DAN AND SHAWNEE, BACK TO YOU, INES. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS DECIDED TO PARDON HIS SON HUNTER. >> YEAH, THE PRESIDENT'S SON WAS

FACING POSSIBLE JAIL TIME FOR GUN AND TAX CONVICTIONS BEFORE THE PARDON, WHICH IS SOMETHING BIDEN PREVIOUSLY SAID HE WOULDN'T DO. LET'S GET RIGHT TO GOOD DAY'S ROBERT MOSES. HE

JOINS US IN STUDIO WITH MORE ON WHAT THIS ALL MEANS. ROBERT, GOOD MORNING TO SHAWNEE. >> AND DAN. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. HUNTER BIDEN HAD LONG BEEN IN THE THROES OF ADDICTION, BUT IN

A STATEMENT YESTERDAY HE SAID HE HAS BEEN CLEAN FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS NOW. HE HAS A CLEAN SLATE THANKS TO HIS FATHER, WHO AFTER INSISTING HE WOULD NOT PARDON HIM, MADE A JAW-DROPPING

REVERSAL. >> YOU KNOW, NOT PARDONING, NOT EVEN SIX MONTHS AFTER UTTERING THOSE WORDS, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN REVERSED COURSE AND ISSUED A FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL PARDON OF

HIS SON, HUNTER, WHICH WIPES AWAY HIS CONVICTIONS FOR ILLEGALLY BUYING A GUN, WHICH A JURY CONVICTED HIM OF IN JUNE. >> AND FOR TAX EVASION, WHICH HE

PLEADED GUILTY TO TAX CHARGES IN SEPTEMBER. THE CHARGES IN HIS CASES CAME ABOUT ONLY AFTER SEVERAL OF MY POLITICAL OPPONENTS IN CONGRESS INSTIGATED THEM TO ATTACK ME AND OPPOSE MY ELECTION, THE

PRESIDENT SAID LAST NIGHT. 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. IN HIS OWN STATEMENT, HUNTER BIDEN SAID I HAVE ADMITTED AND TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY MISTAKES DURING THE DARKEST DAYS OF MY ADDICTION. MISTAKES THAT HAVE

BEEN EXPLOITED TO PUBLICLY HUMILIATE AND SHAME ME AND MY FAMILY FOR POLITICAL SPORT. I WILL NEVER TAKE THE CLEMENCY I HAVE BEEN GIVEN TODAY FOR GRANTED AND WILL DEVOTE THE LIFE I HAVE REBUILT TO HELPING THOSE

WHO ARE STILL SICK AND SUFFERING. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP CALLED THE PARDON SUCH AN ABUSE AND MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE, AND HE INVOKED THE RIOTERS WHO STORMED THE CAPITOL

ON JANUARY 6TH, 2021, AT LEAST SOME OF WHOM HE HAS PROMISED TO PARDON. HUNTER BIDEN'S PARDON CAME ONE DAY AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP ANNOUNCED HIS PICK

FOR FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL, WHO HAS VOWED TO EXACT REVENGE ON THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S FOES. THIS IS HARDLY THE FIRST TIME AN OUTGOING PRESIDENT HAS PARDONED A RELATIVE. BILL CLINTON DID SO

FOR HIS HALF BROTHER ROGER, WHICH ERASED DRUG OFFENSES AND PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP PARDONED HIS SON-IN-LAW JARED KUSHNER'S FATHER, CHARLES, FOR TAX EVASION

AND OTHER OFFENSES. ON SATURDAY, THE PRESIDENT-ELECT NOMINATED CHARLES KUSHNER TO BE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE. WHAT'S UNIQUE HERE IS THAT HUNTER BIDEN'S

PARDON FOLLOWS STRENUOUS DENIALS FROM BOTH THE PRESIDENT AND THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY THAT SUCH A PLAN WAS IN THE WORKS. >> I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR. THE PRESIDENT'S BEEN VERY CLEAR WHEN

WE'VE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION. >> AND NOW A REVERSAL. PRESIDENT BIDEN GRANTED CLEMENCY TO HIS SON FOR ANY OFFENSES. QUOTE, HE HAS COMMITTED OR MAY HAVE COMMITTED OR TAKEN PART IN

DURING THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2014 THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST OF 2024. SO THAT'S NEARLY AN 11 YEAR PERIOD. AND THAT WORDING, THOSE DATES APPEAR TO HEAD OFF

President Biden pardons his son Hunter Biden

FOX 5 New York

President Biden Pardons His Son, Hunter Biden

President Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, for gun and tax convictions.

Hunter Biden faced potential jail time before the pardon.

Hunter Biden had been struggling with addiction but claimed to be clean for over five years.

Biden initially stated he would not pardon his son, but later reversed his decision.

The pardon covers convictions for illegally buying a gun and tax evasion.

Reactions and Statements Regarding the Pardon

President Biden stated that the charges were instigated by political opponents to attack him.

Biden believes Hunter was targeted solely because he is his son.

Hunter Biden acknowledged his mistakes and stated he will use the clemency to help others.

President-elect Trump criticized the pardon as an abuse of justice.

The pardon follows President-elect Trump's announcement of his FBI director pick.

Past presidents have pardoned relatives, including Bill Clinton and President-elect Trump.

Examples include Bill Clinton pardoning his half-brother and Trump pardoning his son-in-law's father.

The uniqueness lies in the contrast between prior denials and the subsequent pardon.

Both the President and White House Press Secretary previously denied plans for a pardon.

The pardon grants clemency for offenses committed between January 1st, 2014, and December 1st, 2024.

The broad timeframe aims to prevent potential future prosecutions.