I will confess to not being surprised that President Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter. I figured that the temptation to help his son would outweigh his prior pledge, although I thought he might simply commute the sentence. I suspect that any parent in this situation would likely have done the same. I do believe that Hunter was treated differently by the system because he was the president’s son, even as I also acknowledge that he has benefitted from who his father is and has been.
I suspect, too, that it is difficult for Biden and his family to watch people like Charles Kushner receive a pardon for far more serious crimes and to also be rewarded with an ambassadorship to boot (to name just one example of the cavalcade of persons of questionable character being name to various executive positions).
However, I have profound concerns about the ramifications of this move. I fear it will deepen cynicism in the citizenry in ways that will make it all the harder to address growing corruption in Washinton because, well, “they all do it.” I fear it will embolden Trump and his allies. I fear that it is yet a bit more erosion under the foundation of our system. It feels like just more damage to the liberal order.
This is all incomplete commentary, but I wanted to get up at least a brief reaction given the importance of the news.
Biden’s statement and the text of the pardon can be found here.
