Biden’s pardon of Hunter defended by White House as Trump taps in-laws amid presidential transition: Live

Following the announcement of Hunter Biden’s presidential pardon, House Oversight chair James Comer released a statement in which he claimed the president’s decision was an example that the Bidens were continuing to do “everything they can to avoid accountability.”

“Joe Biden has lied from start to finish about his family’s corrupt influence peddling activities. Not only has he falsely claimed that he never met with his son’s foreign business associates and that his son did nothing wrong, but he also lied when he said he would not pardon Hunter Biden.

The charges Hunter faced were just the tip of the iceberg in the blatant corruption that President Biden and the Biden Crime Family have lied about to the American people. It’s unfortunate that, rather than come clean about their decades of wrongdoing, President Biden and his family continue to do everything they can to avoid accountability.”

Here is the full statement from Hunter Biden, following his presidential pardon.

"I have admitted and taken responsibility for my mistakes during the darkest days of my addiction - mistakes that have been exploited to publicly humiliate and shame me and my family for political sport.

“Despite all of this, I have maintained my sobriety for more than five years because of my deep faith and the unwavering love and support of my family and friends. In the throes of addiction, I squandered many opportunities and advantages.

“In recovery we can be given the opportunity to make amends where possible and rebuild our lives if we never take for granted the mercy that we have been afforded. I will never take the clemency I have been given today for granted and will devote the life I have rebuilt to helping those who are still sick and suffering."

In a separate statement on Sunday evening, Hunter Biden said “never take the clemency I have been given today for granted.”

The pardon comes less than two weeks ahead of his sentencing on Decmeber 12 for his conviction on federal gun charges. He also is set to be sentenced in a separate criminal case on December 16, after pleading guilty in September on federal tax evasion charges.

Joe Biden has issued a pardon for his son Hunter following his conviction on federal gun charges, despite previously claiming he would not do so.

The president is officially announced the decision on Sunday night, saying that his son had been “selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted” by the Justice Department.

“Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden said in a statement. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted.

“Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form.

“Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”

Filmmaker Michael Moore has weighed in on the continuing U.S. support for Israel in the onging war with Hamas in Gaza, suggesting that if Democrats continue to support the Jewish State, “more elections” will be lost.

“Democratic senators should know better. And their behavior in supporting this aggression will only cost them more elections,” Moore wrote in his Substack article on Saturday.

“Voters under 45 and people of color combined (making up nearly half the electorate), have no interest in war and would rather our government spend our money on our schools, our elderly, and our broken health care system.”

“Time to cut Bibi off,” he said, referring to the nickname for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

With major deportation push on the horizon, state leaders prepare to lead a second resistance against a Trump White House, writes John Bowden.

Robert F Kennedy Jr has posted a strange video of himself performing athletic feats while shirtless.

The 70-year-old former attorney, tipped by Trump to head up the Department of Health and Human Services, displayed an impressive physique and joked that he was “practicing moves” for his Senate confirmation hearing.

There’s “no question” that Joe Biden should have dropped out of the 2024 race sooner, a Democratic senator said on Sunday.

While far from a surprise, it’s a sign of how far Biden’s party is willing to go in questioning his judgment after the president’s team saw losses in the presidential, Senate and House races this cycle.

John Bowden has more: