It’s not exactly a secret that President Joe Biden sparked significant controversy when he decided to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, with many Republicans — and many Democrats — saying the outgoing Democrat was wrong to intervene in the case after he said he wouldn’t do that. .
But while much of the backlash is understandable, there is a related dimension to the story that is impossible to take seriously. Politico reported:
Almost immediately after Hunter Biden’s pardon was announced, Trump hinted that he might cite it as justification for granting broad clemency to the January 6 suspects. “Does Joe’s pardon for Hunter include the J-6 hostages?” he asked on social media, describing the situation [Jan. 6] rioters in terms rooted in his attempts to downplay the violence they inflicted on police that day.
The president-elect was not the only one thinking along these lines. John Solomon’s online outlet called Just the News published a report headlined: “Hunter Biden’s pardon gives Trump green light to release some January 6 defendants.” The same report noted a tweet from Charlie Kirk, a prominent far-right media personality and activist, who also wrote online: “No one in the media can better complain if J6ers are now pardoned.”
So a few things.
First, the idea that Trump has somehow been emboldened by Hunter Biden’s pardon, which has opened the door for the Republican to hand out no-jail-jail tickets to January 6 rioters, is ridiculous. The president-elect did not wait for a “green light”; He drove through the intersection months ago.
In 2022 — more than two years ago, before Hunter Biden was even indicted, and before Trump even launched his 2024 candidacy — he repeatedly discussed the idea of granting presidential pardons to those who faced legal consequences for the attack on the US Capitol.
In 2024, this conversation became more frequent and explicit. Eleven months ago, at a campaign event in New Hampshire, Trump heard from a supporter who urged him to “free” criminals on January 6. “We will,” he replied.
In March, he issued a statement promising in writing that one of his first acts, if returned to the White House, would be to “release” those charged and convicted of crimes related to the attack on January 6.
Less than a week later, Trump added additional clarity to his plan: Jan. 6 rioters could expect a pardon on “day one” of his second term.
When Trump spoke to Time Magazine’s Eric Cortellessa in April, the reporter reminded him that more than 800 January 6 participants have been convicted by our judicial system, and most of them have pleaded guilty. Others were convicted by juries. “Would you consider pardoning them all?” Cortellessa asked.
“I would consider that, yes,” Trump replied.
Apparently surprised, the Time reporter added, “Really?” to which the Republican said, “Yes, absolutely.”
A few months later, during a disastrous appearance before the National Association of Black Journalists, Trump added that he would pardon rioters even if they attacked police officers. Although it seemed hard to believe, ABC News anchor Rachel Scott reminded the Republican of the extensive injuries suffered by police officers during the riotous violence, including one officer who lost an eye. She asked whether the rioters who clashed with those officers are “patriots” who “deserve to be pardoned.”
Trump initially responded by ignoring the question and talking about protesters spraying limestone at the Capitol last week. So Scott tried again, asking if he would be willing to pardon “rioters who attacked police officers.” The GOP nominee responded: “Oh, absolutely. If they are innocent, I would pardon them.”
When Scott noted that they were talking about criminals who had already been convicted, Trump added that they had been “convicted by a very, very strict system” — as if that somehow left open the possibility that the violent rioters, some of whom some pleaded guilty , could still be innocent and deserving of a presidential pardon.
This was, as a Politico report noted, “the most explicit promise Trump has made about the range of suspects he could spring from prison if he comes to power — a group that now includes some of America’s most notorious violent actors that day seem to belong.”
The president-elect did not wait for an apology or a “green light.” Biden’s pardon came months — by some measures, year — after Trump left little doubt about his plans to help those who attacked the country’s seat of government in his name.
But just as importantly, the phrase “false equivalence” hangs over the conversation. Some on the right are essentially saying, “If Biden can pardon his son, then Trump can pardon the January 6 rioters.”
In reality, however, the former and the latter have nothing to do with each other. There are ample reasons to believe that Hunter Biden was subjected to selective prosecution because of his relationship with the president. By contrast, January 6 rioters engaged in a violent – and ultimately deadly – attack on their own country’s Capitol, hoping to give unlawful power to a failed president who had just been voted out of office.
To draw a parallel between the two is to strip reality of its meaning.
This message updates our related previous reporting.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
