Despite the relentless reassurances from President Biden that his son, Hunter, wouldn’t be granted a free pass, in an unexpected twist, the commitment was abruptly abandoned. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confidentially admitted on Friday that the decision was considerably influenced by Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC), effectively shaking the public’s faith in the administration’s integrity.
At the tender age of 82, Biden found himself grappling with the difficult decision of whether to show political favouritism towards his son’s misdemeanours or uphold justice. Nevertheless, it was Clyburn’s intervention that proved to be the fulcrum, drastically tipping the scales in favour of Hunter.
Hunter Biden’s case tells a sordid story of neglect for the rule of law. In June, a federal jury pronounced the 54-year-old guilty on three felony counts, rooted in his fraudulent declaration on a 2018 gun purchase form, where he deceitfully insisted that he wasn’t using or hooked on drugs. The reality, however, painted a completely different picture, revealing his ongoing indulgence in crack cocaine.
The culmination of Hunter Biden’s legal proceedings had been slated for December 12th. Yet, due to the power play in the political landscape, the administration sought to pardon him before facing the consequences of his actions, thereby exhibiting a flagrant disregard for legal standards.
Veteran Democrat Clyburn, who has enjoyed a consistent influence over Biden, proved instrumental in this controversial choice. A couple of weeks prior, he had sincerely entreated the commander in chief to grant Hunter’s pardon, further reinforcing the partisan manoeuvrings within the administration.
The pardon of Hunter has unlocked a Pandora’s box, with Clyburn incessantly pressing the administration for the issuance of more pardons before the president’s departure. The South Carolina representative appears desperate to extend these questionable lifelines to other existing and former government officials, thereby undermining the administrative etiquette.
More shockingly, Clyburn unveiled a fresh attempt on Friday to shepherd White House officials into swaying Biden to proffer pre-emptive pardons. He fears that his associates could potentially find themselves in incoming President-elect Donald Trump’s potential crossfire, which poses many unfortunate questions about the integrity of Biden’s administration.
In yet another disappointing development, various publications this week have brought to light discussions that senior personnel in the Biden administration see a serious need for Biden to issue these pre-emptive pardons. This has been purportedly pushed forward to guard against Trump’s perceived onslaught on Biden loyalists.
Examples of those potentially benefitting from such pardons include Sen.-elect Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and retired Gen. Mark Milley. Both have been suggested to need the administration’s protective shield from any repercussions that may arise from their respective dissidental positions.
Clyburn didn’t just stop at protecting his comrades though. In a ludicrous and contentious twist, he signalled his intent to extend his charitable pardon campaign even to Trump himself before his inauguration, ignoring the deepened political trenches between them.
This astonishing move comes in light of the 78-year-old Trump recently being found guilty of criminal fraud charges in a case involving hush-money and adult film actress Stormy Daniels in New York. Yet, Trump’s sentencing has been halted as the judge reverberates on whether to proceed, given Trump’s imminent return to the White House.
These bizarre series of events only serve to flag the declining integrity within the administration under Biden’s leadership. His readiness to abandon established norms and values to protect favourites from the due course of law paints a bleak picture for future politics.
The manipulative manoeuvring of the justice system will likely have deep-rooted impacts on the public’s trust in the country’s democratic ideals. The messages being sent by such decisions threaten to encourage a culture of illicitness, where political connections supersede legal obligations.
The idea of pardoning someone before they even set foot in the Oval Office adds another layer of controversy. The willingness to do this serves to shelter that person from the consequences of their actions, disregarding any notions of fairness and justice in the process.
The current environment appears to suggest a convenient brand of justice, one that protects the powerful and leaves the less powerful subjected to the full impairments of the law. This is a disturbing path for any administration to tread and opens up the Biden administration to justified criticisms of favoritism and biased justice.
These occasions are a stark reminder of the desperate need for our politicians to remain committed to their words and maintain their integrity. Otherwise, our trust, the very bedrock of democracy, stands to erode carelessly into thin air while we watch helplessly.