Top Democrats Avoid Biden's Pardon
The conflicting signals contribute to a confused reaction from Democrats who are still grappling with the recent news.
TroibNews 
Hunter Biden’s pardon is rapidly becoming a contentious topic in the early stages of the 2028 presidential primary, with few ambitious Democrats eager to engage in the discussion.
Numerous governors and senators aspiring to shape the future of the Democratic Party are refraining from commenting on Joe Biden’s recent, sweeping decision to grant clemency to his son. This move comes after months of prior promises that he would refrain from using his executive powers and allow the justice system to proceed unimpeded.
The lack of response from prominent Democrats suggests they are avoiding the chance to either distance themselves from or defend the unpopular president, even in the wake of the party's disappointing performance in last month's elections. Their reticence will likely continue to create tension and could resurface in upcoming presidential debates.
Governors such as Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and JB Pritzker of Illinois either did not respond or chose not to comment on the pardon when approached by PMG. Similarly, Senators Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Cory Booker of New Jersey also remained silent on the issue.
In contrast, several candidates aspiring to chair the Democratic National Committee, or those considering the role, are either defending Biden or voicing their support for his pardon. These contenders are seeking to resonate with party loyalists, many of whom are aligned with Biden, ahead of the February 1 election.
The mixed reactions highlight a disorganized response from Democrats still absorbing the implications of the pardon decision, revealing a lack of a collective strategy to address this sensitive and personal issue.
Biden explained that he granted clemency to his only living son after concluding that the federal prosecution was “infected” by “raw politics” and constituted a “miscarriage of justice.” Hunter Biden has accepted guilty pleas for tax offenses and has been convicted on gun-related charges.
The announcement from the White House was made shortly after Donald Trump expressed his desire for Kash Patel, a MAGA advocate who has pledged to dismantle the FBI’s Washington headquarters, to lead the agency.
Only some more unconventional or lesser-known potential candidates for 2028 distanced themselves from Biden’s decision. Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna, who co-chaired Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign, expressed empathy for Biden as a father and for Hunter’s struggles, but clarified that he did not support the pardon. He contended that the president should not have had the power to grant clemency in this case and should have sought to limit that authority while in office.
“The reality is it’s an anachronistic power from the time of kings,” Khanna remarked. “Most Americans who face unfairness with the process and have deep emotional ties to their kids when they face disproportionate sentencing don’t have access to power.”
Senator John Fetterman, who is an ally of Biden and has not shied away from conflict within his party, agreed with the president’s view that his son had been treated differently by the justice system for political reasons, paralleling it with Trump’s case involving 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records.
“Those cases were clearly weaponized against them for political gain. That’s undeniable,” he stated. “That was always inappropriate in my opinion. And a pardon in both are appropriate. And, for me, that collectively has damaged America’s trust in these institutions.”
Governor Jared Polis expressed disappointment with Biden’s decision shortly after the announcement, stating that while he understood the president's instincts as a father, it was concerning that he prioritized his family over broader national interests.
“While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country,” he wrote on X. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation.”
Senator Michael Bennet, who garnered less than 1 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire primary during his 2020 presidential run, also criticized the decision. He reflected on X that “President Biden’s decision put personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.”
Meanwhile, several candidates aspiring to lead the national party defended Biden or supported the pardon. Former Governor Martin O’Malley, campaigning for the DNC chair position, stated, “I don’t blame the president for protecting his son from a man who has vowed to persecute his political enemies and their family members. I would do the same for my children.”
Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party and also pursuing the DNC chair position, remarked that “the president’s statement speaks for itself” and referenced Trump’s intent to use federal power against his political adversaries as “a frightening reality that the whole country needs to prepare for.”
Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and another chair candidate, conveyed his understanding of Biden’s protective instincts and argued for a reform of the pardon system to prevent personal use by anyone.
“Any Republicans who are expressing outrage today but didn’t blink when Donald Trump pardoned his son-in-law’s father are hypocrites,” he added.
Chuck Rocha, a strategist contemplating a DNC chair bid, stated, “I’m very pro-Biden pardon. I’m very anti-lying about it. As somebody who has run a presidential campaign, it would’ve been easy to dodge this.”
Michael Blake, a former New York Assembly member eyeing the DNC chair role, described the pardon as “fair and just on the facts.”
Contrarily, some Democrats are concerned that Biden’s pardon complicates their efforts to portray Trump and his allies as misusing the Justice Department and undermining the rule of law.
New York State Senator James Skoufis, who has launched a longshot bid for the DNC chair position, expressed that while he empathized with Biden’s paternal role, the pardon “does undermine our ability to make the case against Donald Trump when he absurdly claims that the Department of Justice has been targeting him and his loyalists, and so it’s disappointing when I see this news.”
He elaborated, “As Democrats, we need to very sorely rebuild trust in communities and address the reputational deficit that we have with so many Americans, this does not help.”
Several potential DNC chair candidates, including Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow, former Representative Max Rose, 2020 Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel did not respond to inquiries or declined to comment on the pardon.
Despite some Democrats attempting to distance themselves from the issue, it continues to surface throughout the country, with pressure rising among certain party members to take a stance that diverges from Biden’s viewpoint. Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Gary Peters, and Tammy Baldwin, all representing swing districts or states, have publicly criticized the pardon on social media.
Former Representative Cheri Bustos, attending an event in Chicago's western suburbs, sidestepped a question regarding whether Biden's pardon could provide Trump with political cover for potential pardons related to the January 6 Capitol incident.
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with Hunter Biden being pardoned,” Bustos replied.
Later, she remarked in an interview, “What father wouldn’t want to help his son if he is in a position to do so? As the mother of three boys, I would do all that is possible to give them a better life. He did what most dads would do. He reacted as a father.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
Numerous governors and senators aspiring to shape the future of the Democratic Party are refraining from commenting on Joe Biden’s recent, sweeping decision to grant clemency to his son. This move comes after months of prior promises that he would refrain from using his executive powers and allow the justice system to proceed unimpeded.
The lack of response from prominent Democrats suggests they are avoiding the chance to either distance themselves from or defend the unpopular president, even in the wake of the party's disappointing performance in last month's elections. Their reticence will likely continue to create tension and could resurface in upcoming presidential debates.
Governors such as Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and JB Pritzker of Illinois either did not respond or chose not to comment on the pardon when approached by PMG. Similarly, Senators Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, and Cory Booker of New Jersey also remained silent on the issue.
In contrast, several candidates aspiring to chair the Democratic National Committee, or those considering the role, are either defending Biden or voicing their support for his pardon. These contenders are seeking to resonate with party loyalists, many of whom are aligned with Biden, ahead of the February 1 election.
The mixed reactions highlight a disorganized response from Democrats still absorbing the implications of the pardon decision, revealing a lack of a collective strategy to address this sensitive and personal issue.
Biden explained that he granted clemency to his only living son after concluding that the federal prosecution was “infected” by “raw politics” and constituted a “miscarriage of justice.” Hunter Biden has accepted guilty pleas for tax offenses and has been convicted on gun-related charges.
The announcement from the White House was made shortly after Donald Trump expressed his desire for Kash Patel, a MAGA advocate who has pledged to dismantle the FBI’s Washington headquarters, to lead the agency.
Only some more unconventional or lesser-known potential candidates for 2028 distanced themselves from Biden’s decision. Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna, who co-chaired Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign, expressed empathy for Biden as a father and for Hunter’s struggles, but clarified that he did not support the pardon. He contended that the president should not have had the power to grant clemency in this case and should have sought to limit that authority while in office.
“The reality is it’s an anachronistic power from the time of kings,” Khanna remarked. “Most Americans who face unfairness with the process and have deep emotional ties to their kids when they face disproportionate sentencing don’t have access to power.”
Senator John Fetterman, who is an ally of Biden and has not shied away from conflict within his party, agreed with the president’s view that his son had been treated differently by the justice system for political reasons, paralleling it with Trump’s case involving 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records.
“Those cases were clearly weaponized against them for political gain. That’s undeniable,” he stated. “That was always inappropriate in my opinion. And a pardon in both are appropriate. And, for me, that collectively has damaged America’s trust in these institutions.”
Governor Jared Polis expressed disappointment with Biden’s decision shortly after the announcement, stating that while he understood the president's instincts as a father, it was concerning that he prioritized his family over broader national interests.
“While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country,” he wrote on X. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation.”
Senator Michael Bennet, who garnered less than 1 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire primary during his 2020 presidential run, also criticized the decision. He reflected on X that “President Biden’s decision put personal interest ahead of duty and further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.”
Meanwhile, several candidates aspiring to lead the national party defended Biden or supported the pardon. Former Governor Martin O’Malley, campaigning for the DNC chair position, stated, “I don’t blame the president for protecting his son from a man who has vowed to persecute his political enemies and their family members. I would do the same for my children.”
Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party and also pursuing the DNC chair position, remarked that “the president’s statement speaks for itself” and referenced Trump’s intent to use federal power against his political adversaries as “a frightening reality that the whole country needs to prepare for.”
Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and another chair candidate, conveyed his understanding of Biden’s protective instincts and argued for a reform of the pardon system to prevent personal use by anyone.
“Any Republicans who are expressing outrage today but didn’t blink when Donald Trump pardoned his son-in-law’s father are hypocrites,” he added.
Chuck Rocha, a strategist contemplating a DNC chair bid, stated, “I’m very pro-Biden pardon. I’m very anti-lying about it. As somebody who has run a presidential campaign, it would’ve been easy to dodge this.”
Michael Blake, a former New York Assembly member eyeing the DNC chair role, described the pardon as “fair and just on the facts.”
Contrarily, some Democrats are concerned that Biden’s pardon complicates their efforts to portray Trump and his allies as misusing the Justice Department and undermining the rule of law.
New York State Senator James Skoufis, who has launched a longshot bid for the DNC chair position, expressed that while he empathized with Biden’s paternal role, the pardon “does undermine our ability to make the case against Donald Trump when he absurdly claims that the Department of Justice has been targeting him and his loyalists, and so it’s disappointing when I see this news.”
He elaborated, “As Democrats, we need to very sorely rebuild trust in communities and address the reputational deficit that we have with so many Americans, this does not help.”
Several potential DNC chair candidates, including Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow, former Representative Max Rose, 2020 Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel did not respond to inquiries or declined to comment on the pardon.
Despite some Democrats attempting to distance themselves from the issue, it continues to surface throughout the country, with pressure rising among certain party members to take a stance that diverges from Biden’s viewpoint. Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Gary Peters, and Tammy Baldwin, all representing swing districts or states, have publicly criticized the pardon on social media.
Former Representative Cheri Bustos, attending an event in Chicago's western suburbs, sidestepped a question regarding whether Biden's pardon could provide Trump with political cover for potential pardons related to the January 6 Capitol incident.
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with Hunter Biden being pardoned,” Bustos replied.
Later, she remarked in an interview, “What father wouldn’t want to help his son if he is in a position to do so? As the mother of three boys, I would do all that is possible to give them a better life. He did what most dads would do. He reacted as a father.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
