing charitable funds from the Trump Foundation (which was shut down after a court found it repeatedly broke the law). Yet, none of these cases were pursued with the same fervor as Hunter’s relatively minor charges.
https://open.substack.com/pub/patricemersault/p/an-open-letter-to-president-biden?r=4d7sow&utm_medium=ios
Right, allegations that have never risen to the level of investigation or prosecution. Why is that? On the other hand, Hunter Biden was convicted of three federal firearms felonies, and he pled guilty to tax evasion. And you call that “personal struggles”? That’s really a laugh. He’s a garbage human being who’s lucky enough to have a father with pardon power. Trump’s kids have never been charged with one single, solitary crime. So there’s no comparison. None.
I love the deranged howls from lefties: "Trump is the devil, etc"; where are they now?
But the derangement ran deep.
One question.
Can Hunter still take the 5th in interrogations since "self incrimination" has no consequences?
He would make a wonderful witness under threat of perjury.
Gloating aside.
Our country has just taken another step on the road to being a banana republic.
You have pointed out a significant problem for the Biden family. Now that Hunter has been granted an unlimited pardon, he is legally precluded from using the protections of the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying about matters pertaining to Biden family escapades. The Biden family member most at risk is Joe Biden’s brother James who engaged in business dealings with Hunter many of which might have been nefarious in nature. If supoened to testify about his dealings with his uncle, Hunter would have to testify truthfully. If he refused to testify or if he testified dishonestly, he would put himself in legal jeopardy that the pardon issued by his father would not pre-empt.
I believe that James Biden could be in quite a bit of trouble as a result of this. If he wants to preclude that possibility, Joe Biden will have to pardon his brother as well. If he does, the political fall-out could be severe.
Trump will almost surely pardon some or all of the January 6th defendants or offer them clemency. That will also instigate quite a bit of political fall-out but I'm quite sure Trump (who can't run again) wont care. At the very least, the Hunter pardon and the James Biden pardon if it occurs, will offer some political innoculation for Trump’s pardons of the January 6th defendants who were treated so shabbily.
The Biden family has excellent attorneys. Hunter’s lawyer is Abbie Lowell who is one of the finest lawyers in the United States. If I had aa being pursued by the Justice Department, he would be the person I would want to defend me. Of course, he doesn't work cheap. I could never afford him.
I'd bet the house that the Biden family thought deeply with Abbie Lowell’s help about how the Hunter pardon might impact James Biden and other Biden family members. It seems they concluded that the likelihood that Hunter would spend somewhere between 12-36 months in a federal minimum security prison was more important than a risk that James Biden or other Biden family members might be at risk from Hunter being required to testify somewhere down the line. After all, the imprisonment of Hunter was almost certain while the potential indictment of James Biden and other Biden’s is purely speculative.
It will be interesting to see what other pardons Joe Biden makes. I would bet that he issues a preemptive pardon of Merrick Garland to protect him from a contempt of congress indictment.
This is pure speculation on my part but I suspect that if Joe Biden hadn't pardoned Hunter, Trump would have. I have four reasons for thinking this;
1) Trump is on record commenting on all of this. During the campaign, he was asked specifically if he would pardon Hunter. The usual voluble Trump responded that it would be inappropriate to comment but he called the whole thing a tragedy.
2) Trumps older brother, Fred, was an alcoholic who ultimately died from his affliction. I believe that Trump has great sympathy for addicts and Hunter was clearly an addict.
3) Hunter was prosecuted by a Special Counsel. Trump was also charged in both South Florida and Washington, DC by a Special Counsel. I suspect Trump hates the idea of Special Counsels and would be happy to overturn the conviction of Hunter won by a Special Counsel.
4) There would have been no better way for Trump to “own the Dems” than pardoning the son of his predecessor.
I suspect Abbie Lowell thought all of this but ultimately decided that the Hunter pardon was the way to go.
Good question re the Fifth. I assume not but hey, I’m not an attorney.