U.S. President Joe Biden has announced he will issue a pardon for his son Hunter Biden, who has been convicted of tax evasion and illegal gun possession.
In a statement, Biden said his son was “selectively and unfairly prosecuted”.
Hunter was due to be sentenced for both sets of convictions this month.
Under the U.S. Constitution, Presidents have the power to ‘pardon’ a person convicted by a Federal Court. It doesn’t remove their conviction, but can mean they don’t serve a prison sentence.
Statement
In a statement explaining his decision, Biden said he believed Hunter was treated differently because he’s the President’s son.
“No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” Biden said.
“I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice”.
Tax charges
In September, Hunter pleaded guilty to a string of tax fraud charges in the state of California.
Californian prosecutors accused Hunter of failing to pay more than $US1 million in taxes, and instead spending that money on an “extravagant lifestyle”.
He was also accused of falsely claiming certain business deductions in order to pay a lower rate of tax.
Hunter eventually paid around $US2 million in taxes and penalties.
The President said the way Hunter’s tax case played out was an example of him being “treated differently”.
“Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions,” Biden said.
Hunter was facing a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for the tax charges.
Gun charges
In June, Hunter was convicted of lying on a background check to buy a gun, and illegally possessing a firearm.
The court found he “knowingly” made a “false and fictitious written statement” and intended to “deceive” a firearms dealer in the state of Delaware in 2018.
Hunter claims he never used the gun, and discarded it in a public bin 11 days after he bought it.
