Hunter Biden Requests Dismissal of Criminal Cases Following Presidential Pardon

Hunter Biden has formally asked federal judges to dismiss his criminal tax and gun cases following the pardon issued by his father, President Joe Biden, on Sunday.

Abbe Lowell, Hunter’s attorney, submitted official notices of the pardon to the courts overseeing both cases shortly after the president’s announcement, calling for an immediate dismissal of all charges.

The legal filings included a sworn declaration from Hunter Biden, confirming his acceptance of the pardon. Lowell argued that dismissal of the charges was now required, citing judicial precedent from previous presidential pardons.

“Accordingly, dismissal of the Indictment with prejudice and adjourning any future proceedings and entry judgment in this matter is now required,” Lowell wrote to the judges.

President Biden’s decision to pardon his son came after months of publicly stating that he would not intervene in Hunter’s legal troubles.

The pardon covers not only Hunter Biden’s two pending cases but also any other offenses he may have committed against the United States since January 1, 2014. The president described the move as necessary to address what he called a politically motivated prosecution.

Hunter Biden’s legal issues stem from two cases. In Delaware, a jury found him guilty of three felony charges related to his 2018 purchase and possession of a revolver while using drugs, which violated federal law.

Meanwhile, in California, he pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges, avoiding a trial in the case led by Special Counsel David Weiss. Sentencing hearings for both cases were scheduled to take place in roughly two weeks before the pardon was issued.

In his announcement, President Biden defended the pardon as an act of justice rather than favoritism. “Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice,” Biden wrote.

He expressed that, as both a father and a leader, the decision was deeply personal but ultimately necessary. “Once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” he said. “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”

The president’s decision has sparked widespread debate, with critics accusing him of abusing presidential power to protect his son, while supporters argue that the legal proceedings against Hunter Biden were politically charged and unprecedented.

The motions filed by Hunter Biden’s legal team now await the courts’ rulings, which will likely face close scrutiny as political fallout over the pardon continues.