WH press sec refuses to answer question about Joe Biden commuting Hunter's sentence

In the days since Hunter Biden was found guilty in his federal gun trial, there has been speculation over whether his father will use his presidential powers to pardon him, should he be sentenced to prison. Prior to the verdict, Biden declared that he had decided a full-on pardon was not on the table, however he did not make clear his stance on commutation.

During Tuesday's White House press briefing aboard Air Force One, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre neither confirmed nor denied whether the president had considered that option. She urged those asking about the issue to wait until after the sentence had been handed down.


 

"He has ruled out pardoning his son, but I wondered about a commutation," a journalist asked, "whether that would be something that would be on the table."

"I don't have anything to say ... beyond what the President's statement was yesterday. He has been very clear. We've been very clear. You know, he loves his son, and he and the First Lady love their son, and they support their son."

After a brief pause, Jean-Pierre explained that she hadn't spoken with Biden since the verdict, and referred reporters back to the aforementioned interview in which he was "very clear" about his stance on the issue of a pardon.

"So you're not ruling out that he would commute the sentence?" the journalist pressed, to which Jean-Pierre replied, "What I'm saying is he was asked about a pardon. He was asked about the trial specifically, and he answered it very clearly, very forthright. As we know, the sentencing hasn't even been scheduled yet. I don't have anything beyond what the President said.  He's been very clear about this."

In a statement following the verdict, Biden and the first lady said he "will accept the outcome of this case and will continue to respect the judicial process as Hunter considers an appeal." He vowed to stand with his son no matter what.