Jill Wine-Banks, a former prosecutor from the Watergate investigation, expressed her feelings of “relief and excitement” over President Joe Biden’s official pardon for his son Hunter, who faced federal charges related to firearms and taxes.
The president accused his “political rivals in Congress” of instigating the legal actions against his son, Hunter, who became the first offspring of a sitting president to receive a criminal conviction when he was deemed guilty of firearms offenses in June.
Biden, now 82 years old, granted “a full and unconditional” pardon on Sunday evening, despite stating that he would refrain from “interfering with the decisions of the Justice Department.”
Nonetheless, he made the final decision, and Wine-Banks—who was the first woman to hold the position of U.S. General Counsel of the Army—mentioned that issuing clemency was “justifiable.”
During an appearance on MSNBC Sunday night, Wine-Banks remarked: “I’m relieved and thrilled that he took this action. This was a case that truly warranted clemency. Hunter Biden, in reality, likely would not face prosecution for the gun offense if not for his family name.”
She also pointed out that his sobriety played a significant role in the situation. Wine-Banks further stated: “Additionally, he struggled with addiction, which contributed to his actions. He has maintained his sobriety for several years now, making this a fitting time for clemency to be granted.”
Her statements are likely to do little to appease those who oppose this decision, especially among conservative commentators.
Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who has served as a physician for both President-elect Donald Trump and former President Obama, even labeled Hunter as the president’s “CRACKHEAD SON” in a particularly vitriolic post.
“Biden and his administration are DISGRACEFUL LIARS!!” Jackson expressed his outrage.
