Manchin Calls on Biden to Pardon Trump After Hunter Biden Clemency
By Jake Beardslee ·
December 2, 2024
President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden has ignited a complex political dialogue about the boundaries of presidential clemency, raising questions about equal justice and the intersection of personal loyalty and public responsibility.
Perhaps the most intriguing political response came from Sen. Joe Manchin, an independent from West Virginia who recently departed from the Democratic Party. Manchin proposed a provocative solution to what he perceived as an imbalance, suggesting that President Biden should reciprocate by pardoning former President Donald Trump. "Why don't you go ahead and pardon Donald Trump for all his charges and make it, you know, it would have gone down a lot more balanced, if you will," Manchin told CNN. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY
The pardon, which covers federal gun and tax charges, has generated a multifaceted response from political figures across the ideological spectrum. Hunter Biden, who had previously pleaded guilty to federal tax crimes and was convicted of federal gun charges, became the focal point of a broader conversation about presidential discretion and familial protection. Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK
Biden administration officials defended the controversial move, with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre characterizing the legal proceedings against Hunter Biden as influenced by "war politics." The president himself argued that his son was being "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," a claim that has been met with significant skepticism from both political allies and opponents. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS / Wikimedia
Several prominent Democratic lawmakers publicly expressed reservations about the pardon's broader implications. In a post on X, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) articulated concerns that the decision could "erode Americans' faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all." Lucas Boland/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK
The criticism was not limited to federal legislators. Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis offered a particularly measured critique, writing on X that the pardon sets a "bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents." Mike De Sisti-USA TODAY
The pardon has broader implications for the upcoming 2024 electoral landscape. Some Democratic representatives, like Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), expressed concern that the move could be weaponized politically, potentially providing ammunition for Republican narratives in the upcoming election cycle.
“I know that there was a real strong sentiment in, you know, wanting to protect Hunter Biden from unfair prosecution,” Ivey stated to CNN. “But this is going to be used against us when we’re fighting the misuses that are coming from the Trump administration. AFGE / Wikimedia
