Biden's pardon of son Hunter angers Democrats who defended the justice system from Trump

(Patria) - President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, but also from Democrats, who said the move sets a bad precedent and casts doubt on the judicial system they defended against attacks from President-elect Donald Trump.

Biden, a Democrat whose term ends on January 20, signed an unconditional pardon for Hunter (54) on Sunday, saying he believed his son had been selectively prosecuted and unfairly targeted by the president's political opponents. The White House said on Monday that Biden also feared his political opponents would continue to pursue the younger Biden in the future.

Biden had previously promised not to intervene in the two criminal convictions against his son. Many of his allies said they sympathized with the president's urge to help his troubled son, but could not support the move, Reuters reports.

"As a father, I understand. But as someone who wants people to believe in public service again, this is a step backward," wrote Ohio Congressman Greg Landsman, a Democrat, on X.

Democrats are still grappling with Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the November election, for which some blamed Biden (82) and his decision to remain in the race despite concerns about his age.

Trump has spent the last few years criticizing the US criminal justice system as a corrupt institution used by Democrats, after facing a series of investigations.

His candidates, including Kash Patel at the FBI, have vowed to overturn it and remove employees if confirmed.

Trump became the first US president to be convicted of a crime earlier this year when he was found guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star on the eve of the 2016 election. He is seeking to have the case dismissed after the sentencing delay and legal concerns about punishing a sitting president.

He also faced federal and state criminal charges for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 election results and the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Federal charges have been dismissed and the case in the state of Georgia is unlikely to proceed.

Democrats have often been the loudest and main defenders of the fairness and credibility of these criminal cases. Many say they now fear that Biden's pardon is muddying the political waters and threatens to make the party's previous defenses look hollow.

"President Biden's decision puts personal interest above duty and further erodes Americans' faith that the judicial system is fair and equal for all," said US Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado.

US Congressman Greg Stanton, a Democrat from Arizona, said he respected Biden, but the decision was a bad one.

"This was not a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed criminal acts, and he was convicted by a jury of his peers," Stanton said.

Former US Attorney General Eric Holder, who served under Democratic President Barack Obama, said on social media X that he defended Biden's move, arguing that no US prosecutor would have brought charges in this case given the facts. "After a five-year investigation, the revealed facts have only shown this. If his name were Joe Smith, the resolution would be more fundamental and fairer - a dismissal. The pardon is justified," Holder said.