On Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre disclosed that a prominent Democrat played a significant behind-the-scenes role in persuading President Joe Biden to grant a pardon to his son, Hunter.
During her first televised briefing since the pardon was announced, Jean-Pierre shed light on the decision-making process, indicating that Biden had “struggled” with his choice prior to the startling revelation made last Sunday.
“It was not an easy choice for him to make,” Jean-Pierre noted.
When confronted about Biden’s previous statements declaring he would not pardon his son, Jean-Pierre identified South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn, a key ally of Biden in Congress, as a major influence on the president’s perspective.
Clyburn had acknowledged in a CNN interview earlier this week that he had “recommended” to Biden that he pardon Hunter when they spoke two weeks prior, although he noted that the president was initially “hesitant.”
By highlighting Clyburn’s involvement, Jean-Pierre appeared to recognize his significance, having revitalized Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign through his endorsement, which proved pivotal for Biden’s primary success in South Carolina.
“That was a conversation the congressman had with the president a fortnight ago,” Jean-Pierre remarked. “He mentioned that the president was hesitant when he urged the president to take that step. This weekend, [Biden] deliberated on it; it was not an easy conclusion to arrive at.”
As journalists pressed for details about the pardon, Jean-Pierre frequently referred back to the dialogue between Clyburn and Biden.
Clyburn expressed during his CNN appearance that he recommended the pardon to Biden due to his belief that the legal system was unfairly treating Hunter Biden.
“Had Hunter gone through a system like everyone else, I wouldn’t feel this way,” Clyburn stated. “But being prosecuted for failing to complete a form to acquire a gun that he never used—one that was taken away and disposed of—being treated as if it were a felony is indeed a concern.”
Hunter Biden was facing sentencing for two distinct convictions—one for incorrectly filling out a form to buy a gun, and the other for tax evasion.
Biden had consistently asserted in the past, as his son’s legal issues progressed, that he would not grant him a pardon—even in the event of a conviction. However, the president changed his stance, citing the same argument as Clyburn—asserting that Hunter had been targeted for political reasons.
“Any reasonable individual examining the details of Hunter’s cases must conclude that he was singled out solely because he is my son—and that is unjust,” Biden stated in a release.
He continued, “In their attempt to break Hunter, they’ve also tried to break me—and I see no reason to believe this will cease. Enough is enough.”
