The Debate Over the Hunter Biden Pardon

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Credit…Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

To the Editor:

With all the hyperventilating that President Biden lied when he said he wasn’t going to pardon his son Hunter, I suspect that Mr. Biden simply changed his mind.

Given the heated rhetoric of Donald Trump and his desire for retribution and revenge, as well as his current cabinet picks, especially for the F.B.I., I think it is no wonder that Mr. Biden would move to protect his son.

I think we can all agree that a parent’s primary loyalty is to their children. I doubt any of us would stand by while their child goes to jail on arguably questionable charges.

As for Mr. Biden lying, I find that laughable, considering that Mr. Trump purportedly lied or misled over 30,000 times when he was president. So, let’s forgive Joe for being loyal to his son; he has (for a politician at least) been admirable and ethical these past four years.

Cathy Putnam
Littleton, Mass.

To the Editor:

There was never any question about President Biden’s love for his family. It was among the many appealing aspects of his persona. He simply could not leave the presidency without doing something about his son’s convictions.

But he chose the wrong option. It would have been better to commute Hunter Biden’s sentence than to grant a full pardon. The pardon shows utter disregard for the process of law and the judgment of jurors who rendered a verdict.