A federal judge has criticized President Biden’s claim regarding his son Hunter Biden’s treatment in his ongoing tax case. U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi, who serves in California and was appointed by former President Trump, expressed that the president’s actions surrounding a recent pardon for his son could be seen as an effort to distort historical facts.
In his ruling, Judge Scarsi emphasized that while the Constitution allows a president the power to grant pardons, it does not grant the authority to alter the historical record. He remarked, “The Constitution provides the President with broad authority to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, but nowhere does the Constitution give the President the authority to rewrite history.”
The judge was particularly displeased with the method by which the president announced the pardon. Instead of providing a proper document detailing the pardon, President Biden opted for a press release that included a hyperlink rather than the official text of the pardon itself. Judge Scarsi pointed out that this was inappropriate, stating, “A press release is not a pardon.”
Judge Scarsi also commented on the president’s defense of his son in the context of Hunter Biden’s tax issues, suggesting that President Biden’s claims of unfair treatment were not substantiated by the facts of the case. The judge noted that two federal judges rejected claims that Hunter was being prosecuted due to his relation to the president, and that the investigation was overseen by the president’s own Attorney General and Department of Justice.
The judge plans to move forward with the case once he has the official pardon from the proper executive agency. He also indicated that Hunter Biden’s sentencing, which was slated for December 16, would be postponed in light of the pardon.
Hunter Biden’s legal troubles have been significant this year. He faced trials for firearm offenses in June and concluded a separate felony tax case with a guilty plea in September. This pardon comes surprisingly, as President Biden had previously stated he would not be pardoning his son following a guilty verdict in the firearm case.
As these events unfold, the public waits to see how they will impact the Biden family and the broader political landscape.
