WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has issued an unconditional presidential pardon for his son Hunter Biden, who was convicted on gun crime and tax fraud charges.
Biden issued the pardon on Sunday, marking a reversal on his previous stance that he would not pardon his son or commute his sentence.
Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty to tax charges and was found guilty of being an illegal drug user in possession of a gun earlier this year, was due to be sentenced this month. He was facing years of imprisonment, but the presidential pardon reportedly gives him protection from punishment.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Biden said while similar cases were handled leniently, his son was 'treated differently,' and 'was being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.'
He alleged that there has been an effort to 'break Hunter'.
'No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son.'
'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,' Biden added.
This official grant of clemency cannot be rescinded by the incoming President, reports say.
President-elect Donald Trump called the pardon 'an abuse and miscarriage of justice.'
The sentencing hearing in the gun case is scheduled for December 12, followed by a verdict in the tax case on December 16.
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