Liberal MSNBC contributor Molly Jong-Fast was left speechless Sunday. She had no words after hearing President Biden would pardon his son, Hunter. "I just heard it. I have to process it," she admitted. "I don’t have a take. I’m sorry."
MSNBC guest host Melissa Murray broke the news during a discussion. “NBC is reporting that President Biden is expected to pardon his son, Hunter Biden,” Murray said. “According to NBC News, the president made the decision this weekend. Molly, fast and furious, what do you make of this new news?” Jong-Fast could only respond with stunned silence.
Hunter Biden had faced significant legal troubles this year. He was found guilty in June on three federal gun charges. He also pleaded guilty in September in a separate tax case. Earlier this year, President Biden pledged not to pardon his son. His stance was widely praised by liberal media for respecting the justice system’s integrity.
This weekend, President Biden reversed his promise. He argued his son’s prosecution was unfair due to his last name. "Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter," Biden stated. He emphasized his commitment to not interfering with the Justice Department’s decisions. However, he said Hunter had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.”
Michelle Goldberg, a New York Times columnist, weighed in during the MSNBC segment. She said Hunter’s treatment had been unjust. “Joe Biden bent over backwards not to intervene,” she remarked. “But you know, we see kind of what that got him. I understand why he would not want to forfeit his son’s future to uphold crumbling norms.”
Hunter Biden expressed gratitude in a public statement after the pardon. He acknowledged his past mistakes and their impact on his family. “I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction,” he said. He referenced his ongoing sobriety, now over five years, and the love of his family and friends.
President Biden’s previous commitment to not pardoning Hunter had been firm. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated this stance just last month. “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no,” she told reporters.
Hunter’s legal issues were still unfolding before the pardon. He was set to be sentenced next week for federal gun charges. A separate sentencing for tax evasion was scheduled for Dec. 16, according to NBC News.