Evening Report — Biden pardon becomes flashpoint issue for Dems

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Evening Report

Dems face blowback for Biden pardon

President Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden has become a flashpoint issue within the Democratic Party as it seeks a way forward after a devastating election cycle.

The pardon had its first real-world repercussions Tuesday, with U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika terminating all proceedings in Hunter Biden’s gun case.

The president had repeatedly promised he would not pardon his son, and Democrats are questioning the manner in which the pardon was issued.

• President Biden blamed the convictions on politically motivated actions from the Justice Department.

• He issued sweeping immunity to his son for all potential crimes committed over an 11-year period.

• President Biden jetted off to Africa on Tuesday without answering any questions about the pardon or why he reversed his stance.

Biden’s actions provoked discussion about his legacy and whether the calamitous final year of his presidency will ultimately define his tenure in the White House.

Via The Hill’s Brett Samuels: “His final few months, which included his refusal to drop his reelection bid until late July and his decision to pardon Hunter Biden after repeatedly saying he would not do so, is casting a cloud over the Biden presidency.”

Several Democrats stepped out to rebuke the president, but the response from Democratic lawmakers has largely been muted.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) declined to comment on the pardon when confronted by reporters Tuesday: "I've got nothing for you on that."

Still, there are deep concerns among the liberal political class that Biden has spoiled their argument that President-elect Trump is a threat to democratic norms and government institutions.

Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage: “In the eyes of many, the Biden pardon cedes the moral high ground the president and his party have spent years staking out. It also offers generous leeway to President-elect Trump for his own efforts to bend the justice system to his will.”

DEMOCRATS PUSH FOR ADDITIONAL PARDONS

Several Democrats sought to leverage Biden’s move to push for pardons elsewhere.

• Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) called on Biden to “pardon the 40 people who are on death row right now.”

• Civil rights advocates Ben Crump and Angela Rye said Biden should pardon former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who was convicted of mortgage fraud and perjury earlier this year. “There are thousands of people who have been wrongfully convicted and sit in federal prisons today. While Hunter Biden was selectively prosecuted, he’s not the only one.”

• Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and John Fetterman said Biden should pardon Trump. Fetterman told Politico that he believes the cases against both Trump and Hunter Biden were politically motivated: “Those cases were clearly weaponized against them for political gain. That’s undeniable. That was always inappropriate in my opinion. And a pardon in both are appropriate. And, for me, that collectively has damaged America’s trust in these institutions.”

• Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said “we have to revisit the pardon power in the Constitution” to not allow for presidents to pardon family members: “What other father in America has power to pardon his son or daughter if they’re convicted of a crime?”

BIDEN DRAGGED BY THE MEDIA

Some of the most withering criticism has come from the media.

CNN’s Kaitlin Collins said Biden accusing the Justice Department of politicizing his son's case “sounded like something Trump himself could have posted on Truth Social.”

“Rarely, if ever have, we heard from both Biden and Trump on the same page about anything. But now, it’s in print,” Collins said on her prime-time CNN show “The Source.”

Several center-left media personalities offered scathing commentary.

Charlamagne Tha God, who has emerged an important voice in Democratic politics, ripped the party:

“I just want Democrats to stop acting like they are on this moral high ground politically, when they have shown us they’re not,” he said on the Black Information Network. “Whether it’s skipping the primary process when Biden stepped down to things like Biden pardoning his son. Stop acting like you all are the pure party and Republicans aren’t.”

"The Daily Show" host John Stewart blasted Democrats for “getting caught creating a purity test for a system that they can’t seem to pass themselves.”

💡Perspectives:

• The Washington Post: The extraordinary breadth of Hunter Biden's pardon.

• Very Serious: Biden knew it was wrong to pardon Hunter.

• The Hill: Biden was right to pardon Hunter.

• Vox: For Dems, the Hunter pardon is a problem - and an opportunity.

CATCH UP QUICK

U.S. job openings rose last month but hiring slowed, painting a mixed picture for the labor market. A new survey from Gallup finds that most employees are actively seeking new positions, as Americans increasingly feel stuck in their jobs.
In a major win for labor unions, a Wisconsin judge struck down a state law stripping workers of collective bargaining rights.
Three-quarters of Americans believe the media is biased, according to Pew Research.

NEWS THIS AFTERNOON

Trump picks lobby for support on Capitol Hill

President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees are making the rounds on Capitol Hill as they seek to build support for confirmation.

• Pete Hegseth, who Trump tapped to lead the Department of Defense, met with seven GOP senators Monday, according to Axios, and he had meetings with several more Tuesday. Hegseth is pushing back on a New Yorker story that says he was forced out of a veterans group for heavy drinking and sexual misconduct. Hegseth’s lawyer called the claims “outlandish” and said they came from a “petty and jealous disgruntled former associate.” Trump adviser Jason Miller says “there aren’t any concerns” about Hegseth’s nomination.

• The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that that Kash Patel, who is Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, has so far been met with a lukewarm reception from GOP senators. Patel has ruffled feathers for coming up with an enemies list and vowing to tear down the FBI and start from scratch. Democrats say Patel would "weaponize" the government against them.

• Brendan Carr, who Trump nominated to lead the Federal Communications Commission, says he wants to “smash the censorship cartel.”

• Pam Bondi, who Trump tapped to lead the Justice Department, has met smooth sailing so far. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who will chair the Senate Judiciary Committee next year, said he had a “good meeting” with Bondi this week.

• Elon Musk is getting surprising support from some Democrats for his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) on Tuesday became the first Democrat to join DOGE, saying he believes that “streamlining government processes and reducing ineffective government spending should not be a partisan issue.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has voiced support for Musk’s efforts to cut defense spending. Rahm Emmanuel, Biden's ambassador to Japan, said Democrats should "welcome" Musk's efforts.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fla.) on Tuesday blasted California for a recent proposal to exclude Tesla from receiving electric vehicle credits, saying it’s being done for "foolish" political reasons.

💡Perspectives:

• Racket: The FBI badly needs to be disrupted.

• Compact: The smearing of Pete Hegseth.

• The Free Press: Poetic justice for Jay Bhattacharya.

Read more:

• Senate Democrats reelect Schumer leadership team, promote Klobuchar.

• DNC chair minimizes November losses.

• Trump appointments set off special elections to fill House seats.

• Dem judges cancel retirement after Trump victory; McConnel cries foul.

• Democrats slam GOP's COVID-19 report.

• House Republican: ‘Hard decisions’ needed on social welfare programs.

ON TAP

14 days until electors vote in their states.

17 days until the government funding deadline.

31 days until the new Congress begins and the House leadership elections.

34 days until Congress counts the electoral votes.

48 days until Inauguration Day.

IN OTHER NEWS

Trump makes presence felt abroad

President-elect Trump is making his presence felt abroad even before he takes the oath of office for a second term in the White House.

• Trump vowed Tuesday to block a Japanese firm’s takeover of U.S. Steel and promised to reinvigorate the American company, putting him on the same page as President Biden.

• Trump will travel to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which was devastated by a fire in 2019: “President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so,” Trump posted on TruthSocial. “It will be a very special day for all!”

• Trump huddled in Mar-a-Lago over the weekend with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where the North American leaders discussed Trump’s threat to levy tariffs. Fox News has a behind-the-scenes rundown of the meeting, including Trump’s apparent joke that the U.S. could annex Canada and make it the 51st state.

• Trump levied a direct threat against Hamas, posting on Truth Social that there will be “hell to pay” if they don’t release the hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel before he takes office office again.

• Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel told CNN in a new interview that Trump displayed a “fascination with the sheer power” of world leaders with unchecked power, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

💡Perspectives:

• CNN: Macron’s Paris invite shows power flowing from Biden to Trump.

• The New York Times: My brother is doing the Trump dance.

• The American Prospect: What is the Democratic Party?

• The Liberal Patriot: The left-flank albatross.

Read more:

• South Korean president declares ‘emergency martial law.’

• China responds to US chip sanctions, banning exports of key minerals.

• Hezbollah and Israel trade fire, testing cease-fire.

• NATO chief avoids talk of Ukraine membership.

• Top officer in Afghanistan promoted after senator drops hold.

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