Dean Phillips: Biden’s pardon of son Hunter was 'tragic'

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) says President Biden's decision to pardon his son, Hunter, in his final full month in office was a "tragic moment in American political history."

"I'm afraid we're taking some really dark turns," Phillips told NewsNation's "On Balance" in an interview on Tuesday.

"Donald Trump abused pardons. Joe Biden has now done the same, and frankly, most presidents do," he added. "I think it's time for some reform."

Phillips, who briefly ran a long-shot Democratic presidential bid, believes there's an opportunity for Biden to "make some statements and apologies for his missteps that would help the Democratic Party."

Previously, the president had remained adamant that he would not pardon Hunter, who pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges in September. He was also convicted in a separate criminal gun case in June. He has asked for both cases to be dropped following his father's pardon.

In his clemency announcement, the president called his son's treatment a "miscarriage of justice" and pointed to political motivation behind his son's charges.

"Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter," he said in a statement Sunday. "From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted."

"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong," the president continued. "There has been an effort to break Hunter — who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution."

He added, "In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me — and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough."i

The move has rattled Republicans and Democrats alike on Capitol Hill and beyond.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

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