Congressional Democrats have had mixed reactions to President Joe Biden issuing his son, Hunter Biden, a sweeping pardon for any “offenses against the United States” over the course of a nearly 11-year period.
“Considering everything that took place and considering where we are in this country, I say, way to go, Joe,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett said in support of the president’s decision.
Several Democrats — including House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, Sen. Chris Coons, and Sen. Joe Manchin — said “as a father” they understood what Biden did. “But as someone who has spent a lot of time at this podium talking about the importance of respecting the rule of law, it's disappointing,” Aguilar said.
“I am concerned about what’s going to happen to the scope of the pardon power going forward,” Coons, a close friend of the Bidens, expressed.
“What I would have done differently, my recommendation as a counselor would have been: Why don’t you go ahead and pardon Donald Trump?” Manchin, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, proposed.
Sen. Mark Warner said it was “disappointing in terms of the signal it sends to faith in our American system,” and Sen. Michael Bennet said, “It just gives the American people a sense that there’s one system for the rich and powerful and another system for everybody else.”
Sen. Tim Kaine took issue with Biden repeatedly declaring previously that he would not pardon his son, telling CNN, “When you made a promise, you got to keep it.”
Reps. James Clyburn and Dan Goldman were supportive, with Clyburn saying, “I am absolutely OK with it. I don’t know how many people urged him to do so, but I did.”
“I think we’re probably going to have to amend the Constitution because the pardon power is so sweeping,” Rep. Gerry Connolly said. “No other parent in America has the power to pardon their son or daughter for a crime.”
