White House leaves door open for potential commutation of Hunter Biden's gun convictions
The White House has not ruled out the possibility of a commutation for Hunter Biden, the president's son, who was recently convicted on three federal gun crimes.
During a press briefing on Air Force One as President Joe Biden traveled to the Group of Seven summit in Italy, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the issue, stating, "As we all know, the sentencing hasn't even been scheduled yet," the Associated Press reported.
Jean-Pierre confirmed that she has not spoken to the president about the matter since the verdict was delivered on Tuesday. However, she noted that during an ABC News interview last week, President Biden was "very clear, very upfront, obviously very definitive" when he definitively ruled out pardoning his son.
When pressed about the possibility of a commutation, Jean-Pierre declined to provide any further information, simply stating, "I just don't have anything beyond that."
Karine Jean-Pierre doesn't rule out a possible commutation of Hunter Biden's sentence. Shocker. pic.twitter.com/55xMwEWaG1
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 12, 2024
Hunter Biden was found guilty of lying on a mandatory gun purchase form by falsely claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs and illegally possessing the firearm for 11 days. The three counts carry a combined maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
The actual sentence Hunter Biden will serve, if any, will be determined by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, who was nominated to the bench by former Republican President Donald Trump. The judge has not yet set a date for the sentencing hearing.
As the White House navigates the delicate balance between the president's role as a father and his responsibilities as the nation's leader, the question of whether Hunter Biden will face imprisonment or receive a commutation from his father looms large. The president's silence on the matter of commutation, in contrast to his definitive stance against a pardon, has left room for speculation and uncertainty surrounding the outcome of this high-profile case.

Ian Miles Cheong
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Ian Miles Cheong is a freelance writer, graphic designer, journalist and videographer. He’s kind of a big deal on Twitter.
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