White House won't rule out Biden commuting Hunter's sentence if sentenced to prison

Policy

By Steven Nelson

WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused Wednesday to rule out President Biden commuting her son Hunter's sentence if he is sentenced to prison for federal weapons crimes fired — saying she had not discussed the matter with the commander in chief since her son. was found guilty Tuesday.

President Biden, 81, told ABC News in an interview last week that he would not pardon Hunter, 54, but he did not specifically say whether he would allow him to be sent to federal prison.

“I haven't spoken to the president about it since the verdict and, as we all know, sentencing hasn't even been scheduled yet,” Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One , en route to Italy for the annual ceremony. G7 summit.

Pressed by a second journalist, Jean-Pierre reiterated: “I did not speak to the president about it, and what I am saying is that he was asked for a pardon. We asked him about the trial in particular and he answered them very clearly, very frankly.

The first son faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced for three felonies related to his illegal purchase and possession of a gun in October 2018. It is possible his sentence could be as light as probation.

As Jean-Pierre mentioned, no date has yet been set for the younger Biden's sentencing in Delaware federal court, but it will likely take place in September or October – shortly after his second federal trial in Los Angeles for $1.4 million in presumed taxes. fraud between 2016 and 2019.

These procedures are expected to begin on September 5.

Republicans, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), responded to the Delaware jury's quick guilty verdict against Hunter Biden by calling on the Justice Department to investigate President Biden's role in the lucrative foreign dealings of his son and first brother James Biden, including during Joe's vice-presidency.

IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, who investigated Hunter Biden for tax fraud and related crimes, alleged last year that the Justice Department engaged in a sprawling cover-up to protect the Biden family and block the search for evidence showing that Joe Biden himself was involved in his relatives' dealings with state-linked businesses in countries where he had influence as vice president.

Shapley and Ziegler noted that Hunter Biden had been allowed to exceed the statute of limitations on certain tax charges and accused Attorney General Merrick Garland of misleading Congress about the ability of Delaware's U.S. Attorney, David Weiss, to file a complaint.

Garland ultimately elevated Weiss to special counsel status last August, allowing him to prosecute Hunter independently outside of his home district — after the first son walked away from a probation-only plea deal on taxes and firearms due to demands for even broader immunity. for past conduct, including alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which may implicate his father.

Joe Biden has consistently maintained that he “never” discussed business with his son or brother and said in December and again in March that he “did not” interact with their partners.

Evidence, including photos, emails and witness statements, indicates that Biden did meet with his son's and brother's associates working in two business firms linked to the Chinese government and their clients from Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine, in addition to many of their national associates.