To Joe Biden, Much Was Given; More Was Expected

The President's pardon of his son is understandable, but no less regrettable

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. - Luke 12:48

Americans demand a lot from our elected officials, and the higher the office, the more that is expected. In return, we confer upon them significant influence and prestige. At the higher levels, elected officials are well-compensated both during their tenure in office and upon leaving.

At the top of the pyramid, of course, is the President of the United States. It is a job of unimaginable pressure and responsibility. It also is a job that comes with pretty decent perks, from not-so-bad public housing, a private airplane and countless staff to do the president’s bidding 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

In return, the President is asked to put the best interests of the country first, to do what is right, not what is easiest or what is of greatest benefit to the President or those closest to him. To be sure, some presidents have done better in meeting this obligation than others. In fact, it’s fair to say that some presidents see the office and its trappings as a means of personal enrichment, vindication and even revenge. Not naming names, but it happens.

In all of this, Americans sometimes overlook the other roles life has handed the person who holds this highest office. Most presidents are fathers, husbands, friends, etc., etc.

And that brings us to President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter. President Biden believes his son is the victim of political persecution and, therefore, deserving of the kind of mercy only one father in the country can grant.

It’s certainly true that Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and other family members have been victimized by politicians who were irresponsible on their best days, unethical on their typical days when the Biden family was the focus. Republicans in the House of Representatives have dragged a parade of witnesses through their committees trying to find a crime – any crime – that may warrant legal action, even articles of impeachment, against President Biden. When no evidence was found, they lied to the public about what the witnesses said, misstated the facts and debased Congress, their party and themselves.

Certainly, partisans will say, “Yes, but whatabout…?” OK, what about the first articles of impeachment against President Trump? He sought to engage a foreign government in investigating a political opponent by illegally using funds Congress had appropriated as a bribe. Even though it didn’t result in a conviction in the Senate, most senators, including many Republicans, acknowledged that Trump’s actions were a serious breach of ethics.

The second impeachment was even more serious, inciting a riot in an effort to overturn the results of a legal and fair election. Then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Trump was “practically and morally responsible” for what he called a “failed attempt to obstruct the Congress, this failed insurrection…” But, of course, the Senate failed to convict again, this time because Republicans were hoping to put Donald Trump behind them once he left office.

The pursuit of Joe Biden and his family was driven by motives other than upholding the Constitution. Republicans had no cause other than raw, ugly partisan politics to investigate the Biden family. That reality is validated by the outcomes of years of hearings at a cost of millions of dollars, all that produced nothing. Joe Biden certainly is validated in complaining that he and his son were victimized by a political process run amuck. If there were a way to hold House Republicans accountable for their perfidy and to punish them for their political assaults on Hunter Biden and the family, few objective observers would complain.

The legal issues against Hunter Biden are a different matter. Biden was convicted by a jury of three felony counts for illegally purchasing a handgun. He pleaded guilty to tax evasion. Yes, there are mitigating factors, including his payment of all outstanding taxes long before the legal process was in full gear. Prosecutions for falsifying a statement to obtain a handgun that never was used are rare. There also is the reality that Hunter Biden was fighting his own demons, including addiction.

One would hope that a court would show mercy to a person who has accepted responsibility, made restitution and has overcome his disease. But in this case, mercy should have been the court’s to administer and not the President’s.

Now the “whatabout” certainly will come from Trump and his acolytes. Never mind that a member of Trump’s extended family was pardoned by Trump for tax evasion and crimes far more heinous than Hunter’s. Paul Manafort jeopardized the security of the country, Roger Stone obstructed Congress and tampered with witnesses, Philip Esformes was serving a 20-year sentence after his conviction for swindling Medicare and Medicaid of more than $1 billion…all pardoned by Trump.

Trump likely will use the Hunter Biden pardon to justify pardons for the more than 900 people convicted of federal crimes tied to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. He will use the pardon to validate his false claims of political persecution and the “weaponization” of the justice system. Trump’s promises to use the justice system to inflict revenge on his political opponents will have new standing among his ardent sycophants.

All these actions and maybe more probably would happen in the coming second Trump Administration with or without the Hunter Biden pardon. So why not give an aging father the opportunity to do what many fathers would if they could?

Why not? Because Joe Biden has a higher calling. It is his responsibility to defend and protect the integrity of the rule of law, not debase it for personal reasons. Joe Biden just weeks ago said Donald Trump’s flouting of the rule of law and his attacks on democratic and judicial processes “represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” Now, Joe Biden is joining those who act in ways that erode the public’s fading trust in the rule of law.

When there are fewer and fewer beacons of lights, fewer and fewer examples of people who in the throes of what must be tremendous personal anguish set aside personal interests and fewer and fewer people who stand by their word even when doing so inflicts great pain on loved ones, then the task of fighting the extremism of Donald Trump becomes that much more difficult.

Joe Biden, like every president, has been given a great deal. When more was asked of him, he let us down to lift up his son. Understandable, but no less regrettable.