Former Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) suggested Americans would understand if President Biden chose to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on three felony gun charges Tuesday.
“President Biden wouldn’t do anything until after the appeals are finished, number one, and that’s going to happen after the election,” Buck said Tuesday on CNN. “So, he’s going to have much more flexibility after the election whether he wins or loses to make a decision like this.”
“Now, if he were to engage in a pardon of President Trump — and President Trump was convicted of a federal crime — at the same time that he pardoned his own son, I think Americans would understand a father doing that,” Buck added.
Hunter Biden, 54, was found guilty of all three felony gun charges for lying in 2018 on a mandatory firearm-purchase form on which he claimed he was not using or addicted to illegal drugs. He then purchased the gun and unlawfully possessed it for 11 days.
Biden reaffirmed last week said he would not give pardon to his son and would accept the outcome of the gun trial, which took place in Delaware.
In remarks Tuesday, Biden said, “As I said last week, I am the President, but I am also a dad. I love our son, and we are so proud of the man he is today.”
“I think he [Biden] made the right statement at the time, and that is I’m not going to show preferential treatment to a member of my own family,” Buck said.
The president’s son faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and $750,000, though actual sentences for federal crimes are often less than the maximum penalties, especially for first-time offenders.
Some legal experts have suggested the younger Biden will not be incarcerated as he has no record and has complied with terms of his pretrial release, which includes monthly drug testing. He also did not use the firearm to commit a violent crime, another factor that could be taken into consideration during sentencing, Reuters noted.
Buck retired from the House early in March and said he was “happy to move on” after departing from the lower chamber.