this post was submitted on 02 Dec 2024
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Summary

President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter Biden, prompting strong backlash from Republicans.

GOP lawmakers criticized the move as an abuse of power and an attempt to avoid accountability, with figures like Rep. James Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley calling it hypocritical and corrupt.

Biden defended the pardon, citing “selective prosecution” and claiming Hunter was unfairly targeted due to their family connection.

Hunter faced convictions for federal gun and tax charges.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Wow, they can’t even see far enough ahead to when their side is pardoning all the toadies. Shaking my head.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Na… they see exactly that. This is theatrical hand waving so they’ll be able to point to a counter example where the “Dems did the same thing!”

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

just frothing up their base who itsn't informed enough to know what's really up

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

Biden had all the justification he needed when Trump indicated he'd target his political opponents if he won.

Anyone complaining about this can fuck off.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

I’m not pleased at the prospect of Republicans doing the same thing in four years, after the corruption of Trump’s second term, and then pointing their fingers at this… but, to anyone with half a brain and at least one eye… Hunter wasn’t in politics, wasn’t directly appointed to his staff or a representative in any fashion within the White House, and the gun and tax crimes are small fries compared to anything the Trump family and stooges are or have been up to.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Prospect? Trump handed out pardons like candy to far worse people who happened to aligned with his politics. After 8 years of seeing Trump rat-fuck norms and laws and precedent and unjustly go after his family and get away with everything, while everyone else tries to play by the rules, Biden is probably asking himself why he has to let his son risk prison when he knows everyone in the incoming administration wouldn't even give a second thought to pardoning.

I don't support it, but I get it. This is the kind of shit America voted for, right?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Haven't seen this linked yet so I'll leave it here: https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-joseph-biden-2021-present - (25 pardons, 26 pardons including Hunter) https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-donald-j-trump-2017-2021 - (144 pardons)

(Got distracted counting Trumps pardons, may be off by a few)

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

whataboutism

And those "small fries" were illegally buying a firearm and skirting $1,400,000 in federal taxes.

And I thought we were the guys who wanted stronger gun control and the rich to pay their taxes?? Does that go out the window when it's one of "ours"?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I’m not saying I agree with the decision, but as Biden, would you really want your son somewhere Trump could immediately fuck with him as soon as he wanted? Had Kamala won this would absolutely be a dumbass decision. With Trump incoming… I get it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Who cares about what happens to Hunter "10% for The Big Guy" Biden? Maybe I'm just some poor peon who doesn't understand how the ultra-wealthy are, but "lying during a gun purchase and not paying $1,400,000 in federal taxes" seem like pretty avoidable crimes to me.

This is such an awful thing for Biden to do. The "both sides" folk are going to have a time with this for the next four years and they'll be absolutely right in this case.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

“10% for the big guy”

With that one phrase you’ve gone FULL mask off lmao. You are the epitome of “both sides r the same”.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm of the, apparently wildly fascistic, opinion that vice presidents' sons shouldn't sell off their father's influence to foreign nationals.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Yep that's a mask off to reveal the trumptard face moment. Trump supporters are garbage and we will remember who is one for quite some time.

Personally I'm boycotting any business with visible Trump support, and I make it a point to tell their staff that I won't be back and the reason why. Last time I had to do this I told them their Trump shit was fucking disgusting and I would never be back.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Absolutely right?

Dems did it once, Republicans live in this shit.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

See: "whataboutism"

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Based on how those crimes have been enforced, yes. The federal gun charge that says a drug addict cannot own a gun is rarely enforced historically and is being challenged in the courts by Republicans because the DOJ started using it against white supremacists. Yet Hunter Biden wasn't even allowed a plea deal because of the politics around him. As for the taxes, when he was caught, he paid them and the fines associated with them. For literally anyone else caught doing the same, that is the end of it. No jail time or further penalties.

Joe Biden tried to let the courts do their job and trusted that the courts would be fair. They weren't. This was clearly a political prosecution and I would have done the same in (Joe) Biden's shoes.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

The federal gun charge that says a drug addict cannot own a gun is rarely enforced historically

And yet it's still a felony. I thought we were the ones who support strong gun regulation?

wasn’t even allowed a plea deal

No one is entitled to a plea deal. For the severity of Hunter's crimes, I'm fine with it.

As for the taxes, when he was caught, he paid them

Keyphrase: "When he was caught." He was just fine stealing the $1.4m from Americans otherwise.

Joe Biden tried to let the courts do their job and trusted that the courts would be fair. They weren’t.

That's not how it works and you know this is going to literally be Trump's argument on Day One when he starts pardoning his supporters, right?

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Compared to the shit Flynn, Manafort, Stone, etc were doing? Yeah, small fry.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Roger Stone, Steve Banon, Dinesh D'Souza all sorts of other crony based pardons were already done in Trumps last term.

Your Pearl Clutching the inevitable is ridiculous, and out of line.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Ooof, you went from my comment being just slightly irritated that he did it when he could have not done it and better served the Democratic Party by keeping his hands out of and showing that the Dems can do and be better, just a small gripe but that I understand anyway… to blasting me for ‘pearl clutching’? Ok, I guess.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Don Jr did cocaine in public at the recent Space X launch and not a peep out of the mainstream media, much less police.

If a policeman saw a black man outside a night club do what Don Jr did, he would have been arrested on the spot and immediately thrown in jail.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

There’s no disagreement from me, before you made this comment or after.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Prospect? Where have you been? Did you miss when Trump pardoned Jared Kushner's father?

Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner [Jared Kushner's father] discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation.

Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said.

In fact, this man who "pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering" has now been nominated to be Ambassador to France by Trump. There is no "prospect of Republicans doing the same thing in four years." They've been doing it for the last 40+ years already. You just haven't been paying attention.

It's about time the Democrats got of their damn high horse and got down in the mud and started fighting like they mean it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Did you forget Trump pardoning several war criminals and others in his cabinet who directly worked with foreign adverse governments?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

No, but America did and America will forget again. The only thing that matters is the freshest thing their opponent did, the one that gets the most media, and my small gripe about this, which should barely be an issue to begin with, is that the Republicans will blow it out of proportions and use it to excuse themselves for corruption and treason.

It’s a gripe. I understand why he did it. I understand the last guy did worse. But, I still reserve the right to complain a little.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

The Reich Wingers never needed an excuse for corruption so far. What makes you think they need one now?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

It's a show.

They know that under standard circumstances there would have been no charges, let alone jail time. But, his name is Biden and they needed to prosecute and get their pound of flesh. Now, when Trump pardons violent felons and murders, as he has done before, they can point to Biden. As if tax evasion is a simular crime.

Performative theatre aided by the media.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

These two posts on my front page right beside each other.

Get fucked Republicans. You have no moral high ground here.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I sorta dont blame them... Its not right, but I dont blame them.

Now, with return of darth cheeto and his ultra loyal crew of apointees, its now a priority to not have any active cases for the saftey of the biden family. 47 may seek vengance for any percieved offense, and the bidens going forward should not expect the DOJ to behave in the interest of justice for a few years.

The GOP can seethe and cope all they want, they laid the groundwork for this use of behaivior and uncle joe has not used it (at great expense to his sons future prospects, being national news for this long cant be healthy) up until this point.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Good. Fuckem. I’d be pissed about it, too, if we had something resembling justice in this country. Let them have aneurysms.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Conveniently forgetting the fact Trump has literally thousands of pardons lined up for when he gets back in office

How does that saying go? Something like "if they didn't have double standards they'd have no standards at all"

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Many of the same liberals who have been browbeating me over the past several years with their insistence that they are NOT the same as the Trump Republicans, are excusing this.

You're right, liberals. Once again you prove that you are not the same as the Trumpists. Even with this pardon, you do continue to be better than them. You're better than terrible. You're better than horrible, better than abysmal, ever so slightly better than abhorrent. Congratulations.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Die mad about it, Republicans!

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Everyone needs to play the same game they do.

Is it hypocritical, yeah probably, does he have any reason to answer for it? Naw

Trump just put Kusher in a role .. a person he pardoned for ... "preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation, and making false statements to the FEC" per his own statement.

Right.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

I would have felt better if Biden was more honest about this. "Yes, this is a blatant abuse of my power, and shouldn't be allowed, but it is squarely within my Official Duties. The Supreme Court says that the only remedy is impeachment. Hey, Mike, I double-dog dare ya to do it!"

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think Biden should use his pardon power for good. I don't have a huge problem with this, but I want him to do something unexpected. Biden should pardon all the married immigrants after his program was recently shot down in court. For those that don't know, Many immigrants are married to US citizens, but cannot achieve citizenship that you normally would be able to do. It hinges on entering the country Illegally, which requires them to leave for up to 10 years before re applying for citizenship. Biden could pardon the "crime" of illegal entry, this removing the INS statue of not allowing them citizenship.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

See the problem with that is. While the president can try to pardon unlawful entry, unlawful entry is a civil offense, meaning, you aren't even entitled to a court appointed lawyer. So the supreme court might try to weigh in on pardons for civil offenses.

But even if the pardon is all legit and pass the supreme court, it doesn't matter, in immigration law, all arrests, all convictions, any juvenile proceeding within the past 5 years, are all visible to USCIS and they are legally allowed to consider them when determining whether or not to allow someone to enter the US, whether or not to deport them, or whether or not to allow adjustment of legal status. Yes ALL records, even pardoned, even if sealed or expunged by court, they see everything. You can visit the USCIS website and see for yourself.

Edit: And oh, even if you are never arrested, but the FBI investigated you a few times, USCIS might have access to those and if the FBI agents wrote bad things on your file, you might have problems with immigration or naturalization. Yea its quite fucked up, but it is what it is.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

Would this pardon allow Hunter full ability to leave the US and enter into other countries? Because I can totally see Biden doing this as a move to get all of his family out of harms way once Trump takes office and I don't blame them one bit. The Republicans have been very vocal about their vengeance and honestly if this was the reasoning behind the pardon it would be the first time since the election that we've seen the president taking the threat we all face seriously.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (14 children)

I seriously think he should do a LOT of other shitty things Trump set the precedent for. Like perhaps seriously abuse that presidential pardon thing that Trump invented.

Like, I don't know, I'm just brainstorming here, perhaps order the assassinations of the future president and all of the key people circling around him. And then just go all Jesse Pinkman, "yeah! presidential immunity bitch!".

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

I’m not happy about it either. It’s an abuse of power, no matter whose side the guy is on. This just further degrades the office of the president into a self-serving free-for-all.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Well, y'all mfuckers put a convicted felon, a rapist, a fraudster and a con artist as your president, so shut the fuck up.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

You forgot the worst one, which is "fascist wanna-be dictator."

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

And the worst part, these are all the same person!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Fuck 'em. Let them fume. This is the party that wants to let the terrorists from Jan 6 off with a pardon. The party that thinks donvict can do no wrong.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

In a perfect world I'd say he needs to let the system work and nobody is above the law, yada yada yada. Clearly this world and country are horribly fucked. For YEARS Republicans have been using the term "Biden Family" to make them sound like some kind of crime syndicate, coming up with "ominous facts" that were not indicative of any actual crime, held an impeachment over President Bidens head for years, distributed naked pictures of Hunter, and interfered with what would've been a simple plea deal, all the while trying to downplay the most corrupt presidency in our history.

Fuck the norms. Fuck ethics. Fuck propriety. The new America requires you to use every tool at your disposal just to get your most basic fucking rights. If Republicans think this is such an abuse of power they can do their fucking jobs for once in their lives and pass some fucking ethics reform. I applaud Joe's embrace of the new normal and I hope other Democrats figure out this is the new normal, whether they like it or not, and stop playing pussyfoot with a party that's been playing "kick the groin" for over 30 years.

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