It's patently obvious that a tRump DOJ would continue "investigations" into what tRump persistently calls "the Biden Crime Family", and that Hunter Biden would again be mercilessly and publicly singled out by attempting to link any alleged criminal activities to his father, in the manner of James Comer in grossly partisan Congressional "hearings".
Fair to say that if Kamala Harris won the election, it would be unlikely that Joe Biden would have gone the pardon route, as no further outright harassment from a Harris DOJ of Hunter Biden would at all be expected, and he could quietly complete his sentence, and fade from public life.
Or, indeed, be pardoned later by a President Harris.
President Biden did the right thing in pardoning his son. Many legal experts have said that the alleged crimes would never have been brought to a court if his name had not been Biden. The media continues to attack Biden and let Trump off the hook for so many outrageous things. Norm breaking and un-America behavior. The media has hugely screwed up these last 9 years and counting.
"While it is important to mark deviations from the norm and remember what norms we seek to restore, it does seem increasingly feckless to cling to those norms while they are decimated."
This has been a major problem for Democrats for too damn long. There are too many in this party who would line up to go to one of the "re-education camps" without resistance, so long as all the boxes were checked right and the proper signatures were on the document sending them to their death. These people couldn't win a war if they had machine guns and the other side was armed with butter knives.
Trump has pissed all over the damn norms. What we need to learn to do is to walk right up to them and without warning hit them in the face so hard they go down like a fallen tree. Then kick them so hard they'll never walk right again. Then kick them so hard they never get up again.
These Confederate scum are home invaders! Would you "follow the rules" when they're coming through your window? Of course not!
Democrats need to learn how to fight to win, and to realize the other side are dangerous criminals who deserve not the slightest mercy. They're only trying to destroy our country.
There are no norms where trump is concerned. President Biden's pardon of Hunter is not a deviation, it is a response to the abnormal situation of an incoming administration bent on revenge.
A firm rule of law is necessary for democracy, but it's also necessary that the rule of law gives way to justice. There is no democracy without justice. Biden did the just thing.
This is hopelessly naive take on the Hunter Biden pardon and what it signifies. Trump’s destruction of the rule of law is equivalent to the size of several strip mines, holes in the ground yes but miles wide and deep, whereas Biden’s pardon of his son is maybe the size of a hole you dig to plant a tree.
Biden had no choice but to pardon his son, even though before, he promised he wouldn’t do so. Before THE ELECTION. BEFORE THINGS CHANGED. Biden assessed the new situation and changed his mind. Yet, he is pilloried for doing so, being able to adapt and change his mind when circumstances change. This is why our country is now threatened with collapse due to a level of corruption that none of our institutions will be able to control or contain. Because 75 million Americans are not able to change their minds about Donald Trump. Because 75 million Americans are incapable of adapting to or incorporating new information about his criminality, his immorality, his hatred.
"Hunter Biden pardon is another marker of how far down this slippery slope we’ve already fallen."
...or it could be viewed as an indication that, unlike his successor, Biden is a normal human being (and how the POTUS should never have been allowed to have unlimited pardoning power).
I know it's generalizing, but I feel that when regulations, rules, procedures, guidelines are put out on how to operate something, Dems will examine those in order to understand how best to follow them and R's will examine them in order to find a work-around, some loophole. Could be just my cynicism 😵💫
I cannot agree with his pardon, however, I do understand why he did it. His love for his son is admirable. My problem with it is why should we let Biden get away with pardoning like this when we attack other presidents for the same or similar actions? I understand that the charges would probably not have been brought if he weren't a Biden but that does not change the fact that he did what he did. I personally think the President should have let the sentencing happen and commute it instead of issuing a blanket pardon. Hunter broke the law. Full stop. He was convicted by a jury and he deserves to be sentenced. I cannot get over the fact that not only did his name get him charged but his name got him out of the consequences of his actions. I am so very tired of the upper class getting away with all of their bad actions and this does not look good for President Biden.
First, if Hunter Biden’s last name were just about anything other than Biden, the charges would never have been made. They are truly trivial. Several Federal prosecutors said they would *not* have pursued them, particularly since Hunter paid all back taxes plus interest and penalties, and the "lie" on the gun paperwork was inconsequential. Second, a plea agreement was reached prior to the trials, but it was blown up by Republican interference.
The pardon corrects an injustice and prevents further political retribution by the Trump administration. This was all about politics, not the rule of law. President Biden is fully justified in his action. Hunter Biden is definitely not deserving of a lengthy prison sentence. He's already paid the consequences.
It's patently obvious that a tRump DOJ would continue "investigations" into what tRump persistently calls "the Biden Crime Family", and that Hunter Biden would again be mercilessly and publicly singled out by attempting to link any alleged criminal activities to his father, in the manner of James Comer in grossly partisan Congressional "hearings".
Fair to say that if Kamala Harris won the election, it would be unlikely that Joe Biden would have gone the pardon route, as no further outright harassment from a Harris DOJ of Hunter Biden would at all be expected, and he could quietly complete his sentence, and fade from public life.
Or, indeed, be pardoned later by a President Harris.
President Biden did the right thing in pardoning his son. Many legal experts have said that the alleged crimes would never have been brought to a court if his name had not been Biden. The media continues to attack Biden and let Trump off the hook for so many outrageous things. Norm breaking and un-America behavior. The media has hugely screwed up these last 9 years and counting.
Thanks for the very fulsome article. Chock full of deep dives. Appreciate you! 🙏🏽💕
FWIW, Polymarket's odds on the Hegseth nomination to succeed dropped to a low of 34% following the Mayer art. in the New Yorker...going, going, GONE!
I can hope, Lance. Lots of
hope need on this one.
"While it is important to mark deviations from the norm and remember what norms we seek to restore, it does seem increasingly feckless to cling to those norms while they are decimated."
This has been a major problem for Democrats for too damn long. There are too many in this party who would line up to go to one of the "re-education camps" without resistance, so long as all the boxes were checked right and the proper signatures were on the document sending them to their death. These people couldn't win a war if they had machine guns and the other side was armed with butter knives.
Trump has pissed all over the damn norms. What we need to learn to do is to walk right up to them and without warning hit them in the face so hard they go down like a fallen tree. Then kick them so hard they'll never walk right again. Then kick them so hard they never get up again.
These Confederate scum are home invaders! Would you "follow the rules" when they're coming through your window? Of course not!
Democrats need to learn how to fight to win, and to realize the other side are dangerous criminals who deserve not the slightest mercy. They're only trying to destroy our country.
There are no norms where trump is concerned. President Biden's pardon of Hunter is not a deviation, it is a response to the abnormal situation of an incoming administration bent on revenge.
A firm rule of law is necessary for democracy, but it's also necessary that the rule of law gives way to justice. There is no democracy without justice. Biden did the just thing.
This is hopelessly naive take on the Hunter Biden pardon and what it signifies. Trump’s destruction of the rule of law is equivalent to the size of several strip mines, holes in the ground yes but miles wide and deep, whereas Biden’s pardon of his son is maybe the size of a hole you dig to plant a tree.
Biden had no choice but to pardon his son, even though before, he promised he wouldn’t do so. Before THE ELECTION. BEFORE THINGS CHANGED. Biden assessed the new situation and changed his mind. Yet, he is pilloried for doing so, being able to adapt and change his mind when circumstances change. This is why our country is now threatened with collapse due to a level of corruption that none of our institutions will be able to control or contain. Because 75 million Americans are not able to change their minds about Donald Trump. Because 75 million Americans are incapable of adapting to or incorporating new information about his criminality, his immorality, his hatred.
Merrick Garland should never have allowed a Trumpist prosecutor to go after Hunter in the first place. Disgraceful.
I would point to ALL the
pardons Trump has rolled out
to some truly heinous people,
which was, and will continue
to be, a prime example of the
abuse of unlimited pardon
power. So I'm not down on
Biden for his pardon of
Hunter.
Enjoying the reminisces on
the US SS cruises David.
"Hunter Biden pardon is another marker of how far down this slippery slope we’ve already fallen."
...or it could be viewed as an indication that, unlike his successor, Biden is a normal human being (and how the POTUS should never have been allowed to have unlimited pardoning power).
I know it's generalizing, but I feel that when regulations, rules, procedures, guidelines are put out on how to operate something, Dems will examine those in order to understand how best to follow them and R's will examine them in order to find a work-around, some loophole. Could be just my cynicism 😵💫
I cannot agree with his pardon, however, I do understand why he did it. His love for his son is admirable. My problem with it is why should we let Biden get away with pardoning like this when we attack other presidents for the same or similar actions? I understand that the charges would probably not have been brought if he weren't a Biden but that does not change the fact that he did what he did. I personally think the President should have let the sentencing happen and commute it instead of issuing a blanket pardon. Hunter broke the law. Full stop. He was convicted by a jury and he deserves to be sentenced. I cannot get over the fact that not only did his name get him charged but his name got him out of the consequences of his actions. I am so very tired of the upper class getting away with all of their bad actions and this does not look good for President Biden.
First, if Hunter Biden’s last name were just about anything other than Biden, the charges would never have been made. They are truly trivial. Several Federal prosecutors said they would *not* have pursued them, particularly since Hunter paid all back taxes plus interest and penalties, and the "lie" on the gun paperwork was inconsequential. Second, a plea agreement was reached prior to the trials, but it was blown up by Republican interference.
The pardon corrects an injustice and prevents further political retribution by the Trump administration. This was all about politics, not the rule of law. President Biden is fully justified in his action. Hunter Biden is definitely not deserving of a lengthy prison sentence. He's already paid the consequences.
"First, if Hunter Biden’s last name were just about anything other than Biden, the charges would never have been made."
And THAT is the defining reason for the pardon, which the MSM has conveniently refused to acknowledge...case closed.
For a better, more complete explanation, please see Jeff Tiedrich's Substack post today:
https://open.substack.com/pub/jefftiedrich/p/joe-biden-pardoned-his-son-hunter?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2xvzv