Trump says ‘hell to pay’ if Gaza hostages not released by inauguration; Biden’s pardon rattles Washington: Live

Donald Trump blasted Hunter Biden’s presidential pardon, issued by his father on Sunday as “an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!”

Posting in typical fashion to his social media platform, the President-elect wrote: “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!”

Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, became one of the first prominent Democrats to publicly rebuke the president on Sunday after the pardon of Hunter Biden was announced. More are likely to follow.

“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,” tweeted the governor. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation.”

He continued, invoking Latin: “When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation. Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.”

Polis's tweet prompted a response from Eric Holder, former attorney general under Barack Obama's presidency.

"Look at the underlying facts and usual DOJ practice Governor," wrote Holder

Chuck Grassley, lead Republican senator on the Judiciary Committee, expressed his disbelief at the president going back on his word not to pardon his son.

“I’m shocked [President] Biden pardoned his son Hunter [because] he said many many times he wouldn’t, [and] I believed him,” tweeted the senator. “Shame on me.”

Grassley has long held respect for the president and was one of the senators on the GOP side whom Joe Biden and other Democrats often found amicable to work with. His rebuke of the president is sign of how the move by the president is likely to fray trust with even establishment Republicans and some Democratic allies of the White House.

Former US attorney general Eric Holder says that Hunter Biden’s pardon by his father was “warranted.”

“Here’s the reality,” he wrote on X. “No USAtty (attorney) would have charged this case given the underlying facts. After a 5 year investigation the facts as discovered only made that clear.

“Had his name been Joe Smith the resolution would have been - fundamentally and more fairly - a declination. Pardon warranted.”

Holder went on to take aim at Donald Trump’s nomination for FBI Director, writing: “Ask yourself a vastly more important question. Do you really think Kash Patel is qualified to lead the world’s preeminent law enforcement investigative organization? Obvious answer: hell no.”

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.