The White House brushed off on Thursday the suggestion of President Joe Biden pardoning his son, Hunter, after a judge placed a plea deal on hold.
“No,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in response to a reporter who asked if there was any possibility of a pardon. She quickly moved on to another question.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gave a definitive answer when asked whether President Joe Biden would pardon his son Hunter. pic.twitter.com/bLJcdbjz1u
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) July 27, 2023
Hunter Biden, 53, had agreed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to plead guilty to a pair of misdemeanor tax offenses and enter a pretrial diversion agreement for a felony firearm offense that could spare the first son from time in prison.
But, during a hearing on Wednesday, Delaware U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika put off a decision on the plea deal after raising concerns about the terms of the agreement.
Agents with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who have come forward with whistleblower testimony claim the criminal case led by Delaware’s U.S. Attorney David Weiss has been slow-walked in a way that precluded more serious charges against the younger Biden.
After the plea deal was announced last month, Republicans argued it was evidence of the DOJ going too easy on the president’s son, particularly as they work to investigate a pattern of millions of dollars flowing from foreign nationals to the Biden family under suspicious circumstances.
Former President Donald Trump, who is himself facing criminal charges, said the DOJ was handing “a mere traffic ticket” to Hunter Biden. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) said the “sweetheart plea deal” showed a “two-tiered system of justice.”
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Attorney General Merrick Garland has pushed back on claims of political interference while the DOJ has given Weiss, who has insisted he had “full authority” to bring charges, approval to testify to Congress.
Hunter Biden’s attorney, Christopher Clark, said last month that his client “believes it is important to take responsibility for these mistakes he made during a period of turmoil and addiction in his life” and “looks forward to continuing his recovery and moving forward.”
Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday that the president and first lady Jill Biden “love their son, and they support him as he continues to rebuild his life.” She also stressed that Hunter Biden is a private citizen and the criminal case was a “personal matter” for him. The press secretary diverted any further questions to the DOJ and to Hunter Biden’s legal team.