U-Turn: Joe Biden pardons his son
A few weeks before the end of his term in office, US President Joe Biden has gone back on his word and pardoned his son Hunter Biden. In a statement on Sunday, the president wrote that his son had been treated unfairly and that the charges against him were politically motivated. Hunter Biden had violated gun control laws and pleaded guilty to tax offences. Europe's press takes a critical view of Biden's decision.
Everyone should put their own house in order
When it comes to judicial matters, the Democrats and Republicans are just as bad as each other, notes Pravda:
“Biden argues that his son was framed. That may be. But the facts speak for themselves. Hunter was not innocent. After all, he himself pleaded guilty. He concealed illegal gun possession and drug use and committed tax offences to the tune of 1.4 million dollars. His extravagant lifestyle was far from exemplary. ... When the Democrats complain about an expedient political process, they need to put their own house in order first. Weren't the prosecutions against Trump and his people also motivated solely by the desire to destroy Trump forever?”
A thoroughly undemocratic judicial system
The pardon is symptomatic of a highly questionable understanding of democracy, says The Times:
“Presidential pardons seem to be an abuse of justice and yet are part of the system. ... The justice system is intrinsically politicised. ... The Department of Justice is run by a cabinet officer appointed by the president; its senior officials including prosecutors are appointed by the White House with the consent of the Senate; Supreme Court justices are chosen in a similar way. One of the bedrock principles of a democratic system is an impartial judicial system separate from politics. The Hunter Biden pardon is but the latest development to prompt the question of whether America is a democracy at all.”
Pardons undermine democracy
Kristeligt Dagblad sees the social divides growing:
“One of the main themes of the election campaign was the distance between the elite and the people. The pardons of Biden and Trump make it crystal clear that there is a distance. If you are close to a president, different rules may well apply in the legal system. ... This understanding of the law naturally undermines the citizens' trust in democracy. ... That should give both Democrats and Republicans pause for thought. Once upon a time, their ancestors left old Europe to create a better world. A world in which kings had no special privileges.”
Unfair but understandable
Trud shows understanding for Biden but remains critical:
“The conservatives in the US have already condemned Biden's actions, especially since he repeatedly stated that he would not pardon his son. The incident clearly makes a mockery of Biden's assertions that everyone is equal before the law. He says the same in his statement, but also that the charges against his son were political and not criminal. It's understandable that a father does not want his son to go to prison. It's only human. But then is everyone really equal before the law?”