Americans reveal their VERY strong reactions to Biden pardoning Hunter before he leaves office

Joe Bidens pardon of his son Hunter has antagonized both sides of the American political divide, with Republicans crying hypocrisy as Democrats warn it undermines efforts to rein in Donald Trump.

Bidens announcement shocked Washington, after he entered the White House in 2021 vowing to restore the integrity of a justice system that Democrats said had been corrupted by Trump - and because he had specifically vowed not to reprieve his son.

But on Sunday the president instead issued a full and unconditional pardon on Sunday, absolving 54-year-old Hunter Biden of any wrongdoing over the last decade ahead of his looming sentencing over gun and tax convictions.

Biden argued that his son had been targeted in a politicized prosecution launched under the Trump administration and that theres no reason to believe it will stop here.

People DailyMail.com spoke to in New York City appeared to be mostly against Bidens actions with few surprised that he issued the pardon.

I wouldnt pardon my own daughter, said one woman. I dont think any president should be pardoning family members. There has to be some kind of committee that does it. 

It doesnt sound right, said another in the fall sunshine on Monday. He had said that he wasnt going to pardon his son, and then he did.

Another New Yorker had a more pragmatic approach to the situation. 

Joe Bidens pardon of his son Hunter has antagonized both sides of the American political divide, with Republicans crying hypocrisy and Democrats warning it undermines efforts to rein in Donald Trump

People DailyMail.com spoke to in New York City appeared to be mostly against Bidens actions. This woman said she wouldnt even pardon her own daughter

Many of the people DailyMail.com spoke with were not surprised Biden issued the pardon

If we are pardoning crackheads, then okay, whatever. You know, if you break the law, do the time, the man reasoned. Or dont break the law? I dont think anybody should be pardoned.

This is horrible and embarrassing, added another. I suppose youve got to do what you can while youre still there, seemingly giving Biden an allowance. 

Who among us could say they wouldnt pardon their son as president?, asked one woman It does feel like a short-sighted move on Joe Bidens part. 

Another member of the public was more concerned about the effect it might have on the incoming administration. 

Were trying to gear ourselves up to resist Trump and authoritarianism - and then to have the Democrats with such blatant corruption... I think its emboldening even more corruption by the Republicans, he said.

One man wasnt surprised at all by Bidens actions and had a more cynical response.  

Its hypocrisy. You know, he said he wouldnt do it. He didnt adhere to his promise. Typical politician.    

While politicians typically pay lip service to the importance of independent law enforcement, Democrats and Republicans offer different justifications for suspicion of the Justice Department and presidents of both stripes have protected allies.

Let the courts decide! one man demanded, left. If you cant do the time, dont do the crime, another parkgoer added, right

One woman wasnt surprised at Bidens antics, left. This is horrible and embarrassing, this man, right, said he was worried about the future implications

Who among us could say they wouldnt pardon their son as president?, asked one woman, left. Its hypocrisy. You know, he said he wouldnt do it. He didnt adhere to his promise. Typical politician, said this man, right

Trump wielded the pardon power liberally in favor of convicts with whom he had personal relationships, including his daughters father-in-law Charles Kushner, his friend Roger Stone and his 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Biden announced Hunters pardon in a statement arguing that the charges against his son were brought in a process infected with raw politics.

Hunter Biden was convicted by a jury in June of lying about his drug use when he bought a gun and pleaded guilty in a separate tax evasion trial in September.

The president and his team had been adamant that he would not pardon his son, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre making the claim as recently as November 7. 

Charges for the gun offense are rare, and the president - in language that CNN likened to Trumps rhetoric on law and order - argued that his own Justice Department had been wielded unfairly for political purposes.

Seeking to justify his about-face, Biden said that Hunter was singled out only because he is my son.

But Republicans argued that the pardon demonstrated that the sitting president, and not his incoming replacement, was politicizing the system.

President Joe Biden accompanied by his son Hunter Biden and his grandson Beau leave a book store as they walk in downtown Nantucket Massachusetts, last Friday

Donald Trump sees Bidens decision to pardon Hunter as a symptom of a broken justice system politicized by the liberal left but did not directly criticize the president for the move

Biden explained his decision to pardon Hunter in a lengthy statement on Sunday night

Insiders are now saying Joe Biden was considering a pardon for months after Hunters conviction in a federal gun case over the summer

Meanwhile Democrats worried that Trump would use Bidens action to justify pardoning rioters jailed after the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Trump wrote in a post on his platform, Truth Social, on Sunday. Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!

Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis said Bidens son had brought his legal woes on himself and accused the president of having put his family ahead of the country.

This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation, Polis posted on X. When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation.

Political scientist Nicholas Creel, of Georgia College and State University argues however that nothing Biden does before leaving office will affect the actions of a successor who simply does not care about precedent.

Trump was never going to need an excuse to do whatever he wants once he takes office, he said.

So while Im sure well get plenty of pundits claiming that Biden pardoning his son opens the door for Trump to use his pardon power in overtly personal and political ways, I find it laughable that this wasnt always going to be the case.