David Weiss, the special prosecutor who led the investigation into Hunter Biden, defended his work Monday in a final report, dismissing President Joe Biden’s claims of bias and political motives. The report followed the president’s controversial decision to issue a pardon for his son, who faced convictions on gun and tax-related charges.
Weiss said his investigation was not partisan politics and that Hunter Biden was prosecuted because “he broke the law.” He criticized the president’s remarks labeling the cases against his son as “a miscarriage of justice” and “raw politics,” calling them “gratuitous and wrong.”
The probe exposed intimate details of Hunter Biden’s private life, such as his past drug addiction and questionable financial transactions. In the first half of 2023, Hunter pleaded guilty to federal tax fraud and illegal possession of firearms. With a total sentence of up to 42 years in prison for the crimes, President Biden granted an unconditional pardon in December, citing mercy and family obligations.
President Biden defended his decision, saying, “In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me. Enough is enough.” He also pointed out his son’s sobriety and resilience, asking the public to understand his actions as both a father and a president.
Weiss’s report highlighted the significance of the pardon, which shields Hunter Biden from further legal proceedings for offenses committed between January 2014 and December 2024. He declined to say whether additional charges might have been brought without the pardon.
Criticism has come from both political sides. Republicans have accused the justice department of leniency, calling Hunter’s earlier plea deal a “sweetheart deal,” while Democrats argued that the investigation unfairly targeted the president’s son. The plea deal collapsed in court after a judge declined approval, intensifying political scrutiny.
Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, termed it a “reversal” under political pressure, made when Weiss withdrew the plea agreement. Weiss defended his inquiry and, in 2023, again told Congress that there was no political interference in his work.
The case is a rare instance of a president pardoning a close family member, a decision that has been met with both public and political controversy as the nation continues to debate the implications of justice and executive authority.
