newYou can now listen to Fox News articles.
As Democrats, we are deeply disappointed in President Joe Biden's decision to grant a full and unconditional pardon to his son Hunter, who was convicted of multiple tax and gun charges.
To be clear, we do not deny the president's absolute right to pardon anyone (including his son), nor do we necessarily challenge his logic. But there are many reasons why we, and many other Democrats, feel that way.
Politically, President Biden has weakened the Democratic Party as the nation's highest-ranking official, and Democratic opposition to what President-elect Donald Trump and his allies are planning for the federal government. there were.
What does this mean?
Federal judge accuses President Biden of trying to 'rewrite history' with Hunter Biden pardon
At the most basic level, Democrats have long argued that President Trump and the Republican Party undermined the rule of law, both during Trump's first term and beyond.
In fact, the perceived threat that Donald Trump poses to democracy was a large part of Vice President Kamala Harris' unsuccessful presidential bid.
While voters clearly do not see this as a make-or-break issue, this debate has great appeal for those who want to support and strengthen our democratic institutions.
President Biden has now significantly weakened his claims, in no small part because he has broken his own repeated pledges to do the following: do not have Forgive his son.
Biden also echoed Trump's politicized judicial system by reinforcing the idea that there are two standards of justice, one for the president's son and one for everyone else. It gave credibility to the president's claims and further eroded the trust of the American people.
Andrew McCarthy: The real reason for Hunter Biden's pardon dates back to 2014
In other words, Mr. Biden's pardon of his son gives lie to claims that Democrats are superior to Republicans in their commitment to the rule of law and their integrity to the American people.
As such, the decision was unpopular even within President Biden's own party. Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis criticized this. I'm saying“This is a bad precedent that could be exploited by future presidents and will sadly tarnish his (Biden's) reputation.”
Similarly, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet argued that the pardon would “further erode the American people's trust that our justice system is fair and equal for all,” and fellow Democratic Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon would “further erode the American people's trust that our justice system is fair and equal for all.” “It's an inappropriate use of power.”
That said, this is more than just a debate over the impact of Biden's actions or the differences in how the two parties approach our democratic institutions.
This fundamentally hampers Democrats' ability to attack the methods of the incoming president as he nears a second term.
Biden pardons son Hunter Biden before leaving Oval Office
For example, a Democratic president appointing controversial candidates to his cabinet through recess appointments when he has just undermined the fabric of our democracy with a full and unconditional pardon of his formally convicted son. It is now difficult for Democrats to refute President Trump's plan. More than a dozen criminal charges.
President Biden previously said he had no intention of pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, but granted the pardon anyway. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
It would have been easier, and dare I say defensible, if Biden had commuted his son's sentence in light of Hunter's addiction and historical precedent. There were grounds for doing so.
I don't know if this had widespread support. But it probably wouldn't have received the same backlash as a full pardon for Hunter's crimes over the past decade.
For more FOX News opinions, click here
This appears to be a broad overreach and one that undermines the very core of the Democratic Party's argument.
What President Biden basically told Americans is that they can do what they want, when they want, even if they promise not to do it.
By using the president's unrestricted pardon power in an overtly personal way, Biden is undermining the Democratic Party's supposed commitment to democratic values, regardless of how it is applied. It suggested that it was a matter of context rather than a commitment to the rule of law.
I hope that Hunter Biden's pardon will fade into history and that President Biden will not continue to use his pardon power indiscriminately. But if President Biden wants to grant another pardon, one proposal put forward by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-Virginia, would be to pardon Donald Trump.
Of course, this will be largely symbolic, as lawsuits involving Trump are being dismissed, but if Biden wants to heal rather than divide, this is a good starting point. It will be.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Moreover, the conclusion of the lawsuit involving the former president and former president would put the country in a position to move forward and address more serious challenges, including the increasingly aggressive Russia-China-Iran Axis, the Middle East, and domestic inflation. Dew.
It also demonstrates a level of parity and parallelism, and signals to the American people that their elected leaders can work together and work in the best interests of the country. These two qualities are worthy of being American.
Robert Green is a principal at Pierrepont Consulting and Analytics LLC and has 30 years of experience in research-based messaging insights. During his career, Greene has provided research guidance to numerous political campaigns.
Click here to read more about Doug Schoen
