Joe Biden, Hunter Biden
On Sunday, the President announced that he had signed a pardon for Hunter despite previously stating that he "would not interfere with the Justice Department's decision-making" throughout his term. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said that President Joe Biden should pardon President-elect Donald Trump for the various charges against him in order to balance out his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden.

"As a father, I don't know that I wouldn't have done the same thing," Manchin said while speaking to CNN. "What I would've done differently, and what my recommendation as counsel would've been, 'Why don't you go ahead and pardon Donald Trump for all his charges?' Make it go down a lot more balanced if you will."

On Sunday, the president announced that he had signed a pardon for Hunter despite previously stating that he "would not interfere with the Justice Department's decision-making" throughout his term. However, Biden indicated his belief that his son had been unfairly treated while being prosecuted, and that the pardon was justified as a reaction to the politicization of Hunter's crimes.

"I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted," Biden wrote in a press release from the White House. "The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election."

In September, Hunter pleaded guilty in a federal tax case in which he was charged nine times for allegedly not paying enough in taxes from the years 2016-19. The charges included failure to file and pay his taxes, tax evasion and filing a false return. He was awaiting sentencing for these charges, for which he faced up to 17 years in prison, at the time of the pardon.

Hunter was also convicted in the state of Delaware for lying about his drug use while attempting to buy a handgun.

Originally published by Latin Times.

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