Buckeye Reporter

Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted criticized President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, despite previous statements that he would not do so. Husted's comment, made in response to a video compilation showing Biden's earlier statements, suggested that the pardon was always a foregone conclusion.

“You won’t have to watch much of it to get the point. Joe Biden lied. He was always going to pardon his son,” Husted wrote in a Dec. 2 social media post on X.

Husted made his comment in response to a compilation video posted on X comprised of clips of President Joe Biden saying that he would not pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted on federal charges earlier this year.

Despite his earlier statements, Fox News reports that earlier this week, Biden pardoned Hunter for offenses related to gun and tax issues, which he claimed were part of a politically motivated prosecution. The pardon applies to actions between January 1, 2014, and December 1, 2024, following Hunter's convictions on firearm and tax charges earlier in 2024. The president emphasized his son's recovery from addiction and criticized the selective prosecution he believed Hunter faced. Hunter expressed gratitude for the pardon and vowed to dedicate himself to helping others with addiction.

Hunter's charges included three felony firearm offenses and tax-related charges. In the firearm case, he was found guilty of making false statements on a federal gun purchase form in 2018, falsely denying he was an addict, and possessing a firearm while being an unlawful user of controlled substances. The latter was supported by evidence of his ongoing drug addiction during the time of purchase. Additionally, Hunter faced felony tax charges for failing to pay over $1.4 million in taxes, though he later pled guilty to these charges, which included both felony and misdemeanor counts. These convictions led to his scheduled sentencing in December 2024.

Joe Biden is scheduled to leave office on January 20, 2025, when his term as president officially ends. This date marks the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, following the results of the 2024 presidential election.

According to his official bio page, Jon Husted was adopted and raised in Northwest Ohio's Williams County. He grew up with a strong foundation in faith, family, and hard work. After excelling as an All-American defensive back and earning advanced degrees from the University of Dayton, Husted contributed to economic development as vice president at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce.

Husted's tenure as Secretary of State was marked by significant improvements in business processes, including reducing start-up costs and eliminating office fees, saving taxpayers millions. As House Speaker, he championed Ohio’s most conservative budget in decades with a historic income tax cut. Elected Lt. Governor in 2018, Husted continues to balance his public service with his roles as a husband to his wife Tina and father to their three children.