A federal judge in Delaware dismissed the gun case against Hunter Biden after President Joe Biden granted his son a full and unconditional pardon for any federal crimes from 2014 to the end of this year. The pardon was given without going through the customary processing by the Justice Department’s pardon office, which raised concerns among legal experts. The pardon was considered one of the most sweeping since Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon in 1974.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer argued that a pardon releases the wrongdoer from punishment and restores their civil rights without qualification, leading to the request to dismiss the gun case indictment. However, the Justice Department special counsel opposed the request, arguing that the grand jury’s decision should not be wiped away as if it never occurred.
Similar to the gun case, a request is also pending in Los Angeles to dismiss another indictment against Hunter Biden on nine tax charges related to not paying taxes on time. He had pleaded guilty in September, and his lawyer is seeking to have the indictment dismissed following the presidential pardon.
Overall, the presidential pardon of Hunter Biden bypassed the traditional process of the Justice Department’s pardon office, raising questions about the consultation with the department and the impact on the justice system. It was noted as a departure from standard practice by legal experts, who expressed concerns about the erosion of the justice system’s power in such matters.
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