Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom distanced himself from President Joe Biden Tuesday by condemning the pardoning of his son, Hunter Biden.
Newsom, a suspected presidential contender in 2028, told Politico he is “disappointed” by Biden’s decision to issue a “full and unconditional” pardon after he had repeatedly assured the nation that he would not grant one for his son. The California governor’s public disapproval for Biden could indicate that he may be trying to distance himself for political purposes, as he has been a staunch defender of the president throughout his term in the Oval Office.
“With everything the president and his family have been through, I completely understand the instinct to protect Hunter,” Newsom said. “But I took the president at his word. So by definition, I’m disappointed and can’t support the decision.”
Newsom has staunchly supported and defended Biden against concerns about his mental capability to serve as commander-in-chief. Following the president’s disastrous debate performance in June, Newsom told MSNBC’s Alex Wagner in June that the Democratic Party should not “turn [their] back” on the president over one bad night while many Democrats began calling on Biden to step out of the race.
The California governor has positioned himself to be a possible contender in the 2024 primary if Biden decided to step down from the race, according to The Hill. If he becomes a 2028 presidential candidate, he is expected to raise a substantial amount of money as he is well known across the nation and will likely take a strong stance against President-elect Donald Trump and his base.
The president and the White House continuously told the public that Hunter would not receive a pardon from his father. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during several press briefings throughout the last several months that Hunter would not receive a pardon, while Biden told ABC News anchor David Muir during a June 13 interview that he had ruled out pardoning his son.
The president pardoned his son on Sunday from all convicted crimes or pending criminal charges committed between Jan. 1, 2014 and Dec. 1, 2024.
Hunter was pardoned from his conviction of three felony counts relating to his purchase of a Colt Cobra in October 2018 after writing false information on the purchase form regarding his drug use at the time. He also faced up to 17 years in prison for nine charges related to his alleged failure to pay $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019.
The pardon further includes any potential charges he could have faced in relation to his overseas business dealings in Ukraine, China and Romania, in which House Republicans are investigating whether Biden participated in an influence peddling scheme to help his son and brother, James, with their business. George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said Tuesday that Hunter could face charges that are not protected by the pardon if he committed perjury during congressional testimonies about his business dealings.
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