President Biden on Thursday declined to weigh in on whether the Justice Department operated independently of politics when it prosecuted his son, Hunter Biden, for illegally purchasing a weapon while in the throes of a crack addiction.
During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Italy, Mr. Biden was asked if he believed politics played a factor in bringing charges against his son.
“I said I’d abide by the jury decision. I will do that. And I will not pardon him,” Mr. Biden said.
“I’m extremely proud of my son, Hunter,” the president said. “He has overcome an addiction. He is one of the brightest, most decent men I know.”
Hunter Biden, who was found guilty of three felonies by a federal jury in Wilmington, Delaware, was prosecuted by special counsel David Weiss, who was appointed as U.S. Attorney under President Trump. However, Mr. Biden’s own attorney general, elevated Mr. Weiss to special counsel to pursue the gun and separate tax charges against Hunter Biden.
A jury convicted Hunter Biden on two charges stemming from lying on a federal firearms application when he checked a box affirming he was not a user of “unlawful substances” and a third charge of illegally possessing the gun as a drug addict. Hunter Biden purchased the gun at a Wilmington, Delaware gun store in 2018.
He will be sentenced later.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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