On a recent episode of the “I’ve Had It” podcast, Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, expressed his belief that naming Merrick Garland as U.S. attorney general was the “biggest mistake” of his father’s presidency.
Hunter’s comments came during a discussion with host Jennifer Welch, who criticized Garland and his Department of Justice for failing to indict former President Trump, while moving forward with charges against Hunter himself. She framed it as a “capitulation by Democrats” to Republican pressures that initially pushed for Garland’s appointment.
In response, Hunter shared his perspective, noting, “If I distance myself from personal feelings, I think the single biggest mistake of my father’s administration was Merrick Garland’s leadership.” He mentioned that the current predicament is largely a result of decisions made outside his father’s direct influence, highlighting that Biden has adhered to a longstanding precedent of keeping the Justice Department independent from political interference, particularly since Nixon’s era.
He continued to lay some of the blame on Garland for not pursuing charges against Trump regarding the January 6 Capitol riot, labeling it a “planned conspiracy” aimed at undermining the 2020 election.
During the conversation, Hunter recalled the events of that day, emphasizing the violence and chaos, and questioned how Garland could ignore such a significant breach of democracy. He stated, “Didn’t you see people storming the Capitol, beating police officers? It was a collaborative effort that they planned well in advance,” implying a deeper conspiracy behind the actions of those involved.
Welch echoed Hunter’s sentiments, describing Garland as a “moderate” and suggesting that President Biden selected him in a bid to appease Republicans. There was an insinuation that Garland’s prior nomination by Obama for the Supreme Court played a role in this decision.
Hunter Biden also remarked on what he saw as a tendency for Garland to avoid confrontation with Republicans, stating, “It’s a big mistake.”
Although Hunter has faced scrutiny and investigations since 2018, he was pardoned by his father in the last weeks of Biden’s term for potential offenses during a specific time frame.
