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TRUMP SEEKS TO OVERTURN BIDEN’S PARDON OF SON
Donald Trump’s legal team has filed a motion to dismiss his historic criminal fraud conviction, citing President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden.
The 69-page filing argues that Biden’s rationale for pardoning Hunter—a claim of selective and unfair prosecution—mirrors Trump’s allegations of politically motivated legal actions by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Hunter Biden was pardoned on Sunday after being convicted of tax evasion and illegal firearm possession earlier this year. President Biden justified the move, stating that his son’s prosecution was politically motivated due to his familial ties.
Trump Invokes Hunter Biden Pardon in Hush Money Case Dismissal Bid
Flanked by his attorneys Todd Blanche, left, and Emil Bove, former President Donald Trump awaits the start of proceedings in Manhattan Criminal Court, Tuesday, May 28, 2024, in New York. (Justin Lane/Pool Photo via AP)
Trump’s attorneys seized on these remarks, arguing they undermine the credibility of the same DOJ that prosecuted Trump. The brief also cited presidential immunity and the Presidential Transition Act as grounds for dismissing the conviction.
In May, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges stem from a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an alleged extramarital affair—claims Trump denies.
Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg argued the payments were an effort to protect Trump’s campaign by avoiding scandal, which the jury found compelling enough to convict.
The case now lies in the hands of Judge Juan Merchan, who postponed Trump’s sentencing after his presidential election win on November 5. Trump’s team is requesting either a dismissal of the charges or a suspension of legal consequences until after his upcoming presidential term, which begins on January 20.
Prosecutor Alvin Bragg has supported delaying sentencing, citing the “unprecedented circumstances” of Trump’s electoral victory.
This legal battle underscores tensions surrounding the DOJ’s impartiality, with Trump’s team alleging bias and election interference. Biden’s pardon of Hunter has added a new dimension, highlighting the complex interplay between politics and justice in the United States.
