Colorado Governor Jared Polis slammed President Joe Biden for giving his son, Hunter Biden, a presidential pardon.
Biden pardoned Hunter Sunday, a reversal for the President who initially said he would not use his presidential authority to pardon or lessen his sentence.
"I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice — and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further," Biden wrote in announcing the pardon. "I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."
Governor Polis scrutinized the president's full and unconditional pardon for Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty in a tax evasion case and was convicted of gun charges.
"I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country," Polis said. "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation."
While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden's natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country. This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation....
— Jared Polis (@jaredpolis) December 2, 2024
The post received over 2.5 million views on X, with many commenters sharing his sentiments or noting his hypocrisy for not being outraged over Donald Trump's pardons for his friends.
Trump issued nearly 100 pardons in the final days of his first administration.
Jared Ryan Sear, a Navy veteran, asked Polis if he showed the same outrage for Trump after he pardoned his son-in-law's father, Charles Kushner, who pleaded guilty to 18 charges stemming from a case involving campaign contributions.
Will we find this same type of message from you for all the times Trump pardoned his criminal associates?
— Jared Ryan Sears (@JaredRyanSears) December 2, 2024
Another commenter echoed Sear's comments.
Governor, you are so completely full of shit. You haven’t said a word about Kusher’s father-in-law being pardoned and receiving an ambassadorship nod from Trump this week. We see right through your pandering, and it’s pathetic.
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) December 2, 2024
Biden isn't the first president to apply a presidential pardon to a family member, the Washington Post reported.
Bill Clinton pardoned his half-brother, Roger, who pleaded guilty to selling cocaine to law enforcement in Arkansas.
