Washington: A day after the US President’s son, Hunter Biden, was charged with lying about his drug use when he purchased a handgun in 2018 and with illegally possessing the weapon, the White House said Joe Biden will not pardon Hunter if he were to be convicted on gun charges.
Asked if Biden will commute his son’s sentence if convicted on gun charges, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said no.
“I’ve addressed this question previously… It was posed to me not too long ago, just a couple of weeks back, and I was unequivocal in my response, which was a firm ‘no’,” said the press secretary
If convicted, Hunter Biden – who is facing three felony gun charges – could be sentenced to a 10-year prison term.
Hunter’s legal team has vigorously denied the allegations, contending that their constitutionality is highly questionable.
“This is a unique and unwarranted accusation… Hunter possessed an unloaded firearm for a mere 11 days. There has never been a charge of this nature brought forth in the United States,” attorney Abbe Lowell argued.
Hunter is also under investigation for alleged tax improprieties, with a Republican-led House panel probing his previous business dealings. Charges related to the tax misconduct are likely to be finalised by the end of September.
Republicans have been saying that President Biden exploited his position to ensure lucrative deals for his son. They have also asked for an impeachment inquiry against the President.
