Manchin Comments On Biden After Hunter Pardon
Joe Manchin, the retiring Senator from West Virginia, has always been known for his pragmatic, often controversial takes.
But his recent advice to President Joe Biden has stirred the pot in a way few expected. In an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, Manchin suggested a bold move: pardon Donald Trump. The rationale? To balance the scales after Biden’s highly contentious decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, for tax and gun crimes—despite months of assurances that no such pardon would occur.
Manchin framed his suggestion as one of fairness, hinting that Biden’s pardon of Hunter was understandable from a parental perspective but politically unbalanced. “As a father, I don’t know of a father that wouldn’t have done the same thing,” Manchin said, adding, “Why don’t you go ahead and pardon Donald Trump? For all his charges... make it... more balanced.”
BREAKING NEWS
Senator Joe Manchin has called on President Biden to pardon President-elect Donald Trump following Biden's controversial pardon of his son, Hunter Biden.
Manchin suggested this action would serve to balance the scales of justice. pic.twitter.com/1D3dahbh0L
— dustin mills (@dustinemills24) December 3, 2024
It’s a suggestion that’s as unlikely as it is provocative. Biden’s decision to pardon Hunter has already ignited bipartisan criticism, with some accusing the president of hypocrisy and others questioning the integrity of the justice system. The pardon contradicted Biden’s earlier promises that he would not intervene on behalf of his son.
As recently as June, he told ABC News unequivocally, “I will not pardon him.” Yet, on Sunday, Biden reversed course, stating, “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word.” For many, this statement rang hollow.
The fallout from Hunter’s pardon underscores a broader narrative of political distrust. While Biden argues that his son was unfairly prosecuted due to his last name, critics—particularly on the right—see parallels between Hunter’s legal troubles and the ongoing prosecutions of Donald Trump. If Hunter’s prosecution was selective, they argue, Trump’s legal battles are a textbook example of political weaponization.
President Biden says he will not pardon Hunter Biden and will accept the outcome, no matter what it is, of his son’s trial.
This is the way. No one is above the law.
pic.twitter.com/B0P3WCvUIT— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) June 7, 2024
Manchin’s proposal for a Trump pardon adds a fascinating layer to this debate. It challenges Biden to rise above partisanship and take a step toward healing the nation’s fractured trust in its institutions. Yet the likelihood of such an action is slim. Biden’s pardon of Hunter appears rooted in protecting his family, not in pursuing justice or fairness. Pardoning Trump, his chief political rival, would require a level of political courage and magnanimity that Biden has yet to demonstrate.