"Fighting back, with whatever legal means at disposal ..."
So, if Trump pardoned himself - legal means, right? - you would be okay with that?
I so, so often don't agree with Evan but on this I do agree. I completely agree that Biden massively sullied himself; his legacy is clear: take care of family and to hell with what is right!
Well, my point was that Tom felt that Biden's use of the pardon was okay because it was legal so, on that metric, how would he feel about Trump exercising that same legal provision?
I suspect that many people - and, I suspect, including Tom - would be violently opposed to Trump pardoning himself and my point to him would be, "But, it's legal; you said it was okay for Biden to do it because it is legal so why not DJT?"
I don't agree with that, by the way, but I was trying point out the way in that someone says, "It's legal so it's okay" and then says, "It's legal but it's wrong."
It's because a President Trump that will pardon himself and anyone else that participated in the January 6th insurrection AND carry out his personal vendettas that he needed to do this.
Your argument was that what Biden did was legal so it's just peachy but now you are arguing that if Trump did it it would be legal but wrong. You are not arguing from a consistent basis.
Reprehensible, I agree. Necessary, not at all. Or, put it another way, it was "necessary" only in Biden's aged and diseased mind but was not necessary for any public policy reason.
I’d be more sympathetic if he was actually fighting Trump with every tool available. Instead, when his own family isn’t impacted, everything else is situation normal. He invited Trump to the White House for a friendly photo op last week.
Apparently Trump isn’t such a threat to democracy that resisting him would forgive bad manners
I disagree completely, notably because it's been made clear that Hunter wouldn't have been prosecuted at all if he weren't Joe’s son, and because “his laptop” was harassment, and because Patel has made it clear that Hunter would be thrown to the lions at the earliest opportunity. Joe made a pre-emptive strike, a minor injustice to prevent a greater one.
Oh come on Evan, USA voted in a felon and the Hunter case was iffy, but it’s not ok for Hunter? We have Pierre who won’t take a background check, we have conservatives seriously breaking and robbing us. Hunter would be in danger with Trump in power. With all the scandals against the law with conservatives and republicans, and you’re upset on one man who they aren’t even sure had a fair trial?
I made the decision to subscribe to your Substack but this post has changed my mind and I have unsubscribed to your Substack. If Hunter Biden were not the president’s son, he should still receive a pardon. He was brutally dogged, lies were made up about him, Les Parnes admitted to that and he saw it unfold in front of his eyes. He has begged Hunter to forgive him, which Hunter did. This is exactly what pardons were created for. To undo injustice. Hunter would never have been charged with something as ridiculous as lying on an application for a fire arm. No one has ever been charged for that. Now that Trump has promised revenge and Kash Patel has promised to make Hunter Biden’s life absolute Hell? I’m proud of Joe Biden for pardoning him. I applaud him. He knows between right and wrong and the war waged against Hunter was dead wrong. He isn’t a disgrace. He is a man who personifies grace. Your post, however, is a disgrace.
Read this. Then apologize to both Joe and Hunter Biden.
You get US politics not at all. You're influenced by the Soviet-era profs who told you all the US was an evil empire whereas the USSR/Russia is a “decolonizer”.
The only reason that Hunter Biden was prosecuted was because of his last name. Any other American would have not been prosecuted or would have received a very benign plea deal. Biden was prepared to subject his son to this injustice for the sake of being held to a higher standard.
With Trump’s nominations in the past week and Patel’s in particular, this all changed. These people are on record and committed to go after Hunter Biden and a host of other people. And a committed US DOJ can make life miserable for anybody even when it never comes to a trial. It would be an injustice if Biden had not pardoned Hunter Biden. You cannot expect people to take the high road when your political opponents are prepared and have announced to throw away all rules and standards.
Hunter Biden is a recovering addict and a regular citizen, he does not have to be a martyr for some kind of higher moral standard that will be entirely abandoned in the next 4 years (or longer).
I am always for doing the right thing. Taking the high road! Not pardoning Hunter would be the right thing in a sane world. We no longer live in a sane world. A world where you can count on the other guy to do the opposite of the right thing. When this is the world you live in moral superiority serves no one, it certainly would not have served justice in this case. So in fact I applaud Biden for this act. You don't beat wanna be dictators, by doing the right thing. You must learn to play by their rules. This is their rules. Bravo Biden.
The GOP and Trump have perfected the art of double-think, demanding strict adherence to "rules" they’ve gleefully torched. They insist on accountability for their enemies while excusing or outright celebrating their own rule-breaking. From undermining the justice system to defying constitutional norms, they weaponize laws as tools of convenience—enforcing them selectively to punish dissent while claiming victimhood when held to account. It’s not rule-following they champion; it’s the illusion of it, wielded to mask their own relentless pursuit of unchecked power.
Looks like I’m not the only one, Evan. A pardon is for those who have been wrongly prosecuted in the first place, or over sentenced for the crime committed. Hunter qualifies in both cases and more. What purpose would be served for Hunter Biden to be imprisoned?
Biden is guilty of loving his son. Letting a suicidal addict be thrown to the extrajudicial wolves in Armani suits is a level of evil I did not expect from you, Evan. Good day.
A Presidential pardon is at the discretion of the office. It may appear unethical, but there's a difference between pure evil and discernment. Get a dictionary and learn both. Thanks, Headquarters
Two wrongs don't make a right. Either America has a rule of law, or they don't. Hunter is obviously guilty of all sorts of crimes, otherwise his father would not have issued a blanket pardon. You can't be convicted of crimes you haven't committed. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
I like Jack Smith‘s comment – call me when Hunter gets 2 billion from the Saudis or gets appointed ambassador to France.
Reprehensible but necessary.
Whenever one is facing a despot, the rules change.
Doing the right thing as Mr. Gore did, as a comedian who resigned his position for a stupid joke, does nothing to prevent what is happening today.
Fighting back, with whatever legal means at disposal is all one can do.
"Fighting back, with whatever legal means at disposal ..."
So, if Trump pardoned himself - legal means, right? - you would be okay with that?
I so, so often don't agree with Evan but on this I do agree. I completely agree that Biden massively sullied himself; his legacy is clear: take care of family and to hell with what is right!
What makes you think Trump won't pardon himself???
Well, my point was that Tom felt that Biden's use of the pardon was okay because it was legal so, on that metric, how would he feel about Trump exercising that same legal provision?
I suspect that many people - and, I suspect, including Tom - would be violently opposed to Trump pardoning himself and my point to him would be, "But, it's legal; you said it was okay for Biden to do it because it is legal so why not DJT?"
I don't agree with that, by the way, but I was trying point out the way in that someone says, "It's legal so it's okay" and then says, "It's legal but it's wrong."
It's because a President Trump that will pardon himself and anyone else that participated in the January 6th insurrection AND carry out his personal vendettas that he needed to do this.
Your argument was that what Biden did was legal so it's just peachy but now you are arguing that if Trump did it it would be legal but wrong. You are not arguing from a consistent basis.
"Reprehensible but necessary"
Reprehensible, I agree. Necessary, not at all. Or, put it another way, it was "necessary" only in Biden's aged and diseased mind but was not necessary for any public policy reason.
I’d be more sympathetic if he was actually fighting Trump with every tool available. Instead, when his own family isn’t impacted, everything else is situation normal. He invited Trump to the White House for a friendly photo op last week.
Apparently Trump isn’t such a threat to democracy that resisting him would forgive bad manners
I disagree completely, notably because it's been made clear that Hunter wouldn't have been prosecuted at all if he weren't Joe’s son, and because “his laptop” was harassment, and because Patel has made it clear that Hunter would be thrown to the lions at the earliest opportunity. Joe made a pre-emptive strike, a minor injustice to prevent a greater one.
None of that statement you just made is true.
Oh come on Evan, USA voted in a felon and the Hunter case was iffy, but it’s not ok for Hunter? We have Pierre who won’t take a background check, we have conservatives seriously breaking and robbing us. Hunter would be in danger with Trump in power. With all the scandals against the law with conservatives and republicans, and you’re upset on one man who they aren’t even sure had a fair trial?
Pot, meet kettle.
I made the decision to subscribe to your Substack but this post has changed my mind and I have unsubscribed to your Substack. If Hunter Biden were not the president’s son, he should still receive a pardon. He was brutally dogged, lies were made up about him, Les Parnes admitted to that and he saw it unfold in front of his eyes. He has begged Hunter to forgive him, which Hunter did. This is exactly what pardons were created for. To undo injustice. Hunter would never have been charged with something as ridiculous as lying on an application for a fire arm. No one has ever been charged for that. Now that Trump has promised revenge and Kash Patel has promised to make Hunter Biden’s life absolute Hell? I’m proud of Joe Biden for pardoning him. I applaud him. He knows between right and wrong and the war waged against Hunter was dead wrong. He isn’t a disgrace. He is a man who personifies grace. Your post, however, is a disgrace.
If you seriously ever expected me to be okay with this pardon I don’t know what you’ve been reading this whole time
I often disagree with you but thought I’d give you the benefit of the doubt. This post is the deal breaker.
He hates the US.
Read this. Then apologize to both Joe and Hunter Biden.
You get US politics not at all. You're influenced by the Soviet-era profs who told you all the US was an evil empire whereas the USSR/Russia is a “decolonizer”.
None of your statements are true
Evan, you are completely wrong on this one.
The only reason that Hunter Biden was prosecuted was because of his last name. Any other American would have not been prosecuted or would have received a very benign plea deal. Biden was prepared to subject his son to this injustice for the sake of being held to a higher standard.
With Trump’s nominations in the past week and Patel’s in particular, this all changed. These people are on record and committed to go after Hunter Biden and a host of other people. And a committed US DOJ can make life miserable for anybody even when it never comes to a trial. It would be an injustice if Biden had not pardoned Hunter Biden. You cannot expect people to take the high road when your political opponents are prepared and have announced to throw away all rules and standards.
Hunter Biden is a recovering addict and a regular citizen, he does not have to be a martyr for some kind of higher moral standard that will be entirely abandoned in the next 4 years (or longer).
I am always for doing the right thing. Taking the high road! Not pardoning Hunter would be the right thing in a sane world. We no longer live in a sane world. A world where you can count on the other guy to do the opposite of the right thing. When this is the world you live in moral superiority serves no one, it certainly would not have served justice in this case. So in fact I applaud Biden for this act. You don't beat wanna be dictators, by doing the right thing. You must learn to play by their rules. This is their rules. Bravo Biden.
You seem ignorant
The GOP and Trump have perfected the art of double-think, demanding strict adherence to "rules" they’ve gleefully torched. They insist on accountability for their enemies while excusing or outright celebrating their own rule-breaking. From undermining the justice system to defying constitutional norms, they weaponize laws as tools of convenience—enforcing them selectively to punish dissent while claiming victimhood when held to account. It’s not rule-following they champion; it’s the illusion of it, wielded to mask their own relentless pursuit of unchecked power.
Looks like I’m not the only one, Evan. A pardon is for those who have been wrongly prosecuted in the first place, or over sentenced for the crime committed. Hunter qualifies in both cases and more. What purpose would be served for Hunter Biden to be imprisoned?
He doesn’t qualify at all
Such a fucking low blow for u. Do better or STFU
Ah, truth is a low blow?
Sad argument you make.
If Harris had won I doubt he would have done it. Under the circumstances I can't blame him. Id do the same thing.
The only way to ensure the power to pardon isn't abused is to take it away. It shouldn't exist. I don't see that ever happening though.
Biden is guilty of loving his son. Letting a suicidal addict be thrown to the extrajudicial wolves in Armani suits is a level of evil I did not expect from you, Evan. Good day.
Admitting the president should be above the law and agreeing with Trump's philosophy on that is evil. Good day.
A Presidential pardon is at the discretion of the office. It may appear unethical, but there's a difference between pure evil and discernment. Get a dictionary and learn both. Thanks, Headquarters
Two wrongs don't make a right. Either America has a rule of law, or they don't. Hunter is obviously guilty of all sorts of crimes, otherwise his father would not have issued a blanket pardon. You can't be convicted of crimes you haven't committed. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
https://x.com/KYKentuckyHome/status/1863642769631109280
Scrimshaw- go fly a kite. You’re off my Substack.
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out