The Scoop: Hunter Biden pardon digs deeper narrative hole for Democrats

President Joe Biden has pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, erasing his criminal convictions for federal tax and gun charges. This decision, made over the Thanksgiving holiday, occurred despite earlier statements from the administration that the president wouldn’t take this course of action.

In the official White House statement, the president said it was clear that his son had been “treated differently” by the Justice Department. He also stressed they singled out Hunter “only because he is my son—and that is wrong.”

Biden’s use of his executive power to benefit his son flies in the face of his repeated earlier claims that he wouldn’t do that. The White House had stated as recently as shortly after President-elect Trump’s victory last month that Biden wouldn’t commute Hunter’s sentence.

The pardon drew immediate condemnation from some Democrats and a lot of Republicans, including Rep. James Comer (Kentucky), who posted on social media that “President Biden and his family continue to do everything they can to avoid accountability.”

What it matters: On the surface, it’s understandable why Biden made the decision. After all, it’s his son. How many of us, facing a similar situation, wouldn’t have made the same choice?

But the difference is, the American people didn’t elect any of us president. Leaders face a higher standard of scrutiny – and needfully so. By issuing the pardon, and stating the motivation of the prosecution was political in nature, Biden undercuts the sanctity of the entire legal system and gives ammunition to MAGA supporters, who immediately called for Jan. 6 pardons.

It’s vital that the public knows, and believes, the same rule applies equally to all types of leaders, whether they’re the president of the United States or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

Moving forward, the Democrats face the challenge of trying to reestablish that trust as a party – and potentially government institutions as a whole. A key to do that is having key members of the party stand up against Biden’s decision.

That’s something several of them have already done, including Rep. Greg Stanton (Arizona), who quickly called out Biden for the move, saying while he respects him as a person, “I think he got this one wrong.”

“This wasn’t a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies, and was convicted by a jury of his peers,” he continued.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis accused Biden of putting “his family ahead of the country.” The Democrat noted that the pardon set “a bad precedent” that he fears future presidents could abuse.

“When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” he continued. “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.”

After coming off a devastating loss in November, the Democrats needed to make inroads with middle-of-the-road Republicans and swing voters. But, instead, the optics of this perceived inconsistent application of justice has created something Republicans can feed off into and through the next election.

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Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.