HUNTER Biden’s surprise guilty plea in September was allegedly part of a pre-arranged agreement with his father to secure a pardon months later.
Sources close to the White House claim the plea and the subsequent pardon were planned well in advance, despite the President’s earlier promise to stay uninvolved in his son’s legal matters.
The “full and unconditional” pardon applies to any other crimes which Hunter committed between 2014 and this year.
In June, Hunter Biden, 54, faced a legal setback when a judge rejected a plea deal on federal gun charges.
White House-connected sources told TMZ that President Biden, 82, became “agitated” by the decision, reportedly believing his son was being unfairly politicized.
By September, Hunter surprised many by pleading guilty to tax evasion charges in what TMZ describes as an “open plea” — a move where no sentencing deal was made with prosecutors.
He was charged with failing to pay more than $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019.
According to TMZ’s sources, Hunter’s guilty plea was made with the understanding that President Biden would later pardon him.
Sources allege that the father-son duo’s plan was finalized months ago, despite public assurances from President Biden that he would not intervene.
On Sunday, the President issued a formal pardon for Hunter, defending his decision by claiming the justice system treated his son differently due to his family ties.
In a White House statement, Biden asserted that similar offenses by others often result in lighter penalties.
But critics accuse him of going back on his promise to avoid interfering in Hunter’s legal troubles.
Shameless Biden claimed his son was “unfairly prosecuted” as he announced his drastic decision.
The outgoing US leader had said in June he would not pardon former crack addict Hunter after he was convicted of three firearm charges.
He said at the time: “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.”
Following Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential election last month, the White House again ruled out a pardon.
HUNTER Biden has long hit headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Below is a timeline with the main dates from his downfall:
2014: He is discharged from Navy Reserve after testing positive for cocaine use
2015: Hunter has a relapse of alcohol addiction following brother Beau’s death
2016: His addiction spirals into crack cocaine use
2017: Hunter starts dating his brother’s widow after his divorce
October 2018: He buys a .38 caliber handgun from a shop in Wilmington, claiming he was not on drugs at the time
2019: Hunter leaves laptop with ‘alarming’ and ’embarrassing’ content on at computer repair shop
2020: Hunter reveals he is under investigation by the Justice Department
September 2023: Hunter is charged over lying about drug use in connection with buying a handgun in 2018
December 2023: Federal grand jury charges Hunter with a scheme to evade taxes
June 2024: Hunter convicted of three firearm charges
September 2024: Hunter pleads guilty to federal tax evasion charges
December 2024: Joe Biden pardons Hunter – just days before he was due to be sentenced
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on November 8: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.”
But just two months before leaving the White House, Biden has used his powers to spare his youngest son from going to prison.
In a statement released by the White House, Biden said: “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter.
“From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”
He went on to say that he has faith in the justice system but he “wrestled with” his son’s prosecution as he believes “raw politics has infected this process and led to a miscarriage of justice.”
Biden’s pardon will prevent Hunter from a possible 25-year prison sentence.
Hunter was due to be sentenced in a different criminal case on December 16.
President Donald Trump who is set to take over the White House in a matter of months slammed his predecessor’s move as “an abuse and miscarriage of justice.”
The 78-year-old vowed to “fix” the justice system and to restore due process.
Hunter’s guilty verdict in June was delivered by a 12-panel jury in Wilmington, Delaware after just three hours of deliberation.
Prosecutors argued that he had knowingly lied on a firearm form about drug use when he bought a .38 Colt Cobra revolver in October 2018.
During the trial, the court heard of his turbulent life surrounding drugs and the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015.
“The defendant knew he used crack and was addicted to crack at the relevant time period,” one prosecutor argued in closing arguments.
It marked the first time in history a child of a US president was convicted of a crime.
Prosecutors took this fact to hammer home the fact that no one is above the law, something that has now been called into question after Biden’s pardon.
“No one is above the law. Your decision can only be made on evidence,” Prosecutor Leo Wise said.
“The evidence was personal; it was ugly and overwhelming.
“He knew he was using drugs; that’s what the evidence shows.”
The “ugly” evidence involved the court hearing about the 54-year-old’s $1 million hooker binge and his need for crack every 20 minutes.
Biden has since been spotted for the first time since issuing the pardon with strange marks on his face.
HUNTER Biden was indicted on three felony gun charges in September 2023 after a plea agreement with federal prosecutors unraveled.
Prosecutors claim that on October 12, 2018, Hunter purchased a .38 Colt Cobra revolver from a Delaware gun store and lied on the ATF firearm form when he said he was not abusing drugs.
These were the charges brought against him:
Hunter faced up to 25 years in prison.
However, first-time offenders hardly ever receive the maximum penalty.
Hunter has now, however, been pardoned by his father, outgoing President Biden.
