As Trump plans to weaponize FBI, Biden had to pardon Hunter

Dec 06, 2024

Dr. Rashad Richey National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.

By Straight Arrow News

On Sunday, Dec. 1, President Joe Biden officially pardoned his son Hunter, who was due to be sentenced after being found guilty for tax evasion and for submitting false information on paperwork to obtain a firearm. Hunter has fully repaid the amount that he owed on his taxes. Joe Biden expressed his frustration and his belief that his son had been politically targeted, noting that these kinds of violations normally never make it to court in the first place. Critics, however, also noted the unusually broad nature of this particular pardon, with The New York Times editorial board warning that it sets “a dangerous precedent” for future abuses of the presidential pardon power.

Watch the above video as Straight Arrow News contributor Dr. Rashad Richey argues that while Biden had to pardon his son, knowing that Trump’s weaponized FBI and DOJ would go after him, the deeper question is whether U.S. presidents should have pardoning powers at all.

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The following is an excerpt from the above video:

There are people torn about Joe Biden, current President of the United States, making the decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden in his federal case. Now let’s provide context for this. Number one, Biden, the President of the United States, does have the authority to do so. Number two, it does scream, well, inappropriate, of course. But number three, Donald Trump, the most inappropriate and corrupt individual to ever occupy the White House, is coming back into the White House with his band of merry men, and Joe Biden’s son would be under the authority of that regime. I understand why Biden would pardon his son.

Now, Trump comes out and says that’s an abuse of power. That’s what Trump says. But wait a minute. Donald Trump has echoed that he may pardon those who committed acts of terrorism on that day, you know, Jan. 6, when individuals decided to storm the Capitol at the request of then-President Donald Trump. Hell, he made a mix tape with individuals who were incarcerated for such a crime. Has called them political hostages, even though their criminal activities are ever before us in video and picture.

Yeah, okay, let’s talk about something called framing the argument, or framing the debate. There are arguments politically that we engage in when the truth is we really disagree with the system rather than the action. Let me give an example. There are people torn about Joe Biden, current President of the United States, making the decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden in his federal case. Now let’s provide context for this. Number one, Biden, the President of the United States, does have the authority to do so. Number two, it does scream, well, inappropriate, of course. But number three, Donald Trump, the most inappropriate and corrupt individual to ever occupy the White House, is coming back into the White House with his band of married men, and Joe Biden’s son would be under the authority of that regime. I understand why Biden would pardon his son. Now, Trump comes out and says that’s an abuse of power. That’s what Trump says. But wait a minute. Donald Trump has echoed that he may pardon those who committed acts of terrorism on that day, you know, January 6, when individuals decided to storm the Capitol at the request of then President Donald Trump, hell, he made a mix tape with individuals who were incarcerated for such a crime. Has called them political hostages, even though their criminal activities are ever before us in video and picture, and let’s be frank, presidents have pardoned very questionable people, individuals who have given them money or connected to families that advocated for them and gave them a campaign check. My point is, there are worse pardons that have been issued than this one, and let’s not forget, while Donald Trump is saying this is an abuse of power, everyone knows good and damn well Trump would have made the same call. But see, Trump would have controlled the variables of the investigation from day one, rather than allowing an investigation to even be done now? Does this really impact anything? No Hunter Biden became the focal point of a political conversation because of his proximity to who Biden okay to President. Biden, don’t forget that it was Donald Trump who called a foreign leader, hoping that foreign leader would investigate Hunter Biden. While Trump was president of the United States, he withheld money from a foreign leader to investigate Hunter Biden. That is quite extreme, but see the real issue that people have with this is the fact that a president has this kind of authority, that is the crux of it. We’re arguing decision when we should be contemplating the righteousness or evil of the activity and allowance thereof. What say you you?