Experiencing the conviction of a child is something that every parent would find unbearable. Imagine going through it as president in the midst of the most divisive reelection campaign ever witnessed by the entire world.
But now President Joe Biden is facing that nightmare as a result of the Delaware trial where his only son Hunter was found guilty on all charges for possessing a gun while being addicted to drugs.
Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee, learned of his conviction on all 34 counts in a hush money trial in New York less than two weeks ago, and the jury handed down its decision on Tuesday.
As far as presidential elections go, the two convictions are unprecedented. No sitting president or presumed major party nominee has ever faced criminal charges. The offspring of a current president has not either. Not guilty pleas were entered by both Trump and Hunter Biden.
At the beginning of the trial, Biden made the statement that “I am the president, but I am also a dad.” This statement captured the tension between his role as the nation’s justice system head and the pain he would naturally feel seeing his beloved son, who has struggled with addiction and been sober for a long time, stand trial amid a media frenzy.
Immediately following the verdict, Biden made a statement in which he reiterated that moving line. Biden, in contrast to Trump, respected the ruling and the legitimacy of the legal system following his own trial.
The man our kid has become fills us with such pride, and Jill and I adore him. “Families who have struggled with addiction know the immense joy that comes from witnessing a loved one overcome their struggles and thrive in recovery,” Biden added.
Even though Hunter is considering an appeal, I will respect the court process and accept the decision, as I stated last week. Our love and support for Hunter and our family will never waver, Jill and I promise. I don’t think that will ever change.
The conviction of Hunter Biden adds another tragic turn to a family’s tale that has seen more loss than most could ever imagine. As a part of his own political mythology, Joe Biden has recounted the narrative of how, as a newly elected senator in the early 1970s, he lost his first wife and baby daughter. He then raised his kids with his second wife, the current first lady. Beau, Biden’s eldest son, passed away from brain cancer nearly ten years ago. Even now, the president’s pain is raw and shows up at public events on a regular basis.
Concurrent with the president’s already intense reelection campaign, in which he faces an opponent he claims is hell-bent on dismantling American democracy, the trial of Hunter Biden is taking place. The fact that Biden is the oldest president in history at 81 years of age is adding insult to injury for him personally, as his detractors point out his every gaffe or misstep as evidence that he is unqualified to hold the post. On Sunday, he flew back from Europe, but on Wednesday, he’ll be returning for the G7 summit. His first debate with Trump, airing on AWN on June 27, will be as taxing on his mind and emotions as any reelection campaign for a modern president has been.
In the midst of the same political storm, two radically distinct cases
The reactions of the current and previous first families to the struggles of Hunter Biden and Donald Trump couldn’t be more dissimilar. Take, for example, the fact that the president’s son has refrained from publicly criticizing a judge as “corrupt” and “biased” on a daily basis. On the other hand, the former president warned of retaliation after his conviction for accounting fraud in order to conceal payment to an adult film star. It’s also ridiculous that he thinks he’s Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid hero from South Africa, and that he’s a persecuted political dissident. On Monday, Trump participated in an online pre-sentencing meeting, continuing his legal quagmire that began two days earlier when he used his Truth Social network to question the validity of the verdict he intends to appeal. “Our country has never seen anything like these trials—they are merely part of an illegal political witch hunt!” “I wrote,” Trump said.
Sentencing for the ex-president is scheduled for July 11, which is a few days prior to the start of the Milwaukee Republican National Convention. The sentencing hearing for Hunter Biden is scheduled for the month of October.
A somber Joe Biden told ABC News that he would not pardon his son, despite his claims that he is working to restore trust in the legal system in the wake of Trump’s election. Although a first-time offender’s punishment is unlikely to be that severe, this is particularly noteworthy because Hunter Biden faces a maximum of 25 years in jail if found guilty.
The spotlight falls on the first family
Although cameras were not allowed in the courtroom throughout either trial, the intense political drama and the spotlight that surrounded the present and former first families served as backdrops for the proceedings.
It was not uncommon for the former president’s older sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, to show up in New York court. In what amounts to an assault on the rule of law by a major American political party, a large number of GOP members, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, were willing to embellish the allegations of the presumed GOP nominee that he was a victim of politicized justice. Melania Trump, who was the first lady before Trump, was absent. First lady Jill Biden has been hosting a family reunion at the Wilmington courtroom for the past week, while her husband has remained absent. Last week, she traversed the Atlantic four times, juggling her official duties with those of her husband at the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day and on a state visit to France, all while wishing to be by her son’s side during his most vulnerable moment.
On Monday, during the trial’s closing statements, prosecutor Leo Wise made a stunning statement. He warned the jurors, who were chosen from a state where numerous families had stories about their interactions with the Bidens, that they should not be led astray by the strong link and presence of the first family. Individuals occupying the gallery do not constitute evidence. They may be familiar faces from the news, but please, it makes no difference. Wise further by saying, “The evidence must precede your decision.”